THE LIKERT SCALE: EXPLORING THE UNKNOWNS AND THEIR POTENTIAL TO MISLEAD THE WORLD

Authors

  • I. Alhassn University for Development Studies
  • N. Asiamah 2Department of Epidemiological Methods, Africa Centre for Epidemiology, Accra, Ghana
  • F. F. Opuni 3Department of Marketing, School of Business, Accra Technical University, Accra, Ghana
  • A. Alhassan 4Department of Statistics, Faculty of Physical Sciences, University for Development Studies, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47740/586.UDSIJD6i

Abstract

The Likert scale is such an admired and pervasive data collection tool, that has gained great recognition, especially in the last two decades. However, both seasoned and early-career researchers sometimes use it thoughtlessly in their investigations, resulting in the production of misleading research findings. This paper presents a general discourse on Likert scales and is a response to the misunderstandings surrounding their use, especially in recent years. The paper is based on secondary data and advances knowledge on research instrumentation using the Likert scale.  We discussed some of the problems that can arise from the inappropriate use of the scale as well as strategies for reducing its impact on research findings. Thus, we proposed some remedies for dealing with “noisy” data obtained from a poorly constructed and guilelessly applied Likert scale. Eventually, we proposed a unified Likert scale that resolves the conflicting functions of descriptive anchors and numerical labelling of the scale. 

Keywords: Attitude, Continuum, Data, Likert scale, Psychometric

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Published

2022-12-29

How to Cite

Alhassn, I., Asiamah, . N., Opuni, F. F., & Alhassan, A. (2022). THE LIKERT SCALE: EXPLORING THE UNKNOWNS AND THEIR POTENTIAL TO MISLEAD THE WORLD. UDS International Journal of Development, 9(2), 867–880. https://doi.org/10.47740/586.UDSIJD6i