Likert Scale Questionnaire Analysis

BASIC TIPS FOR LIKERT-SCALE ANALYSIS

This article will focus on the following:

1. Simple Standard deviation Mean, Criterion-Mean and Grand-Mean Tables analysis.

How to calculate Criterion-Mean

How to calculate Mean

How to calculate Grand-Mean

2. How to analyze 5 and 4 point Likert Scale Questionnaire

          Frequency percentage table. 

How to get, determine or know your Criterion-Mean

What is Criterion-Mean?

Criterion: is a principle or standard by which something may be judged or decided meaning that Criterion-Mean or Mean-Cut-Off-Point is the score, frequency, number used to decide the validity of items on questionnaire analysis in (Chapter Four Data Presentation).

1. How to Calculate or Get Criterion-Mean

How to determine or know criterion-mean, if you are using 5 or 4 Point- Likert-Scale It is important to know point allocations in 5 or 4 Point- Likert-Scale data analysis.

EXAMPLE 2: 4- POINT LIKERT-SCALE
Abbreviations And Full-Meaning		POINTS
SA	STRONGLY AGREE	5
A	AGREE	4
D	DISAGREE	2
SD	STRONGLY-DISAGREE	1
TOTAL	Formula is :   4 + 3 + 2 + 1 =	10

EXAMPLE 1: 5- POINT LIKERT-SCALE
Abbreviations And Full-Meaning		POINTS
SA	STRONGLY AGREE	5
A	AGREE	4
U	UNDECIDED	3
D	DISAGREE	2
SD	STRONGLY-DISAGREE	1
TOTAL	Formula is:   5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 =	15

How to get Criterion-Mean for 5 Point-Likert-Scale

Step 1:  You add all the points in the Likert-Scale divide by 5 because it is a (5 Point-Likert-Scale)

Formula is as follow: 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 =15

Step 2: Divide the 15 by 5 Example 15 ÷ 5 = 3. Therefore the Criterion-Mean for 5 Point-Likert-Scale  is 3.00 which is the decisive factor.

      FIG 1:- Example of 5 Point-Likert-Scale table showing, Criterion-Mean and decisions 

Q1:   To what extent does the male and female student exhibit SAD in school?
No	ITEMS	MEAN	SD	CRITERION MEAN	DECISION
1	I get nervous when I appear before a crowd.	2.32	1.04	3	Disagreed
2	I don’t like asking lecturers questions during class activities.	2.46	1.55		Disagreed
3	I like staying alone during lecture free periods.	2.64	1.59		Agreed
4	I feel embarrassed each time a lecturer suddenly calls me up in the class to answer questions.	2.6	1.08		Agreed
5	Feel embarrassed when someone looks at my notebook during lectures.	2.56	1.50		Agreed
GRAND MEAN

How to get Criterion-Mean for 4 Point-Likert-Scale

Step 1:  You add all the points in the Likert-Scale divide by 5 because it is a

(4 Point-Likert-Scale)

Formula is as follow: 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 =10

Step 2: Divide the 10 by 4 Example 10 ÷ 4 = 2.5 therefore the Criterion-Mean for 4 Point-Likert-Scale is 2.5 which is the decisive factor.

FIG 3:-   Example of 4 Point-Likert-Scale table showing, Criterion-Mean  and decisions 

Q 1: To what extent do media advocate conflict resolution in conflict reporting?
No	ITEMS	MEAN	SD	CRITERION MEAN	DECISION
1	Mass media style of conflict reporting can facilitate conflict resolution among warring parties.	2.87	1.13	2.5	Agree
2	Media stations like AIT and Nigeria-Info in Rivers State method of conflict reporting can make warring sides seek for resolution.	2.8	1.2		Agree
3	I like the way Nigeria-Info and AIT reporter/presenters do their conflict reporting.	3.1	0.9		Agree
4	Among all the media outfits in Rivers State AIT and Nigeria -Info are the best in conflict reporting.	2.93	1.07		Agree
5	The media have done well in the area of conflict resolution; through its jingles and programs.	2.52	1.48		Agree
GRAND MEAN                  2.844

Research on this table makes obvious that items 1 and 2 had Mean of 2.87 and 2.8 apiece which is above the criterion-mean of 2.5 used to decide. Similarly items 3, 4 and 5 had Mean value of 3.1, 2.93 and 2.52 respectively which is also above the decisive value of 2.5 Criterion-Mean.
Which is a pointer that all items under research question 1 meets the decisive benchmark of 2.5; in addition all items under this research question had total Grand-Mean value of 2.844 which above the Criterion-Mean 2.5 which is decisive value.

The researcher therefore infers that the media advocate conflict resolution in conflict reporting.

The decision therefore is that any item with a mean value of 3.00 and above, if you are using a 5 point-likert scale questionnaire is (Agree) and any item with mean value below 3.00 is (Disagree).

In the same way any item with a mean value of 2.5 and above, if you are using a 4 point-likert scale questionnaire is (Agree) and any item with mean value below 2.5 is (Disagree).

2.  How to Calculate or Get MEAN  

Statistically mean is a measure of central tendency and gives us an idea about where the data seems to gathering around.

