Research methods
Likert scale
Also calledAgree / disagree scale, Agreement scale
A rating scale where people say how much they agree with a statement, usually on five or seven points from strongly disagree to strongly agree.
Each item is a statement rather than a question, such as 'I can find what I need quickly'. People pick a point from strongly disagree to strongly agree, with a neutral middle.
It is named after the psychologist Rensis Likert, who introduced it in 1932. Five points is the usual default; seven leaves more room between mild and strong opinions. Report the share who agree and disagree alongside any average, because the points are ordered but not necessarily evenly spaced.
In practice
A team pulse asks people to rate 'I have what I need to do my job well'. 64% agree, 12% disagree and the rest are neutral, which tells a clearer story than an average of 3.7.
Common mistake
Writing statements that lean one way. 'The new checkout is much easier' invites agreement; 'The checkout is easy to use' is neutral, and people can still disagree with it.