Overview
Reverse Scoring is a data processing technique used in surveys, especially with Likert scales, where the numerical values of negatively worded questions are inverted to align their meaning with the positively worded questions. This procedure ensures consistency in scoring and is primarily used to combat response biases like acquiescence and straight-lining, thereby improving the reliability and accuracy of the overall scale measurement. This article explains this technique used in Talexio's Surveys module.
What is Reverse Scoring?
Reverse Scoring is a technique used in Surveys, particularly with scales such as "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree", where the numerical value assigned to a respondent's answer is flipped for certain questions.
Not all questions in a survey can be worded in a positive direction. The purpose of Reverse Scoring is to ensure that all questions measuring the same concept are scored in a consistent direction.
Case Example
When you use a 5-point scale, 1=Strongly Disagree and 5=Strongly Agree, to measure something, you want a higher final score closer to 5 to always mean more of the good thing.
When a statement is worded positively, a response of 5=Strongly Agree means a good thing. For example, "I am happy with my job." with a score of 5=Strongly Agree means the employee is happy with their job.
When a statement is worded negatively, a response of 5=Strongly Agree means a bad thing. For example, "I often feel ignored by my manager." with a score of 5=Strongly Agree means the employee often feels ignored by their manager.
Since the objective is to achieve an overall score that means a good thing the higher it is, a statement worded negatively without reverse scoring would contradict this purpose.
Reverse Scoring flips the measurement so that 5=Strongly Disagree and 1=Strongly Agree
When a statement is worded negatively with Reverse Scoring, a response of 5=Strongly Disagree means a good thing. For example, "I often feel ignored by my manager." with a score of 5=Strongly Disagree means the employee does not often feel ignored by their manager.
Why Use Reverse Scored Questions?
The primary reasons for including and reverse-scoring questions are to:
- Control for Response Bias: It helps combat the tendency to agree with all statements and selecting the same answer option for all questions.
- Ensure Careful Reading: It forces respondents to pay attention to the specific wording of each question, improving the quality and reliability of the data.