Different Statistical Means

There are different kinds of statistical means or measures of central tendency for the data points. Each one has its own utility. The arithmetic mean, geometric mean, median and mode are some of the most commonly used measures of statistical mean. They make sense in different situations, and should be used according to the distribution and nature of the data.

For instance, the arithmetic mean is frequently used in scientific experimentation, the geometric mean is used in finance to calculate compounding quantities, the median is used as a robust mean in case of skewed data with many outliers and the mode is frequently used in determining the most frequently occurring data, like during an election.

The arithmetic mean is perhaps the most commonly used statistical mean to measure the central tendency of data.

The mean is also known as “Arithmetic Mean” or “Arithmetic Average” it is the mostly used frequency measure of central tendency and it is the typical score or score expected from each respondent in any group, being the typical or expected score, any group of respondents whose total score on the instrument is less than the typical score or the mean, is Rejected, Disallowed or Negative  on the other hand, any group of respondent whose total score is equal to, or above the typical score or the mean, is Accepted, Agree or Positive.

Calculating or Getting the Mean

To calculate or obtain Mean, while using a 4 or 5 point Likert-scale for Chapter-four analysis Note that the mean of each item on the instrument is equated to the Criterion-mean to ascertain the acceptability of each item.

FIG 5:-   See example below

Q 3:  To what extent does conflict reporting prompt conflict.
No	ITEMS	MEAN	SD	CRITERION MEAN	DECISION
1	I get angry most times when I listen to issues relating to conflict because of the way it’s being reported in the media.	2.3	1.7	2.5	Disagree
2	Sometimes the way the media reports conflict is capable of fueling conflict.	2.5	1.5		Agree
3	Media reports on conflict have done more harm, than good.	2.35	1.65		Disagree
4	The way the media handle or reports conflict is provoking.	2.72	1.28		Agree
5	The media sometimes instigates conflict with its report.	2.25	1.75		Disagree
GRAND MEAN  2.424

To obtain your mean just follow these steps: Divide the total number of person that respondent to item by 100.

Example for step 1:

16 persons ticked SA

26 persons ticked A

30 persons ticked D

28 persons ticked S

Note:

SA	STRONGLY AGREE	5
A	AGREE	4
D	DISAGREE	2
SD	STRONGLY-DISAGREE	1
TOTAL	Formula is:   4 + 3 + 2 + 1 =	10

Example for step 2:

Therefore:

16 persons ticked SA     16 x 4 = 64

26 persons ticked A       26 x 3 = 78

30 persons ticked D       30 x 2 = 60

28 persons ticked SD     28 x 1 = 28

Haven done the multiplication you proceed to the next step.

Example for step 3:

Add or plus all the answers you obtain

64+78+60+28 = 230

Now to get the mean we, have been looking for we divide the 287 by 100;

230 ÷ 100 = 2.3

Therefore the mean for item 1 is 2.3 which lower than the Criterion-Mean thus 2.3 is (Disagree / Rejected) because 2.3 is below 2.5 which is the decisive cut-off-point.

Step 1 example for item 2:

30 persons ticked SA

16 persons ticked A

28 persons ticked D

26 persons ticked SD

Example for step 2:

Therefore:

30 persons ticked SA     30 x 4 =120

16 persons ticked A       16 x 3 = 48

28 persons ticked D       28 x 2 = 56

26 persons ticked SD     26 x 1 = 26

Haven done the multiplication you proceed to the next step

Example for step 3:

Add or plus all the answers you obtain

120+48+56+26 = 250

To get the mean you have to divide the 280 by 100;

250 ÷ 100 = 2.5

Hence the mean for item 2 is 2.5 which is up to the Criterion-Mean value of 2.5 thus is 2.5 is (Agree / Accepted) because 2.5 is not below the 2.5 which is the decisive cut-off-point.

These steps should be applied to all items.

3. How to calculate Grand-Mean

What is Grand-Mean?  

The Grand-Mean is use to compare the Criterion-mean which is decisive cut-off-point to determine the acceptability/reject-ability of each research questions during analysis.

FIG 6:- See example 1 below:   

Q 4:   To what extent does media exhibits bias in conflict reporting.
No	ITEMS	MEAN	SD	CRITERION MEAN	DECISION
16	Sometimes the media is unfair in its conflict reporting.	2.43	1.57	2.5	Disagree
17	At times the media is misleading in its different reports on conflicts.	2.4	1.6		Disagree
18	The media is not biased when it has to do with conflict reporting.	2.56	1.42		Agree
19	The media is biased while reporting issues relating to Niger Delta crisis.	2.78	1.9		Agree
20	Media reports concerning Boko-Haram and crisis in the North-East is not balance.	2.04	1.8		Disagree
GRAND MEAN  2.45

Research on this table shows that items 1, 2 and 5 had Mean scores of 2.43, 2.4 and 2.04 which fall under disagree on the analysis which is below the decisive Criterion-Mean 2.5.

While items 3 and 4 had Mean value of s of 2.58 and 2.78 each which is up-to and above the Criterion –Mean value of 2.5 used as the determining factor.

