Create a chart of positive responses to rating scale questions

Rating scale questions ask the participant to select a rating from a range of responses. These responses usually range from a negative to a positive rating or vice versa and often include 5 or more points. An analysis of the results can be hard to interpret if all the categories are charted. The responses can be grouped into a reduced number of categories such as positive, neutral and negative to simplify the chart and make it easier to interpret at a glance. This can be further simplified to show only positive or negative responses to the rating scale question.

This worksheet shows how to:

• categorise responses as positive, neutral or negative
• create a horizontal bar chart using the new categories
• exclude the neutral and negative categories, leaving only the positive category

Step 1: Categorise responses as positive, neutral or negative

In this example, participants rate aspects of service on a 5 point scale ranging from Very Good to Very Poor. Derived Variables are used to sort Very Good and Good responses into a new Positive category, OK responses into a new Neutral category, and Poor and Very Poor responses into a new Negative category.

1. On the Snap XMP Desktop toolbar, click Variables  to open the Variables Window.
2. Click New Variable   to add a new variable.
3. Specify the Variable details as follows:
   • Name: VQ6a
   • Label: Quality of product (this will be displayed on the chart)
   • Type: Derived (the variable will derive its data from other existing variables)
   • Response: Single (each participant will only fall into one of the new codes)

8. Create the derived values for the Negative, Neutral and Positive ratings. For example, the Negative category is given by points 1 and 2 on the scale (Very Poor and Poor) and the Value is Q6a=(1,2).
9. Click Save  to save the variable and close the Variable Details window.
10. On the Variables Window toolbar, click Clone Variable to copy the derived variable you have just created. Change Q6a to Q6b throughout, and update the label.
11. Click Save  .
12. Repeat for the other questions in the grid.

Step 2: Create a horizontal bar chart using the new categories

Now you can use the new derived variables to create a stacked bar chart of positive, neutral, and negative results.

1. On the Snap XMP Desktop toolbar, click Analysis Chart to create a new chart.
2. In the Style list, select Horizontal Stacked Bar Percent Transposed.
3. In the Analysis field, enter the derived variables.
4. Select the options Analysis Percents and Transpose.

5. Click Apply. Your chart shows the three derived categories.

6. Click Save  to save the chart.

Step 3: Show only the positive ratings

To create a chart showing only the positive responses, the negative and neutral values need to be excluded. You could also exclude the positive and neutral values to create a negative chart. This is achieved using the Chart Designer.

1. In the Analysis Chart window, double-click the Negative bar to open the Chart Designer. It will open with Series selected on the left-hand side.
2. Select Negative in the Series list and select Exclude Series in the options.

3. Select Neutral in the Series list and select Exclude Series in the options.
4. Click OK to close the Chart Designer. Your chart now shows only the positive ratings.