INTRODUCTION TO MULTIPLE CATEGORY

SCALE

• Multiple category scales are a powerful tool in research

methodology, allowing for more detailed data collection.
These scales go beyond simple binary yes/no questions,
providing a range of response options to capture the
complexity of human experiences and perceptions.
 DEFINITION OF MULTIPLE
CATEGORY SCALE
• Multiple category scales are structured and systematic, providing a
clear framework for respondents to categorize or rate items, which
facilitates the collection of comprehensive and meaningful data. These
scales are widely used in various research fields, including marketing,
psychology, sociology, and customer satisfaction studies, among
others.

• This scale allows respondents to categorize items into various groups,

rate items based on multiple attributes, or express their level of
agreement with statements across several dimensions.
 TYPES OF MULTIPLE CATEGORY
SCALE

• RANKING SCALE LIKERT SCALE

• Respondents rank a set of items or Respondents indicate their level of
statements based on multiple predefined agreement or disagreement with a series of
categories or dimensions. statements based on multiple predefined
categories or dimensions.
• Example:Ranking factors influencing the
choice of a vacation destination from Example:Indicating the level of aggrement
most important to least important,such as with statements related to customers service
“cultural attractions”,”natural beauty”, on a 5-point likert scale for categories like
and “cost”. “Response time”, “friendliness”,and
“knowledgeability.
 ADVANTAGES OF MULTIPLE
CATEGORY SCALE

• Structured Responses-Provides a structured and systematic format for

respondents to categorize or rate items across multiple predefined categories or
dimensions.
• Comprehensive Insights-Allows for the collection of comprehensive and
detailed information about respondents opinion,attitudes,or preferences across
various categories or dimensions.
• Enhanced Validity-Often considered to have higher validity compared to
single-category scales as they capture a broader range of
respondents’perceptions and prefereneces.
 DISADVANTAGES OF MULTIPLE
CATEGORY SCALE

• Complexity for Respondents-Respondents may find it difficult to differentiate

between the various categories or dimensions, leading to potential confusion
and inaccurate responses.
• Difficulty in Interpretation-The multiple dimensions or categories can
complicate the data analysis process,requiring more advanced statistical
techniques to identify meaning patterns and insights.
• Limited Differentiation-The predefined categories or dimensions may not
capture the subtle differences between items effectively,leading to less detailed
responses.
 DESIGNING EFFECTIVE MULTIPLE
CATEGORY SCALE

1. DEFINE CLEAR OBJECTIVES

2. SELECT APPROPRIATE CATEGORIES OR DIMENSIONS
3. USE CLEAR AND UNDERSTANDABLE LANGUAGE
4. DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF CATEGORIES OR RATING SCALE
5. PROVIDE CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS
6. CONSIDER THE RESPONSE FORMAT
7. PILOT TEST THE SCALE
8. INCLUDE A NEUTRAL OR BALANCED MID-POINT
9. RANDOMIZE THE ORDER OF ITEMS
10. ANALYZE THE INTERPRET THE DATA CAREFULLY
Non Comparative Scaling
Techniques
Non Comparative Scaling Techniques is a set of scaling
methods in which each item is scaled independently of
each others.
 Respondents evaluate only one object at a time, and for
this reason non comparative scales often referred to as
monadic scales.
 NON-COMPARATIVE
SCALE

GRAPHIC MULTIPLE
RATING CATEGORY SCALE
SCALE
ITEMISE VERBAL
RATING FREQUENCY SCALE
SCALE
Graphic Rating Scale
 The graphic Rating Scale is a performance appraisal
method to evaluate employee engagement, performance
& productivity-related criteria.

