A researcher has calculated the mean for a variable that is ordinal in level of measurement.
A) This operation is a violation of level of measurement criterion and the results should be disregarded
B) This violation of level of measurement criterion is common and results should be treated with caution
C) No violation has occurred, this is a perfectly acceptable application of statistics
D) This is a mistake: means should never be calculated for ordinal variables

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Calculating means for ordinal variables is a violation of the level of measurement criterion, but it is a common practice. However, the results should be treated with caution as the mean may not accurately represent the center of the distribution and may not make sense in the context of the variable.

A Researcher Has Calculated the Mean for a Variable That