COLLEGE OF NURSING, BARWALA

HISAR

AN ASSIGNMENT
ON
RATING SCALE

SUBJECT :- NURSING EDUCATION

SUBMITTED TO : SUBMITTED BY :
Mrs. Ahuti Ms. Anjali Nath
Professor (Obg) Msc.Nsg 1st Year

SUBMITTED ON :
 RATING SCALE

INTRODUCTION:-

Rating scales are the crudest form of measure using scaling technique. Scaling
describes the procedures of assigning numbers to various degrees of opinion, attitudes
and concepts.

SCALE:-

Meaning and definition:-

The scales are form of self report, is a more precise means of measuring
phenomena than the questionnaire . Most scales measures psychological variables.
However, scaling technique can also used to obtain self report on physiological variables
like pain , nausea or functional capacity.

The scale is defined as a “procedure for the assignment of numbers (or other
symbols) to a property of objects in order to impact some of the characteristics of
numbers to the properties in question.”
Methods of scaling:-

Scaling can be done in two ways

o Making a judgement about some characteristics of an individual & then placing

them directly on a scale that has been defined in terms of that characteristic
o constructing questionnaire in such a way that the score of individual response
assigns him a place on the scale.
o
RATING SCALE:-

Meaning with example:-

An observer may be asked to judge the behaviour he observes and classify it in to

categories. This is essentially the task he performs when completing a schedule, but he
can also be asked to give a numerical value or rating to his judgments.

Rating is a term applied to expression of opinion or judgement regarding some

situation , object or character . Opinion are usually expressed on a scale of values.

“Rating scale refers to a scale with a set of points which describe varying degrees
of the diamension of an attribute being observed. Example: here we judge an object
without reference to other similar objects :eg

i. like –dislike’
ii. Above average - average - below average’
iii. ‘Other classification with more categories such as ‘ like very much
–like somewhat- neutral – dislike some what - dislike very much’
There is no rule to use a two point / three point or with still more points. In
practice 3-7 point scales are generally used for the simple reason that more points on a
scale provide an opportunity for greater sensitivity of measurement.
Uses of rating scaling scale:-

The ratingscales are used

 in the evaluation of individuals , & their reaction

 in the psychological evaluation of a stimuli
 to record quantified observations of a social situation
 to describe the behaviour of individuals , the activities of an entire group , the
changes in the situation surrounding them, or may other type of data
Forms of rating scales:-

According to Guilford there are fve broad categories of rating scales:

1. Numerical scales
2. Graphic scales
3. Standard scales
4. Rating by cumulative points
5. Forced choiced rating

Numerical scales:-

In a typical rating scale, a sequence of defined numbers are supplied to the rater or
to the observer.The rater or the observer assigns to each stimulus to be rated , an
appropriate number in line with these definition or descriptions.One example of such
scale is ratings of the effective value of colours and odours is as follows:

10 most pleasant imaginable

9 most pleasant

8 extremly pleasant

7moderately pleasant
6 mildly pleasant

5indifferent

4 mildly unpleasant

3 moderately unpleasant

2 extremely unpleasant

1 most unpleasant

0 most unpleasant imaginable

Another example of numeric rating scale for pain assessment:-

In such scales , sometimes zero is placed at the ‘indifferent’ category and negative
numbers below it . It has been seen that observers or raters usually avoid terminal
categories. If such categories (0 – 10) are not included , observers or raters would tend to
avoid categories 1 & 19 and thus the range of rating gets shortened . To avoid this short
coming , it is suggested to expand the scale beyond the categories which a researcher
wants to include in his scale . For example , if a researcher wants an effective scale of 7
points , he may make use of additional two categories so that desired dispersion of seven
point rating is achieved.
 In some numerical scales , the observer or rater is not provided with numbers
which he has to use in making judgements. He has to report in terms of descriptive
‘cues’ and then the researcher assigns numbers to them. For example ,while rating
performance in a drama , the ‘cues’ may be the following.: very good , good, average,
poor , very poor. To these cues , the numbers 1 through 85 may be assigned by the
researcher.

i. It is easier to construct and apply

ii. They are simplest in terms of handling the results
iii. It may suffer from so many biases and errors

