Surveys have become integral to gathering insights and opinions in various fields, from politics to customer satisfaction. One powerful tool in the survey arsenal is the Likert scale. Developed by social psychologist Rensis Likert in 1932, the Likert scale is a structured way of measuring attitudes and opinions. In this brief guide, we will delve into what a Likert scale survey is and provide you with a step-by-step approach to how to create one.

What is a Likert Scale Survey?

A Likert scale survey is designed to gauge respondents’ opinions and attitudes towards a particular topic or concept. It employs a rating scale, typically consisting of five or seven response options to choose, ranging from Strongly Agree to Disagree Strongly. A neutral midpoint, such as “Neither Agree nor Disagree,” is included for those who remain neutral on the subject. The primary purpose of a Likert scale survey is to provide a holistic view of people’s opinions and the level of their agreement with specific statements or questions.

Creating Your Own Likert Scale Survey

Now that we understand the essence of a Likert scale survey let’s explore the steps involved in crafting one that yields meaningful results.

Step 1: Determine the Purpose of Your Likert Scale Survey

Before creating your Likert scale survey, you must clearly define the purpose of the survey and what you intend to measure. For instance, if you want to assess people’s preferences for online shopping, your survey’s goal would be to measure how individuals perceive online shopping.

Step 2: Develop Indicator Statements

Likert scale surveys are most effective when they aim to measure complex concepts that cannot be captured with a single question. To achieve this, you must create a list of indicator statements or questions that help you understand the concept you’re investigating. In our example of online shopping preferences, you might consider questions like:

1. I prefer physically examining products before purchasing (Strongly Agree—Strongly Disagree).
2. The wide variety of online options overwhelms me (Strongly Agree—Strongly Disagree).
3. Online checkout processes are easy to navigate (Strongly Agree—Strongly Disagree).

Ensure that each statement addresses the core aspect of the concept you are exploring.

Additional Tips for Writing Indicator Statements:

• Maintain balance by including both positively and negatively worded statements. For example, if you have an idea like “The variety of options online overwhelms me,” balance it with “I appreciate the wide selection online shopping has to offer.”
• Ensure that respondents who agree with positive statements disagree with their opposing counterparts and vice versa to maintain clarity and reliability.
• Follow best practices for creating survey questions, using language that resonates with your audience while avoiding double-barreled or overly complex statements.

Step 3: Decide on the Response Scale

The Likert scale involves two critical decisions regarding the response scale:

• Semantic Scale: Choose response options that are simple and unambiguous. Standard options include Agree—Disagree, Helpful—Not Helpful, Excellent—Poor, Satisfied—Dissatisfied, and Always—Never. Be sure to clarify the meanings of the options in your survey introduction to minimize ambiguity.
• Number of Response Choices: Likert-type response scales typically have an odd number of options to include a neutral midpoint. While a 5-point scale is the minimum, a 7-point Likert scale is often considered suitable. However, adding more options may lead to less use of the neutral category. Your choice should align with your analysis approach.

Additional Tips for Creating Response Scales:

• Get creative with response labels to maintain respondent engagement.
• Use unipolar responses that measure in degrees rather than opposites for clarity and ease of understanding.
• Maintain consistency in response scales to ensure the reliability of your data.

Step 4: Test and Refine Your Survey

Survey creation is an iterative process. Begin by testing your Likert scale survey with a small representative group of participants. Analyze the collected data and consider an item analysis to identify the most valuable and problematic items or statements. Adjust your survey based on the feedback and results obtained.

Interpreting Likert Scale Results

Once your Likert scale survey is administered and the data is collected, you can use various statistical methods to analyze the results. Standard tools for analysis include calculating averages, medians, and frequencies to identify trends and patterns within the data.

However, it’s essential to be aware of potential respondent biases that can affect the reliability of Likert scale survey results:

• Social Desirability Bias: Respondents may provide socially acceptable answers rather than their true opinions. An even-numbered scale can help minimize this bias.
• Central Tendency Bias: People tend to avoid extreme responses. Clarify the meanings of your response options to reduce this bias.
• Extreme Response Bias: Some respondents may consistently choose the most powerful options. Use neutral language and avoid leading questions to mitigate this bias.
• Acquiescence Response Bias: Respondents may tend to agree with statements. Phrase statements as questions and evaluate pairs for consistency to minimize this bias.

In Conclusion

Likert scale surveys offer a valuable tool for understanding complex attitudes and opinions. By following these steps and considering potential biases, you can create effective Likert scale surveys that provide deeper insights into people’s thoughts and feelings. Survey creation is an iterative process, so be prepared to refine your approach based on testing and analysis. Ultimately, a well-crafted Likert scale survey can yield rich and reliable data to help you better understand your target audience. Start creating your survey today to unlock valuable insights!