Why Should You Focus On Likert Scale Frequency?

Ah, the Likert scale – a staple in survey research. It’s the ideal tool for measuring people’s opinions and attitudes.

But if you think that’s all, you’re missing a significant piece of the jigsaw.

Yes, my dear friend.

I’m talking about frequency – the oft-overlooked aspect of Likert scale surveys that can make or break your results.

Imagine you’re conducting a survey to gauge customer satisfaction with your new product. You ask each participant to rate their satisfaction on a 1-5 scale. You receive responses from 100 participants. Upon analyzing the data, you find that the majority of the responses fall in the 4-5 range.

But what precisely does this imply?

Are your customers delighted? Or is there room for improvement?

This is where the Likert scale frequency comes into play.

So, why should you pay attention to Likert scale frequency? Allow me to count the ways. Or rather, let me explain them to you.

What is Likert Scale Frequency?

Likert scale frequency is like the scientific mood ring for opinions. It refers to the number of responses that fall within each category of a Likert scale.

Frequency distribution is used to examine data from a Likert scale survey. It entails determining the number of responses that fall into each scale category. This aids in determining the most common replies and the distribution of responses across the scale.

Why Should You Focus on Likert Scale Frequency?

As stated earlier, the Likert scale frequency is crucial for data analysis. Let’s further on why you ought to prioritize the Likert scale frequency:

• Provides a Clear Picture of the Distribution of Responses

You can see the most common responses and how they are distributed across the scale. This helps to identify trends and patterns in the data. Consequently, get a clear understanding of the attitudes or opinions being measured.

• It Helps to Identify Gaps in Understanding

You can identify areas where respondents may have misunderstood the question or statement. This allows you to adjust your survey to ensure accurate and meaningful data.

• Test Hypotheses

You can use a frequency distribution to test hypotheses and validate assumptions. For example, suppose you hypothesize that the majority of respondents like vegetarian food. The frequency distribution can validate or refute this theory.

• Useful for Statistical Analysis

By analyzing the frequency of responses, you can calculate various statistical measures such as mean, median, and mode. This allows for a more in-depth analysis of the data. Consequently, provide insights that may not be immediately apparent from the raw data.

What are the Benefits of Using a Likert Scale Frequency?

• Ease of Use

Respondents choose a response that best reflects their opinion. Furthermore, the results are easy to analyze and interpret.

• Flexibility

A Likert scale measures different constructs, such as attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. This flexibility allows researchers to use the Likert scale frequently in various studies, from market research to psychology studies.

• Precision

The scale allows you to collect more precise data than other methods, such as binary scales. Respondents can rate their level of agreement or disagreement with a statement on a sliding scale. This provides a range of responses allowing for a more accurate measurement of attitudes and opinions.

• Comparability

The scale has a standardized format, allowing for easy comparison of responses across different participants or groups. Or track changes in attitudes over time.

How Do You Find the Frequency of a Likert Scale?

Let’s break down the procedure into a few easy steps. Finding significant insights that can guide decision-making requires each of the following steps.

1. Determine the range of the Likert scale: The Likert scale is typically a five or seven-point scale ranging from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree.”
2. Calculate the frequency for each response option: This involves tallying the number of respondents who chose each option.
3. Calculate the percentage for each response option: Divide each option’s frequency by the total number of respondents and multiply by 100.
4. Interpret the results: Determine the views and opinions of survey respondents by examining the response pattern.

How Do You Find the Frequency and Percentage on a Likert Scale?

We have discussed finding the frequency and percentage on a Likert scale. Let’s use an example for a better understanding;

Let’s say you have conducted a 5-point Likert scale survey, with 1 representing “Never” and 5 representing “Often.” You have received 100 responses distributed as follows:

1. 10 responses
2. 20 responses
3. 30 responses
4. 25 responses
5. 15 responses

• Finding the Frequency of Each Response Option

Count the number of responses in each response option. From the distribution of responses above, option 1 has 10 responses; option 2 has 20, and so on.

• Finding the Percentage

Use the formula below to calculate the percentage of each response option.

Example;

Let’s calculate the percentage of response option 1

(10 / 100) x 100 = 10%

Calculate the percentage of response options 2, 3, and so on.

How to Create a Likert Scale Survey?

The Likert scale survey method has stood the test of time and remains popular for collecting valuable data. But don’t let its longevity fool you – creating a Likert scale survey requires careful planning and consideration.

1. Identify the topic: Select the survey topic and the variables of interest.
2. Determine the number of items: How many items do you want to include in your survey? Typically, Likert scale surveys have between 5 and 7 items.
3. Write the statements: Create a string of declarative assertions that explores your topic. The statements should be easy to understand, brief, and inclusive of a wide range of viewpoints.
4. Create the survey: Once you have your statements, create the survey using a Likert scale survey format. You will have a series of statements. Then, ask the respondents to rate their agreement or disagreement with each statement.
5. Test the survey: Pilot the survey with a small group before disseminating it. This will help you ensure that it is clear and easy to understand.
6. Distribute the survey: Upon running a successful pilot survey, you can now send the survey to your target audience. You can disseminate your survey via email, social media, or in person, among other channels.
7. Analyze the results: Upon collecting your survey responses, use statistical analysis to interpret the results. This may involve calculating mean scores and standard deviations or performing a factor analysis to identify underlying factors.

