BUSI 600-Q 12.7

Willie Terrell, Jr.

Liberty University

BUSI 600-Q 12.7

Below is a Likert-type scale that might be used to evalu­ate your opinion of the educational degree program in which you are enrolled. There are five response categories: Strongly Agree, Agree, Neither Agree nor Disagree, Dis­agree, and Strongly Disagree. If Strongly Agree (SA) repre­sents the most positive attitude, how would you value the items below? Record your answers to the items.

A. This program is not very challenging. SD

B. The general level of teaching is good. SA

C. I really think I am learning a lot from this program. SA

D. Students’ suggestions are given little attention here. SD

E. This program does a good job of preparing one for a career. SA

F. This program is below my expectations. SD

In what two different ways could such responses be used? What would be the purpose of each?

In the question listed above, the type of scale used to is called the Likert-type scale. Which is used on either a five or seven point scale of how much a person agree or disagree on something. However, there is a flaw in the results. The flaw from this scale is that, “if you have an item that does not work, the results will become a big mess and you will spend a lot of time trying to figure out the results” (Vanek, 2012). The survey is a great resource but it can also not be the best for certain questions. One perfect example is that if it is not your own opinion about something then it should not be used. I also think that agree and disagree should not be based on an attitude. Item that a person would agree with might not be a positive answer behind anything. But with the answers in this case will be added up and given a total score.

The survey questions could be considered hypothetical constructs. Most, companies gain data from surveys and not actually observing them physically. With that being said, “These credentials cause examiners to be careful about the ways certain aspects of measured attitudes predict behavior” (Cooper, 2017). When you are using the Likert scale, you have to take into consideration that people answers the questions based on their feelings and how they are being treated or performing. When I think about the attitudes of people, I think about the “Golden Rule”. In the bible it talks about treating people fairly and the right way. The perfect bible verse that will be essential for this situation is, “Do unto others, as you would have them to do unto you” (Matthew 7:12, King James Version). If companies or whomever it is distributing the surveys, treat others fairly the results will always be positive. But the one person who does not get what they want will always give negative feedback no matter what.

There are two different ways the responses can be used. The first way is a rating scale. The rating scale, “is used when contributors score an object or indicant without constructing a direct comparison to another object or attitude” (p. 271). Instead of having whether you agree or disagree, you can make it to where it can benefit everything on a numeric scale. The purposes of this scale it to make sure results are not based on a person’s feeling towards a company or individual. One great example is that if a person is failing a class, the student will likely give that professor all bad reviews because the class did not go in favor of that student.

The second response is can be sorting. According to the response sorting, “it will allow them to sort cards into piles established by the researcher to gain more data” (p.272). I think that it will give the people who are given surveys to visually answer the questions, which will allow everyone to have more data and better research. It is so important to have accurate data, this will allow everyone to gain the appropriate info needed in order to improve or continue doing what they are already doing. Also, it takes faith in order to succeed in life. The bible states that, “Jesus said that I am the way, the truth, and the life no man cometh to my father but by me” (John 14:6, KJV). If you are doing something with a positive attitude and keep the Lord in all of your plans, there is no way you can fall unless there was a door God did not want you to enter. But, if you are doing right by people and yourself, the Lord will bless you and you will not only have the research you need, but it will be honest and truthful information.