1. What is Weighted Mean for Likert Scale?

The weighted mean for Likert scale data provides a single numerical value that represents the central tendency of ordinal data, accounting for the different weights assigned to each response category.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the weighted mean formula:

Where:

• \( WM \) — Weighted mean
• \( f_i \) — Frequency of responses for each category
• \( v_i \) — Numerical value assigned to each category (5-1)
• \( N \) — Total number of responses

Explanation: The formula calculates the average response value weighted by the frequency of each response category.

3. Importance of Weighted Mean

Details: The weighted mean provides a more accurate representation of Likert scale data than simple averages, as it accounts for the ordinal nature of the data and the unequal intervals between response categories.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the frequency count for each Likert scale category. The calculator automatically assigns values (5=Strongly Agree to 1=Strongly Disagree) and computes the weighted mean.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use weighted mean instead of simple average?
A: Weighted mean properly accounts for the ordinal nature of Likert scale data and the unequal intervals between response categories.

Q2: What are typical weighted mean ranges?
A: For a 5-point scale, values typically range from 1 (all Strongly Disagree) to 5 (all Strongly Agree), with 3 being neutral.

Q3: When is weighted mean most useful?
A: When analyzing survey data with ordinal response scales where responses have meaningful numerical interpretations.

Q4: Are there limitations to weighted mean?
A: It assumes the numerical assignments accurately reflect the psychological distance between categories, which may not always be true.

Q5: Can I use this for other rating scales?
A: Yes, as long as you can assign meaningful numerical values to each response category.