Graphic scales:-

The graphic scale is the most popular and most popular and the most widely used
type of rating scale. In this scale, a straight line shown , vertically or horizontally,with
various cues to help the rater. The line is either segmented in units or it is continuous. If
the line is segmented, the number of parts can be varied.

talkative Talks when Refrined

necessory from
talking

 These are simple and easy to administer

 Interesting to the rater and needs little motivation
 Provide opportunity for as fine discrimination
 There is some what greater labour of scoring in connection with some formats of
graphic scale

Standard scaes:-

In this a set of standard is presented to the rater. The standards are usually object
of some kind to be rated with pre established scale values In its best form , this type is
like that of the scales for judging the quality of handwriting.The scales of handwriting
provide several standard specimens that have previously spread over a common scale
by methods of equal appearing intervals or pair comparison. With the help of standard
specimens, a new sample of handwriting can be equated tone of the standards or judge as
being between two standards. The man to man scale and the portrait – matching scale are
other two forms of conform more or less to the principle of standard scale.

Rating by cumulated points:-

The unique and and common feature of rating scale by cumulated points is in the
method of scoring. The rating score for an object or individual is the some or average of
the weighted or unweighted points. The ‘check list method’ & the ‘guess who technique’
belong to this category of rating.

‘check list method’are applicable in the evaluation of the performance of the

personnel in a job. Hartshorne and Mary used this method for evaluating children with
respect to character. A list of 80 trait names describing some favorable and unfavorable
character like cooperative , cruel, thoughtful, humane, greedyetc, was prepared. Each
rater checked every term in the list that he thought applied to a child. The weights of +1
and _1 were assigned to every favorable and unfavorable traits respectively and the
child’s score was the algebraic sum of the weights.

It is suggested that the check list items may in multiple choice form rather than in
true false form. For example , while rating the performance of personnel in their work
assignment the items like the items like the following may be used:

Cooperate with others His relations with public are

 Enthusiastically outstanding
 Willingly creditable
 Indifferently acceptable
 Grudgingly poor
 Defiantly detrimental
The ‘Guess who technique’ of rating was also developed by Hartshorne and Mary
for use particularly with child rates. For this purpose some statements in terms of some
‘descriptions’ like ‘here is one who is always doing little things to make others happy’,
were constructed and each child was told to list all his classmates who fitted each
description , mentioning the same child as many times as necessary. Each child scored a
point for each favorable description applied to him , and the total score was the sum total
of all such points.

Forced choice rating:-

Here the rater is asked, not to say whether the ratee has a certain trait or to say how
much of a trait the rate has but to say essentially whether he has more of one trait than
another of a pair.

In the construction of forced choice rating instrument , descriptions are obtained

concerning persons who are recognized as being at the highest and lowest extremes of
the performance continuum for the particular group to be rated. Descriptions are
analysed into simple behaviour qualities , stated in very short sentences or by trait names,
which were called as ‘element’. These elements are used to construct items and then
discrimination value and performance value are determined for each element. In forming
an item , elements are paired . Two statement or terms with about the same high
performance value are paired , one of which is valid and the other not . Two statements or
terms with about the same high performance value are paired , one of which is valid and
the other not. Two statement or terms with about equally low performance value are also
paired , one being valid and the other not.

Two pairs of statement, one pair with high performance value and one with low
performance value, are combined in a tetrad to form an item. An example:

- careless
- serious minded
- energetic
- snobbish
In the construction , the rater is asked to react each tetrad as an item , saying which
one of the four best fits the rate and which one of the four least appropriate. The tool is
tried out in a sample for which there is an outside criterion for the purpose of validating
the response. Then the discriminating responses are determined and differential weights
are assigned to each item.

Limitations in constructing and using rating scale:-

Constant errors :- rating based on human judgements are subject to many source of
personal bias or errors.

The error of leniency:-

 -there is constant tendency among the raters to rate those whom they know
well,or in whom they are ego involved, higher than they should, such raters
are called easy raters.

-some ratersbecome aware of the failing of easy rating and consequently

rate individuals lower than they should. Such raters are called hard raters .
when rating is too low the constant error is one of the negative leniency
when too high positive leniency occurs. For example:

poor fair good Very good excellent

Physical health: in this example only one unfavourablecue is given and most of the range
is given to degrees of favourable report. The researcher evidently anticipates a mean
reading somewhere near the cue good.

