To convert a rating scale, like a Likert scale, to a percentage, you need to assign numerical values to each option, sum the responses for each option, and then calculate the percentage based on the total possible score. Here's a detailed breakdown:
1. Assign Numerical Values:
First, assign a numerical value to each option on your rating scale. For example, on a 5-point Likert scale:
- Strongly Disagree = 1
- Disagree = 2
- Neutral = 3
- Agree = 4
- Strongly Agree = 5
2. Calculate the Sum of Responses:
For each respondent or data point, sum the numerical values assigned to their chosen responses. For instance, if one person selected "Agree" (4) and another selected "Strongly Disagree" (1), you would treat these as the raw scores.
3. Determine the Maximum Possible Score:
Calculate the maximum possible score. This is the highest value on your scale multiplied by the number of responses. For example, if you have a 5-point scale and one respondent answered 10 questions, the maximum possible score is 5 * 10 = 50.
4. Calculate the Percentage:
Divide the sum of the responses (from step 2) by the maximum possible score (from step 3), and then multiply by 100.
Percentage = (Sum of Responses / Maximum Possible Score) * 100
Example:
Let's say you surveyed one person using a 5-point Likert scale for 10 questions. Their responses resulted in a sum of 35 (sum of the numerical values they chose).
- Sum of Responses: 35
- Maximum Possible Score: 5 (highest scale value) * 10 (number of questions) = 50
Percentage = (35 / 50) * 100 = 70%
This means the respondent's overall rating is 70% of the maximum possible positive rating on your scale.
In Summary:
Converting a rating scale to a percentage allows you to express overall sentiment or performance relative to the potential maximum, making it easier to compare results across different scales or surveys. Remember to clearly define your scale and its numerical values for accurate interpretation.
