Creating a Likert scale survey can seem straightforward, but to garner the right insights and ensure successful data collection, you need to approach it with a strategic mindset.
A Likert scale is a psychometric scale commonly involved in research that employs questionnaires. It is the most widely used approach for scaling responses in survey research, such that the term is often used interchangeably with ‘rating scale’, although there are many other types of rating scales. Here are 10 tips for generating successful Likert scale surveys that will help you capture the complex opinions and attitudes of your respondents:
- Understand What a Likert Scale Is Before diving into creating a survey, it’s crucial to grasp what a Likert scale is. A Likert scale gauges respondents' attitudes by asking them to agree or disagree with a series of statements. The simplicity of the Likert scale – especially the popular 5-point Likert scale, is its main advantage, providing a range of responses from one extreme to another.
- Choose The Right Scale Range There are a variety of Likert scales – from the Likert 5 point scale to even 7 or 9 points. When choosing the scale range, consider the level of granularity you need. A 5-point Likert scale is accessible and provides clear data while avoiding overwhelming the respondent. For most surveys, the 5 point Likert scales offer a balanced number of choices.
- Clearly Define Each Point on the Scale For a Likert scale 5-point to work effectively, each point on the scale must be clearly defined. Respondents should be able to distinguish between each option without any ambiguity. This is important to maintain consistency across all Likert scale questions in your survey.
- Balance The Scale The Likert scale should always be balanced, with an equal number of positive and negative responses and a neutral option in the middle. This neutral midpoint is crucial for respondents who genuinely have no opinion or are indifferent to the question.
- Write Neutral and Unbiased Likert Scale Questions When crafting Likert scale questions, maintain neutrality in your language to avoid leading the respondent towards a particular answer. Good Likert scale question examples are direct, clear, and free from any bias.
- Keep the Survey Focused Do not overwhelm respondents with too many Likert scale questions. Stick to the core questions that will answer your research question. Also, ensure that the Likert questions are relevant to your survey’s purpose and provide valuable data.
- Use Consistent Statements For meaningful data analysis, ensure that all Likert scale 5 point statements are consistent. Avoid mixing positive and negative statements, which may confuse respondents and lead to unreliable data.
- Pilot Your Survey Before launching your survey to a large audience, conduct a pilot test. Get a small group of people to answer your 5 point Likert scale questions to uncover any possible misunderstandings or biases.
- Analyze Data Appropriately Understand that while the data from Likert scales can be revealing, they are ordinal, not interval data. This means that while you can say that one score is higher than another, the difference between points on a Likert scale is not necessarily uniform.
- Follow Up for More Context Sometimes a Likert scale survey may not capture the full nuance of a respondent's opinion. Consider adding open-ended questions or follow-up interviews to gain more context behind the numerical ratings.
Remember, successful Likert scale surveys depend not only on the design of the scale and its questions but also on how they are administrated and analyzed. Thus, what is a Likert scale's role in your research? It's a mediator that allows for the quantification of subjective experiences, providing a standardized method for understanding the human dimensions of your data.
By following these tips, you will ensure that your Likert scale surveys are well-designed, clear, and can provide valuable data for your research. Whether respondents are interacting with 5-point Likert scale questions or other variations, their experience and the data you collect will inform your study’s success. Implement these strategies thoughtfully, and you're on your way to harnessing the true power of Likert scale surveys.