What is a Likert Scale?
Surveys are the heart of market research. They help you see what your audience thinks and feels about your brand, product, or service.
But how do you measure something as tricky as opinions or attitudes? This is where Likert scale surveys come into play. These simple tools make it easier to understand and analyze people’s feelings.
What is a Likert Scale?
A Likert scale is a straightforward way to measure opinions, attitudes, or satisfaction levels. A social scientist named Rensis Likert created it. It is used to collect data in a clear and organized way.
Here’s how it works: We present respondents with a statement or question and ask them to pick a response from a scale. For example: "I am satisfied with the service."
Scale responses might include:
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
These response options allow people to express their feelings in varying degrees. It’s not just a yes or no—it captures the intensity of their opinions.
How does Likert Scale Work?
Likert scales usually come as 5 point likert scale or 7 point liker scale to cover a range of feelings. Each option on the scale is given a numerical value. For instance:
- Strongly Disagree = 1
- Disagree = 2
- Neutral = 3
- Agree = 4
- Strongly Agree = 5
When you collect responses, these numbers help you turn opinions into data you can calculate and analyze. You can find trends, averages, or even patterns in how people feel towards your brand.
For example, if most people choose "4" or "5," you know they are generally happy or satisfied. And if more people choose "3" then they have a neutral response towards that question.
Is a Likert Scale Quantitative or Qualitative?
It’s a mix of both! A Likert scale gathers qualitative data because it asks people about their feelings. By assigning numbers to the responses, you can transform them into measurable and analyzable quantitative data.
This balance makes Likert scales a powerful tool for understanding what your audience thinks.
How to Present Likert Scale Data in a Table
Organizing the results in a table makes them easier to understand. For example:
| Response Option | Number of Responses | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly Agree | 60 | 30% |
| Agree | 100 | 50% |
| Neutral | 30 | 15% |
| Disagree | 8 | 4% |
| Strongly Disagree | 2 | 1% |
This layout shows how responses are spread across the scale. It helps you spot trends at a glance, like if most people lean toward positive or negative opinions.
How to Calculate a Likert Scale
To get meaningful insights from a Likert scale:
- Assign numbers to each response (e.g., 1 for "Strongly Disagree" and 5 for "Strongly Agree").
- Add up all the numbers for a question.
- Divide the total by the number of respondents to get an average score.
For example: If five people respond with scores of 5, 4, 3, 5, and 2, the total is 19. Divide by 5 respondents, and the average score is 3.8. This gives you a quick understanding of how your audience feels overall.
What are the Benefits of Using Likert Scale Questions?
Likert scales are popular for good reasons:
- Easy to Use: The format is simple for both you and the person taking the survey.
- Detailed Feedback: Unlike yes/no questions, Likert scales let respondents express how strongly they feel.
- Data You Can Measure: By converting responses into numbers, you can spot patterns and trends quickly.
Whether you’re tracking customer satisfaction or understanding opinions, Likert scales makes data collection easy and provides valuable insights.
What are the variations of Likert Scale Questions?
The most common Likert scale is the 5-point scale, but there are other options:
- 7-Point Scales: For more detailed feedback.
- 4-Point Scales: To encourage decisive answers by removing the "Neutral" option.
- Midpoint Options: Adding a "Neutral" or "Neither Agree nor Disagree" choice can help capture uncertain opinions.
Choose the format that fits your research needs best.
Tips for Creating Effective Likert Scale Questions
Crafting good Likert scale survey questions is key to getting reliable feedback. Here are some tips: Be Clear and Simple
- Write short, easy-to-understand statements. Avoid confusing words or jargon that might confuse your audience.
Cover All Opinions
- Make sure your response options capture every possible feeling—from strong agreement to strong disagreement.
Avoid Leading Questions
- Keep your statements neutral. Don’t use wording that might push people toward a particular answer. For example:
Biased: "This product is the best in the market, right?" Neutral: "How would you rate this product?"
When to Use Likert Scale Questions?
Likert scales are great when you want to:
-
Measure Satisfaction: Likert scales help you understand how people feel. This applies to customer experience, employee engagement, or specific events.
-
Understand Public Opinion: If you are testing a new product or campaign, use Likert scales. They can show what your audience likes and dislikes.
-
Track Changes Over Time: Use the same questions in different surveys to see how opinions shift over weeks, months, or years.
Conclusion
Likert scales are a must-have tool for surveys. They’re simple, flexible, and help you understand complex opinions in a way that’s easy to analyze. Likert scales combine qualitative insights with quantitative data. This gives you a full view of what your audience thinks and feels.
When designing your Likert scale, focus on clear statements, a full range of response options, and unbiased wording. This ensures your data is accurate and valuable.
Want to create surveys with Likert scale questions? Try Formester today and take your research to the next level!
