Description: An ordinal scale is a measurement scale where the order of values is significant. Unlike nominal scales, which only classify data without an inherent order, ordinal scales allow for establishing a hierarchy among categories. This means that, in an ordinal scale, one can determine if one value is greater or lesser than another, but the exact difference between them cannot be quantified. For example, in a satisfaction survey, responses can be classified as ‘very dissatisfied’, ‘dissatisfied’, ‘neutral’, ‘satisfied’, and ‘very satisfied’. Here, it can be seen that ‘very satisfied’ is better than ‘satisfied’, but it cannot be measured how much better it is. Ordinal scales are useful in situations where classification is required, but it is not necessary to know the magnitude of the differences. This characteristic makes them especially valuable in social research, psychology, and market studies, where perceptions and attitudes are difficult to quantify precisely. In summary, ordinal scales are essential tools for data collection and analysis, providing a framework for understanding and comparing different categories of information.
Uses: Ordinal scales are used in various fields, such as social research, psychology, and market analysis. They are particularly useful in surveys and questionnaires where attitudes, opinions, or levels of satisfaction are measured. For example, in customer satisfaction studies, ordinal scales can be used to classify customer experiences at different levels, allowing companies to identify areas for improvement. They are also used in performance evaluations, where employees can be ranked at different performance levels, facilitating decision-making in human resources.
Examples: An example of an ordinal scale is the rating of movies on a streaming platform, where users can rate movies with stars, from one star (very bad) to five stars (excellent). Another example is the use of Likert scales in surveys, where respondents can express their level of agreement with a statement on a scale ranging from ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’.
