Optimal Number of Questionnaire Response Categories

W. Paul Jones and Scott A. Loe

SAGE Open, 2013, vol. 3, issue 2, 2158244013489691

Abstract: Two multi-instrument investigations in a university clinic/lab provided an opportunity to explore the impact of reducing the number of response alternatives in a scale measuring vocational personality traits. In a simulation study, a standard computer-based administration provided a numeric scale for each item ranging from 0 to 10. The tests were then rescored to simulate the effect of only three choices. For the follow-up study, two versions of the scale were created, one with two response options and the other with six response options, and were randomly assigned to participants. Typical relationships were evident between the vocational personality traits and scores on standard measures of core personality traits with negligible impact from reducing the number of response alternatives. Neither the ability of the participants nor the self-reported distress had a measurable impact on the utility of the results with the reduction in response alternatives.

Keywords: behavioral sciences; educational research; education; social sciences; careers; educational measurement & assessment; educational psychology & counseling; measurement and scaling methods; research methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:sagope:v:3:y:2013:i:2:p:2158244013489691

DOI: 10.1177/2158244013489691

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