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Measurement and Measurement Scales

Measurement involves assigning numbers to objects in order to study them scientifically. There are four main types of measurement scales - nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio - with each scale building on the properties of the previous. Nominal scales simply categorize objects with labels, ordinal scales rank objects in order but provide no information on differences between ranks, interval scales have equal intervals between points allowing comparisons of differences, and ratio scales have a true zero point allowing comparisons of ratios. For a measurement to be sound, it must meet tests of validity by measuring what it intends to, reliability by providing consistent results, and practicality by being economical, convenient, and interpretable.

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83 views11 pages

Measurement and Measurement Scales

Measurement involves assigning numbers to objects in order to study them scientifically. There are four main types of measurement scales - nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio - with each scale building on the properties of the previous. Nominal scales simply categorize objects with labels, ordinal scales rank objects in order but provide no information on differences between ranks, interval scales have equal intervals between points allowing comparisons of differences, and ratio scales have a true zero point allowing comparisons of ratios. For a measurement to be sound, it must meet tests of validity by measuring what it intends to, reliability by providing consistent results, and practicality by being economical, convenient, and interpretable.

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Measurement and Measurement Scales

• Measurement is the foundation of any


scientific investigation
• Everything we do begins with the
measurement of whatever it is we want to
study
• Definition: measurement is the
assignment of numbers to objects
Example:
We are measuring that performance characteristic
by assigning a number (a score on the test) to
an object (a person)

Rank of a Student
Four Types of Measurement Scales

Nominal
Ordinal
Interval
Ratio
• The scales are distinguished on the relationships
assumed to exist between objects having different
scale values
• The four scale types are ordered in that all later
scales have all the properties of earlier scales—
plus additional properties
Nominal Scale
• Not really a ‘scale’ because it does not scale
objects along any dimension
• It simply labels objects

Gender is a nominal scale


Male = 1
Female = 2
Religious Affiliation
Catholic = 1
Protestant= 2
Jewish =3
Muslim =4
Other =5
Categorical data are measured on nominal scales
which merely assign labels to distinguish categories
Ordinal Scale
• Numbers are used to place objects in
order

• But, there is no information regarding


the differences (intervals) between
points on the scale
Interval Scale
• An interval scale is a scale on which equal
intervals between objects, represent equal
differences

• The interval differences are meaningful

• But, we can’t defend ratio relationships


Fahrenheit Scale
• Interval relationships are meaningful
• A 10-degree difference has the same
meaning anywhere along the scale
• For example, the difference between 10 and
20 degrees is the same as between 80 and
90 degrees
• But, we can’t say that 80 degrees is twice as
hot as 40 degrees
• There is no ‘true’ zero, only an ‘arbitrary’
zero
Ratio Scale
• Have a true zero point

• Ratios are meaningful

• Physical scales of time, length and volume


are ratio scales

• We can say that 20 seconds is twice as long


as 10 seconds
Sources of error in measurement

1. Respondent
2. Situation
3. Measurer – behaviour, style and looks of investigator may
encourage or discourage certain replies from the
respondent
4. Instrument – eg. use of complex words, ambiguous
meaning etc.
Characteristics of Sound Measurement
Sound measurement must meet the tests of Validity,
Reliability and Practicality
Test of Validity : It refers to the extent to which a test
measures what we actually wish to measure – it can also be
thought of as Utility – validity is the extent to which
differences found with a measuring instrument reflect true
differences among those being tested.
Test of Reliability : A measuring instrument is reliable if it
provides consistent results – stability, equivalence
Test of Practicality :This can be judged in terms of economy,
convenience and interpretability

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