9/13/2011

MEASUREMENTS
(SCALES)*

source: Williams (1986)

source:
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Measurement Scales
Different measurement scales offer varying degrees of exactness in
describing given characteristics. The system of symbols in measurement will
usually comprise numerals
numerals, but what these numerals signify may range from
the simple identification of categories for classification of characteristics to
numbers representing "true values"
values of observed characteristics. Because
scales range from low to high in the amount of information signified, it is
common to speak of such scales in terms of levels of measurement.
Understanding differences in these levels is important for two main reasons:
(1) Selection of measurement scales depends on the type of
information the researcher desires to record
record.
(2) The scale that one selects may place restrictions on what models
for statistical reasoning may be applied.
The four types of scales available to the researcher are usually called the
nominal, ordinal, interval,
interval and ratio
ratio.
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Nominal Scale
The assignment of numbers or symbols for the purpose of
designating subclasses that represent unique characteristics.
Sometimes called the classificatory scale, the nominal scale is the weakest
l
level
l off measurement.
t Of th
the ffour ttypes off scales,
l
it signifies
i ifi the
th least
l
t
information about observations. When researchers classify observations into
mutually exclusive categories, as in dividing color of eyes (a class) into such
subclasses as blue, brown, and green, they are using a nominal scale. There
is no intention to signify any order among the categories as, for example, that
blue eyes are of greater importance than brown eyes along some specified
dimension. Different classes of observations might be identified in terms of
arbitrarily assigned numbers, as in
Blue = 1,

Brown = 2,

Green = 3

Blue = 3,

Brown = 1,

Green = 2,

or
and so on.

The prime characteristic of such categories is that all observations assigned to

a given category are equivalent in terms of some characteristic, and that they
differ from phenomena in other designated categories in terms of this
characteristic.
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Ordinal Scale
The assignment of numbers or symbols for the purpose of
identifying ordered relations of some characteristic, the order
having unspecified intervals.
A first point in describing the qualities of an ordinal scale is to
note that it incorporates the classificatory quality of the weaker
nominal scale. The important point in ordinal scaling, however, is
that among the subclasses there is an interrelationship of rank
ordering. That is, every subclass can be compared with every
other subclass in terms of some "greater
greater than"
than (or "less than")
relationship. The nature of the greater than depends, of course,
on the
th characteristic
h
t i ti under
d study.
t d It may indicate
i di t such
h relations
l ti
as more preferred, more emotional, more ethical, and so forth.
What ordinal scaling does not represent is the magnitude of
difference between ordered categories
categories.

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Ordinal Scale (cont)

Questionnaires used in survey research often involve ordinal
scaling. In a variety of studies you will find such questions as:
Eg.1
g
My
yp
pre-school child watches television:
1 very much
2 a little
3 not very much
4 not at all
Eg.2* Rate the services you have received from each of the hotel
units using the following scale:
Good
10

Bad
9

* with care

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Interval Scale
The assignment of numbers for the purpose of
identifying ordered relations of some
characteristic, the order having arbitrarily assigned
and equal intervals but an arbitrary zero point.

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Ratio Scale
The assignment of numbers for the purpose of
identifying ordered relations of some characteristic,
the order having arbitrarily assigned and equal
intervals, but an absolute zero point.

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Interval & Ratio Scales Some Examples

Eg.1

Rate the services you have received from each of the hotel
units using the following scale:

Good
10

Bad
9

Eg. 2
(measurements involving scientific and technical scaling)

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Some Remarks Interval & Ratio Scales

The first characteristic to note in the definitions of interval and ratio scales is
that magnitude is treated in terms of known and equal intervals.
intervals A second
characteristic of these scales is that they are thoroughly quantitative;
quantitative they are
always expressed in numbers, or something representing numbers.
It is also useful to point out that interval scales meet most,
most and ratio scales
meet all,
all of the mathematical assumptions necessary to perform arithmetic
operations. By contrast, there are substantial restrictions on which arithmetic
operations can be applied when using nominal or ordinal scales.
There are, however, some important differences between interval and ratio
scales. These differences stem from the consequences of having an arbitrary
point ((interval scale)) as compared
p
with a true zero p
point ((ratio scale).
)
zero p
When considering an interval scale, the focus is on the difference between
values on the scale. Because the numbers are based on an arbitrary zero, their
values, as such, may not be adequately reflective on the real world, nor are
they isomorphic to the structure of arithmetic. However, these numbers do
adequately define intervals on the interval scale; therefore, the magnitudes of
difference along an interval scale provide useful designations of characteristics
of the real world.
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Interval & Ratio Scale

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Interval & Ratio Scale

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The Hierarchy of Scales

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Change of Scale Types Involving

NUMBERS (0, 1, 2, 3,)

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Numbers are regarded as NOMINAL when they represent categories

for classification of characteristics with no specific order.
order
Eg.1

Natural numbers in the general number system (0, 1, 2, 3,. )

Eg.2
g

Numbers assigned
g
to specific
p
categories
g
of colours:
1 for Blue

2 for Brown

3 for Green

Eg. 3*: Numbers representing a list of rate of death for each category (e.g.
state)
Nos. of Deaths for Three States
State 1

State 2

State 3

45

34

20

Note: In general, the true order of magnitudes can be applied to these numbers,
i.e. 20 < 34 < 45 (so that 45, 34 and 20 are ordinal!)
However, the comparative ordering cannot be applied in this particular
case, as the rate of 45 deaths in State 1 perhaps is lower (in terms of
percentage of the population) as compared to 20 deaths in State 3!

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Numbers are regarded as ORDINAL when they represent ordered

relations of some characteristic, with the order having unspecified intervals.
Eg.1 Grades obtained by students in a Maths Test
Eg.2 My pre-school child watches television:
1 very much
2 a little
3 nott very much
h
4 not at all
Eg. 3 Suppose you conduct an Algebra Readiness Test to 3 different groups of
samples, namely Traditional Class, Hands-on Class and Prealgebra Class.
Each of these classes comprises of 7 students. The scores obtained by
each student are shown below:
Note: In this case, the numbers 95, 94, 89,
84
84,
can be ordered
ordered. Bearing in mind
the nature of interval scale, these
numbers may be regarded as
INTERVAL

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Numbers which are neither NOMINAL nor

ORDINAL are regarded as either INTERVAL or
RATIO (depending to the its absoluteness of zero
point)..

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An Authentic Exercise Tracer Study of

UTM Graduates

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