The error of central tendency:-

In this error of central tendency, most of the ratershesitate to rate the
individuals on the extremes of the scale and tend to rate the individuals on
the middle of the scale. It is more common amongs the raters who are
unknown to the individual.

The halo effect:-

This error which obscures the cluster of traits within an individual. The
rater forms a general opinion about the persons opinion about the person’s
merit and his ratings on specific traits are greatly influenced by this general
impression . It results in spurious amount of positive correlation between
the traits that are rated.

The logical error:-

 It is due to the fact that judges are likely to give similar rating for traits
which theyfeel logicallyrelated to each other.

The contrast error:-

The error is due to a tendency for a rater to rate others in the opposite
direction from himself in a trait. For example , in a study the raters were
asked to rate individuals in the trait of “need for orderliness” . It was seen
that the raters who themselves were high in orderliness tended to see others
as being less orderly than they were.

The proximity error:-

This error also gives rise to undue covariances among some traits like the
logical error and the contrast error. It has been seen that adjacent traits on a
rating form tend to intercorrelate higher than remote ones , their degree of
actual similiarity being approximately equal.

Construction of a rating scale:-

A trait to be rated should be given a trait name and a definition

i. Arating scale should make use of good cues

ii. There is hard and fast rule concerning the number of steps or scale divisions
to be used in a rating scale. In general , 5 to 7 point scale seem to serve
adequately.

General Advantages of rating methods:-

There are some advantages of rating methods

1. it consumes only less time
2. they are interesting to the raters , especially if graphic method is used
3. it can be used by raters who have minimum of training
4. it can be used with large numbers of stimuli
5. have much wider range of application
6. best ratings can be obtained by presenting one stimulus to a rater at a time.

RESEARCH REVIEW:-

1. For rating the Strength of Scientific Research Findings AHRQ(Agency For

Heathcare research And Quality) Conducted a study on 1999:-

The researchers reviewed the titles and abstracts of 1,602 publications. From this
set, they retained for this report 121 systems comprised of rating scales, checklists, other
instruments, and guidance documents. Specifically, they assessed 20 systems relating to
systematic reviews, 49 systems for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 19 for
observational studies, 18 for diagnostic test studies, and 40 systems for grading the
strength of a body of evidence. For purpose of final evaluation, they focused on scales
and checklists

The researchers summarized more than 100 sources of information on systems for
assessing study quality and strength of evidence for systematic reviews and technology
assessments. Using criteria based on key categories to these systems, they identified 19
study-quality and 7 strength-of-evidence grading systems that people conducting
systematic reviews and technology assessment can use as starting points.

AHRQ not only sees this report as meeting the congressional mandate outlined
earlier, but the Agency hopes that groups or organizations producing systematic reviews
and technology assessments will apply these rating scales and grading schemes in a
manner that will benefit groups developing clinical practice guidelines and other health-
related policy advice

CONCLUSION:-

Qualitative description of a limited number of aspects of a thing or a trait of a

person can easily been done by rating scale. The rating scale procedures exeed all
psychological – measurement methods.

REFERENCES:-

1. Denise F.P,Beck.C.T. “Nursing Research Generating And Assessing Evidence For

Nursing Practice” .8th Edition . NewDelhi: Lippincott Williams And Wilkims
Publication; 2008
2. Kothari C.R. “Research Methodology Method And Techniques” .2 nd Edition.
Chenni:Wishwa Prakashan Publication;2001
3. Koul Lokesh. “Methodology Of Educational Research” . 3rd Edition .NewDelhi:
Vikas Publishing House Pvt Ltd; 2004
4. Parahoo Kader. “Nursing Research Principles Process and Issues” .1st Edition.
India: Palgrave Publication;1997
5. Ross Jacqueline Hott , Wendy C.B. “Notter’s Essentionals Of Nursing
Research”. 6th Edition. India : Springer Publishing Company; 2006

INTERNET REFERENCES

6. www.pubmed.com
7. www.medline.com
8. www.nursingcare.com
9. www.nursingworld.com