2

I'm using a Likert scale that has 5 possible items:

  • ++ for "I strongly agree"
  • + for "I agree"
  • +/- for "I'm indifferent"
  • - for "I disagree"
  • -- for "I strongly disagree"

Now I think that "I'm indifferent" for the item in the middle isn't really the term that should be used, but I can't think of any better term. Any helps there?

Improve this question
5
  • 1
    I would use a 4 point scale and force people to have an opinion.
    – Matt E. Эллен
    Commented Mar 28, 2011 at 10:15
  • Also: what does it mean to strongly diagree? I've never understood that. Does strongly mean emotively in this context?
    – Matt E. Эллен
    Commented Mar 28, 2011 at 10:18
  • 4
    @Matt Ellen -- The Likert scale specifically uses odd numbers of options to allow neutral opinions. Forcing an opinion would be a different scale.
    – Martha F.
    Commented Mar 28, 2011 at 13:16
  • For the middle choice (the one in question) there are so many ways of interpreting being in the middle that many terms for it will be misleading (undecided (you have decided exactly that you don't prefer one or the other), don't care (you may really care that you're right in the middle), unsure (you know for sure that you are sitting on the fence), etc, etc). Martha's explanation takes out (as much as is possible) the interpretation.
    – Mitch
    Commented Mar 28, 2011 at 13:55
  • For me, "I'm indifferent" works as well as any alternatives.
    – jbelacqua
    Commented Mar 28, 2011 at 16:52

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
7

You could use the word neutral, but that would require rewording the other options to take out the actor and focus on the opinion:

  • "Strongly agree"
  • "Agree"
  • "Neutral"
  • "Disagree"
  • "Strongly disagree"

I've seen this formulation often on forms.

Improve this answer
1
  • I've used this formulation often on forms. :)
    – Marthaª
    Commented Mar 28, 2011 at 13:52
4

How about

"I neither agree nor disagree"

Improve this answer
2

It really depends on the context.
You could also say:

  • I have no preference
  • I'm undecided

Though in general, I would use what you already have. What are you doing a survey on exactly?

Improve this answer
2

You could try "I'm ambivalent" in the middle slot:

ambivalent having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone [NOAD]

Improve this answer
1
  • ambivalent is not a word I would expect people to know what it means. Ironically, they would be able to infer what it means from the fact that it's where "no opinion" or its ilk usually goes...
    – corsiKa
    Commented Mar 28, 2011 at 19:57
2

I have seen "No Opinion" used on occasion.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .