User's Manual

Smart Survey Design
Page 12
Replace with: Descriptions on Every Rating Scale:
Please answer the following about SurveyMonkey.
1 – Strongly 2 - Disagree 3 – Neutral 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly
Disagree Agree
It is easy to use.   
It is fun.  
The two common types of matrix-rating scales are called likert and semantic differential
scales. Rating scales are popular ways of collecting subjective data where you want to
measure a respondent‟s ideas (e.g. opinions, knowledge, or feelings). When creating rating
scales, likert scales in particular, consider if you want the scales to be balanced or
unbalanced. The following sections discuss these two scales and the difference between
balanced vs. unbalanced scales.
a. Likert Scales:
A likert scale is considered an “agree – disagree” scale. This setup gives
respondents a series of attitude dimensions. For each dimension, the respondent is asked
whether, and how strongly, they agree or disagree to each dimension using a point rating
scale. Likert scales are given scores or assigned a weight to each scale, usually from 1 to
5. The purpose of the likert scale is to sum the scores for each respondent (the response
average), and the intent of the likert is in that the statement will represent different aspects
of the same attitude (Brace 2004, 86).
Example of Likert Scale:
Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly
Disagree Agree
The new tool is improved        
b. Semantic Differential Scales:
The semantic differential scale is one that has opposite ends of the scale marked
with two different or opposing statements. Respondents are then asked to indicate the area
in which they fall on the scale. Unlike the likert scale, the semantic types do not have to
have a “statement” that is semantically identified for each rating along the scale. It is