Maximizing rating scale information

Stone MH, Wright BD. … 8:3 p.386

Rating scale categories should be well defined, mutually exclusive, univocal and exhaustive (J.P. Guilford), but this is not enough. They must also be clearly differentiated in the behavior of the respondents, otherwise more categories do not mean more information. Here is an apparently well constructed scale:

How much do you fear...
1. Not at all
2. A little
3. Somewhat
4. More
5. A lot

But could the respondents clearly discriminate 5 levels of fear? The plot shows the statistical separation of the respondents obtained when adjacent categories are clumped together. Person separation is best with the categories grouped into 3 levels, and one of the dichotomizations is almost as good as the original five category scale. The choice of scoring model can dramatically alter results. The statistically best scoring model for these data was:

How much do you fear...
1. Not at all
2. A little
3. Somewhat, More, A lot

Mark Stone & Ben Wright


Maximizing rating scale information. Stone MH, Wright BD. … Rasch Measurement Transactions, 1994, 8:3 p.386



Rasch Publications
Rasch Measurement Transactions (free, online) Rasch Measurement research papers (free, online) Probabilistic Models for Some Intelligence and Attainment Tests, Georg Rasch
Applying the Rasch Model 2nd. Ed., Bond & Fox Best Test Design, Wright & Stone Rating Scale Analysis, Wright & Masters
Introduction to Rasch Measurement, E. Smith & R. Smith Introduction to Many-Facet Rasch Measurement, Thomas Eckes Invariant Measurement: Using Rasch Models in the Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences, George Engelhard, Jr.
Statistical Analyses for Language Testers, Rita Green Rasch Models: Foundations, Recent Developments, and Applications, Fischer & Molenaar Journal of Applied Measurement

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