Ordinal-Level Measurement

Ordinal-level measurement is a method of assigning numbers to values that indicates some hierarchy or order among scores. This is done through the utilization of an arbitrary value system wherein the quantitative categories are differentiated based on the quantity of some variable. Using the arbitrary numbering system in a given set of scores, ordinal-level measurement indicates an order with an uneven spacing assumed between the various response scores. It provides an opportunity to determine whether a value is greater than or less than another point to which it is being compared. As such, ordinal-level measurement constructs a hierarchical structure for the given values of interest. Categorizing responses to include a meaningful and interpretable order contrasts the merely categorical approach to measurement observed in nominal-level scales. ...