Understanding the Science of Measurement Scales

www.doctoralhub.com/understanding-measurement-scales/

September 27, 2016

There are four measurement scales: nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio. These are
basically methods to classify different kinds of variables. These four measurement scales
(nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio) are best understood with an example, in this article i
will try to give the clear and understandable examples, so you can get a better
understanding on them

Nominal Scales
Nominal scales, you are collecting information on a variable that naturally or by design can
be grouped into two or more categories that are mutually exclusive and collectively
exhaustive.

Let’s understand the concept of Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive.

** Mutually exclusive: related in such a way that each event makes the other event
impossible: not able to be true at the same time or to exist together

** Collectively exhaustive: a situation where the happening of one event is not influenced
or affected by another event

Example of exclusive and exhaustive: In the coin-tossing example, both outcomes are
collectively exhaustive, which means that at least one of the outcomes must happen, so
these two possibilities together exhaust all the possibilities

Example Nominal Scales

Ordinal Scales:
Ordinal scales include the characteristics of the nominal scale plus an indication of order.
Ordinal data require conformity to a logical postulate, which states: If “A” is greater than “B”
and “B” is greater than “C”, then “A” is greater than “C”.

Ordinal scales are typically measures of non-numeric concepts like satisfaction,

happiness, discomfort, etc.

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Ordinal scale examples

Interval Scale:
Interval scales have the characteristics of nominal and ordinal data with additional strength:
They combine the concept of equality of interval (the scaled distance between 1 and 2
equals the distance between 2 and 3). Centigrade and Fahrenheit temperature scales are
the examples of interval scales.

In other words, you can say that Interval scales are numeric scales in which we knownot
only the order but also the exact differences between the values.

Temperature gauge

Time on clock

Ratio Scale:
Ratio scales is a measurement scales which incorporate all the characteristics of the
previous scales with additional provision for absolute zero or origin. Ratio data denote the
actual amounts of a variable. Measures of physical dimensions such as weight, height,
distance, and area are examples.

Ratio scales provide a wealth of possibilities when it comes to statistical analysis. These
variables can be meaningfully added, subtracted, multiplied, divided (ratios).

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Examples: Weight and Height

Summary of Measurement Scales:

Following table provides the summary of what we have discussed in the above
sections.

Type of Characteristics of Data Basic Empirical Example

Scale Operation

Nominal Classification (mutually exclusive and Determination of Gender (male,

collectively exhaustive categories), but no equality female)
order, distance, or natural origin

Ordinal Classification and order, but no distance or Determination of Doneness of meat

natural origin greater or lesser (well, medium well,
value medium rare, rare)

Interval Classification, order, and distance, but no Determination of Temperature in

natural origin equality of intervals degrees
or differences

Ratio Classification, order, distance, and natural Determination of Age in years

origin equality of ratios

What type of Statistical tests test you can apply on measurement scales?

This table shows the summary of tests you can apply among different scale levels,
following table will help you in understanding and differentiating the scales in a better way.

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My next article will be on “How to choose scales for your research study?” so stay
tuned

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