Working with Data

This activity provides an opportunity for students to discuss the use of a qualitative scale and the relative merits of different sorts of scales. A copymaster for the scales is at the end of these notes.
The students need only circle their chosen option. For example:

Questions 1a–1d are all asking for a level of agreement. These could all be done easily on scale ii. Scale iv would not fit at all, but it will be useful for a scale of difficulty as asked in question 1e. Scales i and iii can be used for anything, provided that the students annotate them to show the meaning of the smiley face or the values of the numerals from 0 to 10. For example, the numerical scale may have 0 meaning the lowest level of agreement and 10 the highest level of agreement.
But 0 could also mean the easiest, with 10 meaning the hardest.
Some questionnaire writers prefer to use a scale with an even number of options. This means there is no neutral option in the middle of the scale for respondents to choose. They must choose some level of agreement or disagreement. Scales i, ii, and iv in this activity do have an odd number of options. You can change them to an even number of options if you wish.

Answers to Activity

1.–3. Answers will vary.