Respondents can choose

a particular option on a line
scale to show how they feel
about something.
Advantage of Graphic Rating Scale
Easy to understand for both researchers
and respondents.
Saves time for both researchers and
participants.
Responses are numerical, facilitating
straightforward quantitative analysis.
Scale format and wording can be adjusted
as needed.
 Disadvantages of Graphic Rating Scale
Graphic rating scales often provide limited depth of
response compared to open-ended questions,
potentially oversimplifying complex opinions or
attitudes.
Designing effective graphic rating scales requires
careful consideration of scale length, wording, and
format, which can be challenging and time-consuming.
The order in which scale items are presented can
influence respondents' ratings, leading to order effects
that may bias the results.
 ITEMIZE RATING
• Itemize rating typically refers to breaking down the assessment of
a product, service, or performance into specific categories or
criteria and assigning a rating to each one individually.
• This approach allows for a more detailed analysis and provides
readers with a clearer understanding of the strengths and
weaknesses of the subject being reviewed.
• Itemizing ratings provides a structured framework for evaluation,
helping both reviewers and readers to focus on different aspects of
the subject and make comparisons between similar products or
services more easily.
• It allows for a more nuanced assessment and can be particularly
useful when making decisions based on specific preferences or
priorities.
 ITEMIZE RATING SCALE
•Itemized rating scales are used to help the researcher obtain a
measure of attitudes .The researcher first develops a number of
dimensions -attitude statements ,product or service
attributes ,image dimensions, etc.
• Respondents are then asked to position how they feel each one
using a defined rating scale. A rating scale is usually an interval
rating scale on which respondents are asked to give their answers
using a range of evenly spaced points ,which are provided as
prompts .
•Rating scales are widely used by questionnaire writers .They
provide a straightforward way of asking attitudinal information
that is easy and versatile to analyse, and that provides
compatibility across time .
TEMIZE RATING ADVANTAGES
• Granularity: Itemized ratings allow for more granular feedback compared to
simple rating scales. Users can rate specific aspects or features individually,
providing more detailed insights.
• Clarity: Itemized ratings help users to clearly identify and articulate their
opinions about different aspects of a product, service, or experience. This
clarity can be beneficial for both the users and the providers.
• Insightful Analytics: Itemized ratings generate richer data for analysis. By
dissecting feedback into various categories, businesses can gain deeper
insights into strengths and weaknesses, enabling more informed decision-
making and targeted improvements.
• Personalization: Itemized ratings allow for personalized feedback tailored to
individual preferences or needs. Users can focus on the aspects that matter
most to them, providing a more personalized experience.
• Comparative Analysis: With itemized ratings, users can compare different
products or services more effectively. By evaluating specific attributes side by
side, they can make more informed decisions based on their priorities.
 Itemize rating disadvantages
• Subjectivity: Ratings are often based on personal opinions and preferences,
leading to subjective assessments rather than objective evaluations. This
subjectivity can result in inconsistencies and biases, especially if the raters
have different standards or perspectives.
• Limited Context: Ratings typically provide a single score or ranking without
considering the nuanced context of the item being rated. This can lead to
oversimplification and misrepresentation of the item's qualities, as important
factors may be overlooked.
• Inherent Biases: Rating systems can be influenced by various biases,
including cultural, social, and demographic factors. For example, certain
groups may be systematically disadvantaged or favored in the ratings due to
implicit biases held by the raters or inherent flaws in the rating system design.
• Lack of Granularity: Rating systems often lack granularity, meaning they may
not capture the full spectrum of qualities or variations within an item. This
can lead to insufficient differentiation between items that have similar overall
ratings but significant differences in specific attributes.
 Verbal Frequency Scale
• This scale is used when the respondent is unable or
unwilling to give the exact numbers in the answer.
• This scale provides only an approximation of
frequency and so the data is on ordinal scale.
• This scale also have the two dimensions. In
undimensional scale, only one attribute of the
object is measured while in multidimensional scale,
an object is considered with several dimensions.
 Some examples of this scale are -

Over the past month,how

How often do you disagree with often have you argued with
your spouse about how much to your intimate partner ?
spend on vacation ?  All the time
 Never  Fairly open
 Rarely  Occassionally
 Sometimes Never
 Often  Doesnt apply to me at the
 Very Often moment
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
ADVANTAGES – DISADVANTAGES –
 Enhance measurement  It includes Subjectivity.
quality metrics  It lacks precision.
 Aid in reducing  It is memory bias.
bandwidth Respondants may have
requirements in speech difficulty recalling the
transmission systems. frequency of events.
 Contribute to improve  It has limited range of
measurement responses.
frequency.