Likert scale questions with examples

Likert scale questions - How it helps measure respondent attitude

Likert scale is a psychometric scale where questions based on this scale are normally used in a survey. It is one of the most widely used question types in a survey. In a likert scale survey respondents simply don't choose between "yes/no", there are specific choices based on "agreeing" or "disagreeing" on a certain question in the survey.

Likert scale survey questions are essential in measuring a respondent's opinion or attitude towards a given subject and is an integral part of market research. Likert scale is typically a five, seven, or nine-point agreement scale used to measure respondents' agreement with a variety of statements. Organizational psychologist Rensis Likert developed the Likert Scale in order to assess the level of agreement or disagreement of a symmetric agree-disagree scale. In general, a series of statements each designed to view a construct from a slightly different perspective is leveraged. The power of this technique is that it works across disciplines—it is just as applicable to a social science construct as it is a marketing one.

Measuring customer attitudes with likert scale

Likert scale usually has five, seven or nine points, with five and seven points used most frequently. For example, typical multiple-choice options include strongly agree, agree, no opinion, disagree and strongly disagree as the likert item. In a likert survey, adding "Somewhat" to both sides creates the sixth and seventh points. The scales are anchored by strongly agree and strongly disagree. There is some research that indicates having the agree side shown first could inflate the scores. This likert scale data can be tested by alternating the anchor points within a survey wave and comparing scores in the data analysis stage.

Likert scale is designed to measure attitudes that are multi-item. Basic research tells us that multiple-item measures of a construct are inherently more stable and subject to less random variability than single-item measures. How many items are enough? If you are creating a new scale then you should create as many items as possible and let subsequent analysis narrow the field of contenders. This can be done through brainstorming sessions, focus groups or a review of existing literature. Look at the Likert scale samples below for an even better understanding.

Likert scale questionnaire and examples

Unipolar likert scale examples

Unipolar scales are more contoured, allowing users to instead focus on the absence or presence of a single item. The scale measures the ordinal data, but most of the times unipolar scales generate more accurate answers. An example of a unipolar satisfaction scale is: not at all satisfied, slightly satisfied, moderately satisfied, very satisfied, and completely satisfied.

A unipolar Likert scale question type indicates a respondent to think of the presence or absence of quality. For example, a common unipolar scale includes the following choices: not at all satisfied, slightly satisfied, moderately satisfied, very satisfied, and completely satisfied. It is arranged on a 5 point scale. A to E. Also, Unipolar question types lend themselves where there is a maximum amount of the attitude or none of it. For instance, let's say, how helpful was the apple pie recipe? Very helpful, somewhat or not at all. From there, we can safely assume there is something in between–like "sort of" helpful.

Bipolar likert scale examples

A bipolar scale indicates a respondent to balance two different qualities, defining the relative proportion of those qualities. Where a unipolar scale has one "pole," a bipolar scale has two polar opposites. For example, a common bipolar scale includes the following choices: completely dissatisfied, mostly dissatisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, somewhat satisfied, mostly satisfied, and completely satisfied. That is a scale with 0 in the middle (-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3).



See an example of bipolar likert scale questions in our Motivation and buying experience survey template

Typical likert scale examples

Let us consider the following statements :

• Ted's Pizza has excellent customer service.
• You get a lot of food for the price at Ted's Pizza.
• People come to me for information on new products.
• I enjoy sharing information with others.
• I consider myself knowledgeable about a variety of issues.

The first two statements measure the customer's perceptions about the business. Traditionally the Net Promoter Score question is used to conduct a customer satisfaction survey. Qualitative research such as focus groups or in-depth interviews can be useful in helping to generate a list of statements. The last three statements were centered on the individual and might be part of an opinion leader or early adopter scale. Just as easily you can create a scale with items touching upon political or social topics, religion, or other important issues of the day.

How to write likert scale survey questions?

1. Be careful about adjectives: In a survey when you ask the respondent about their opinion, it is extremely important to keep the response options precise. Your response options need to include adjectives that are easily understandable. When using adjectives in the response option there should be no confusion in which grade is higher than the other. It is appropriate to start from extremes (Extremely unsatisfied or similar) come to a neutral opinion (neither satisfied nor dissatisfied) and then a positive adjective scale (extremely satisfied or similar).
2. Using "Unipolar" or "Bipolar" Questions: As a survey creator, you should have the clarity on what kind of likert questions you want to use in the survey. Whether you want to use unipolar questions where the choice of response is based on extremely negative to extremely positive(extremely dissatisfied to extremely satisfied) or you want to use bipolar question where the choice of response is based on either side of neutrality (extremely happy to extremely sad)
3. It's always better to ask: According to a study human beings respond to questions positively rather than statements, therefore to gather accurate responses it's always better to ask questions than fabricate statements.

Advantages of likert scale questions in a survey

1. Likert scale survey is a universal method of collecting data or information, which means it is easy to understand and respond.
2. When the survey creator tends to work around quantitative data, it is easier to report results from the respondents.
3. Since likert scale survey involves using a scale, respondents are not forced to choose response options in extremes, allowing them to be neutral if they choose so.
4. Last but not least it's very easy to run this kind of surveys as they are not time consuming.

How to use Likert scale in a QuestionPro survey?

1. Select a typical multiple choice question. "Select one" from the question template.
2. Once you have made the selection the options will display. You can type your survey question and accordingly edit the options by using the "Edit Answers in Bulk".
   
   
3. Edit the question to suit your need and select an appropriate scale – in this case the Disagree-Agree one which is the likert scale type option.
4. The likert scale question is ready