Measurement Scales Market research measurement is essential to obtaining meaningful data for marketing analysis. Measurement scales convert the characteristics of an object into a formula that can be analyzed by a market researcher. Generally, scales are used to calculate data and consumer responses in the following four categories; nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio. Nominal At the nominal level of measurement, numbers or other symbols are delivered to a fixed set of groups for the principle of labelling, naming or classifying studies. Gender can be an example of a nominal level variable. By applying numbers one and two, for example, we can organize our studies into “male” and “female” categories, with one indicating females and two indicating males. Researchers can apply any range of symbols to correspond to the distinct groups of a nominal variable; however, when numbers are used to denote various categories, researchers indicate nothing about significance or quantitative variance between groups. In nominal scale questions, it is important that the response categories contain all probable answers. To be all-inclusive in response groupings, a researcher should include a grouping such as uncertain, other, or don't know, so that respondents do not misrepresent their information by attempting to force-fit their response into the sets provided. It is important to be sure that the groupings provided are equally exclusive, meaning they do not duplicate or overlap in any way (Stat Trek, 2011). OrdinalAn ordinal scale designates direction, as well as providing nominal information. Faster and slower or high, medium and low are illustrations of ordinal levels of measurement...... middle of paper...... than real. Academic achievement tests have a zero, but it is an artificial zero and not a real zero. On a ratio scale, a zero is real (Stat Trek, 2011). Conclusion It is important that measurement scales are used effectively to define data retrieved from numerous market research data sources. Measurement scales are essential to determining what can and cannot be said about research data. To correctly predict and evaluate consumer responses to a questionnaire, the questionnaire must be assembled with the appropriate guidelines to obtain the desired statistical results. Works Cited Lane, D. (2003). Measurement levels. Retrieved from http://cnx.org/content/m10809/latest/Stat Trek. (2011). Measurement scales in statistics. Retrieved from http://stattrek.com/AP-Statistics-1/Measurement-scales.aspx?Tutorial=AP