Scale (social sciences)

In the social sciences, scaling is the process of measuring or ordering entities with respect to quantitative attributes or traits. For example, a scaling technique might involve estimating individuals' levels of extraversion, or the perceived quality of products. Certain methods of scaling permit estimation of magnitudes on a continuum, while other methods provide only for relative ordering of the entities. The level of measurement is the type of data that is measured. The word scale, including in academic literature, is sometimes used to refer to another composite measure, that of an index. Those concepts are however different. What level (level of measurement) of data is involved (nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio)? What will the results be used for? What should be used - a scale, index, or typology? What types of statistical analysis would be useful? Choose to use a comparative scale or a noncomparative scale. How many scale divisions or categories should be used (1 to 10; 1 to 7; −3 to +3)? Should there be an odd or even number of divisions? (Odd gives neutral center value; even forces respondents to take a non-neutral position.) What should the nature and descriptiveness of the scale labels be? What should the physical form or layout of the scale be? (graphic, simple linear, vertical, horizontal) Should a response be forced or be left optional? It is possible that something similar to one's scale will already exist, so including those scale(s) and possible dependent variables in one's survey may increase validity of one's scale. Begin by generating at least ten items to represent each of the scales. Administer the survey; the more representative and larger the sample, the more confidence one will have in the scales. Review the means and standard deviations for the items, dropping any items with skewed means or very low variance. Run a principal components analysis with oblique rotation on one's items and the other items for scales - it will be important to differentiate from one's own.