The analysis in addiction revealed that all items under this research question had total of 2.45 as its Grand-Mean which is not up-to-the Criterion-Mean of 2.5 which is the decisive factor.

These hence indicate that the media does not exhibit bias in conflict reporting. 

FIG 7:- See example 2 below:   

Q 1: To what extent do media advocate conflict resolution in conflict reporting?
No	ITEMS	MEAN	SD	CRITERION MEAN	DECISION
1	Mass media style of conflict reporting can facilitate conflict resolution among warring parties.	2.87	1.13	2.5	Agree
2	Media stations like AIT and Nigeria-Info in Rivers State method of conflict reporting can make warring sides seek for resolution.	2.8	1.2		Agree
3	I like the way Nigeria-Info and AIT reporter/presenters do their conflict reporting.	3.1	0.9		Agree
4	Among all the media outfits in Rivers State AIT and Nigeria -Info are the best in conflict reporting.	2.93	1.07		Agree
5	The media have done well in the area of conflict resolution; through its jingles and programs.	2.52	1.48		Agree
GRAND MEAN                  2.844

Research on this table makes obvious that items 1 and 2 had Mean of 2.87 and 2.8 apiece which is above the criterion-mean of 2.5 used to decide. Similarly items 3, 4 and 5 had Mean value of 3.1, 2.93 and 2.52 respectively which is also above the decisive value of 2.5 Criterion-Mean.

Which is a pointer that all items under research question 1 meets the decisive benchmark of 2.5; in addition all items under this research question had total Grand-Mean value of 2.844 which above the Criterion-Mean 2.5 which is decisive value.

The researcher therefore infers that the media advocate conflict resolution in conflict reporting.

To obtain the grand-mean, you add/plus all the mean’s obtained together, then divide by the total number of items, for clarification sake note that the instrument used in for this case study have 4 research questions and each of these 4 research question carries or have 5 question under them which is referred to as the (ITEMS) see clear example in pages 4 and 7.

Example: 1 of Grand-mean on table FIG 6:-

2.43 + 2.4 + 2.56 + 2.78 + 2.04 = 12.21 ÷ 5 = 2.442 approximately 2.45.

Example: 2 of Grand-mean on table FIG 7:-

2.87 + 2.8 + 3.1 + 2.93 + 2.52 = 14.22 ÷ 5 =2.844

4.     How to analyze 5 and 4 point Likert Scale Questionnaire

Frequency - percentage table is another tool, method or technique of analyzing data collected from Likert-Scale questionnaire and other instruments.

So to determine percentage while using frequency table for analysis, you multiply the number of respondents by 100, divide by the sample size.

                  

FIG 8:-   Example for frequency-percentage table Frequency analysis of sex respondents

 

SEX	VALID RESPONDENTS	PERCENTAGE  %
MALE	140	43.75
FEMALE	180	56.25
TOTAL	320	100

Example of result presentation:

The table above shows the sex of the respondents. The least is variable  1  with  140  respondents  represented  by  percentage  of  43.7%  which  represents  the  male  while  180  represented  with percentage of 56.3% represent the female. These shows that female were in the majority of the students sampled.

Note: that 320 students was used in this study as the sample size.

Step 1:

Male have 140 respondents:  140 x 100 ÷ 320 = 43.75

Female have 180 respondents:  140 x 100 ÷ 320 = 56.25

FIG 9:-   Example for frequency-percentage tableAnalysis of Age of Respondents 

 

AGE RANGE	FREQUENCY	PERCENTAGE (%)
Under-20	136	42.5
20 – 25	94	29.5
25 – 30	72	22.5
Over – 30	18	5.6
Total	320	100

Example of result presentation:

Variable 4 which has 18 respondents with percentage of (5.6%)  fell  within  the  age  range  of  over  30  years  had  the  least  number  of  respondents,  the  next  were  variable  3  and  2  both  had  72,  and  94  respondents with percentage representation of (22.5%) and (29.4%)  respectively.  Whereas  variable  1  which  has  136  respondents  with  percentage  value  42.5%  fell  within  the  age  range  of  under  20 years  and  had  the  highest  respondents.  This  implies  that  majority of  the  respondents  were  unmarried  youth  with  enough  vigor  to  sustain them in most of their endeavors.

Note: That sample size is 320

So the formula is as follows: The number of respondents per item multiply by 100, divide by the total number of respondents which is 320 the (sample size)

Under-20    have  136    respondents

20 – 25       have  94      respondents

25 – 30       have  72      respondents

Over – 30    have  18      respondents

Total number of respondents is 320

Under-20    =        136 x 100   ÷ 320 = 42.5 20 – 25        =        94 x 100     ÷ 320 = 29.5 25 – 30        =        72 x 100     ÷ 320 = 22.5 Over – 30    =        18 x 100     ÷ 320 = 5.6

Formula 2:

136  x 100   = 42.5

  4         1

94    x  100   = 29.5

 4          1

72  x   100    = 22.5

 4         1

                                               

18    x  100   = 5.6

 4           1

Note that 4 in formula 2 under 136, 94, 72 and 18 is there because a 4

(SA, A, D, SD) point likert scale was used.