How to Analyze Likert Scale Data?

Surveys are essential for businesses, just like a hammer is to a carpenter. However, analyzing the data in Excel can be as challenging as pronouncing “psychometric” correctly.

But don’t worry; ChartExpo is here to rescue you from drowning in a sea of data. Excel and ChartExpo provide a powerful toolset to help you make sense of your data quickly and easily.

How?

ChartExpo simplifies the process of creating meaningful charts and graphs, making the gleaning of insights a breeze.

Benefits of Using ChartExpo

• You don’t need any specialized knowledge to use ChartExpo. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, data visualization is easy regardless of the user’s degree of expertise.
• You can choose the visualization that best fits your data from the various options available on ChartExpo. Not only does this make data analysis simpler, but it also guarantees effective and engaging data presentation.
• ChartExpo is affordable, with a $10 monthly plan. Also, you can benefit from its free 7-day trial if you’re still undecided.

How to Install ChartExpo in Excel?

1. Open your Excel application.
2. Open the worksheet and click the “Insert” menu.
3. You’ll see “My Apps”.
4. In the office Add-ins window, click “Store” and search for ChartExpo on my Apps Store.
5. Click the “Add” button to install ChartExpo in your Excel.

ChartExpo charts and graphs are available both in Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Please use the following CTA’s to install the tool of your choice and create beautiful visualizations in a few clicks in your favorite tool.

Let’s say you want customer feedback on a recently launched product. You conduct a frequency scale survey consisting of the following questions;

• How often do you use our product?
• How satisfied are you with the quality of our product?
• How likely are you to recommend our product to others?

Your survey uses the 5-point Likert scale below;

1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Sometimes
4. Often
5. Always

Assume your survey yields the data table below.

Follow through as I show you how to create a Likert scale frequency visualization with ChartExpo. Then glean valuable insights to help you with product improvement.

• To get started with ChartExpo, install ChartExpo in Excel.
• Navigate to the INSERT menu and select My Apps. 

• Select ChartExpo and click the “Insert” button.

• Once it loads, choose the “Likert Scale Chart” from the charts list.

• Select the data from the sheet and click the “Create Chart From Selection” button.

• When you click the “Create Chart From Selection” button, you have to map responses with numbers manually. The Likert scale has this arrangement:

• • Never=1
  • Rarely=2
  • Sometimes=3
  • Often=4
  • Always=5
• Once all is set, click the “Create Chart” button.

• ChartExpo will generate the visualization below for you.

• Click the “Edit Chart” button to modify your chart.
• Click the pencil icon next to Chart Header to add a title.
• This will open the properties dialog. Add a heading in Line 1 under the Text section and enable the Show option. Then click the “Apply” button.
• Click the “Save Changes” button to persist the changes.

• Your final chart will appear as below.

Insights

• Regarding recommendations, 21% of customers recommend your product to others, and the responses are distributed as follows;
  • Often – 32%
  • Never – 11%
  • Rarely – 16%
• Regarding the quality, 25% of the customers are satisfied with the quality of your product. The responses are as follows;
  • Often – 20%
  • Never – 20%
  • Rarely – 15%
  • Sometimes – 20%
• Regarding the usage, the responses are as follows;
  • Always – 20%
  • Often – 25%
  • Never – 15%
  • Sometimes – 25%
• The overall distribution of the responses is as follows;
  • Always – 22%
  • Often – 25%
  • Never – 15%
  • Rarely – 15%
  • Sometimes – 22%

FAQs

What is a 5-point frequency scale?

A 5-point frequency scale measures the frequency of a particular behavior or experience. The scale includes five response options, ranging from 1 to 5. It is widely used in research and evaluation contexts to measure attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and experiences quantitatively.

What is an example of frequency in 7-point Likert scale?

Here is an example of a frequency response option in a 7-point Likert scale;

1. Never
2. Rarely
3. Occasionally
4. Sometimes
5. Often
6. Very often
7. Always

Can I use a Likert scale for qualitative data?

Likert scales are not suitable for qualitative data. They use a predetermined range of responses to determine the degree of accord or dissent with a statement. Qualitative data, however, is inherently subjective and cannot be measured using a fixed range of responses.

Wrap Up

The Likert scale is effective for measuring attitudes and opinions. I have shared some of its benefits and how you can use it in your research.

But as I also mentioned, there is more to it than meets the eye. It’s essential to figure out how frequently responses fall into each category to acquire deeper insights.

Why the Likert scale frequency?

Calculating the frequency may give you a better picture of how people respond to each statement. In some cases, the frequency can reveal information about respondents’ thought processes.

Creating a Likert scale survey may seem intimidating. However, with proper planning, you can make it a breeze.

Why does it matter?

A survey that is poorly worded and poorly planned will yield poor results.

The best way to analyze your Likert scale frequency data is with visualization. With ChartExpo, you can choose the visualization that best fits your data from a wide range of options.

The best part?

It’s a flexible, easy-to-use, affordable solution requiring no technical skills.