RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT

To find out Attitude of Students towards IISWBM using Thurston Scale

Prepared by:

NAMES ROLL NUMBER

SHAKALYA NAG (84)

SAUPTIK DUTTA (81)

RAHUL BASUDHAR (64)

SUBHANJAN RAY (106)

SOURAV DAS (103)

SHUBHABRATA BOSE (90)

MBA (DAY) 2015-17, Sec - B, IISWBM

INTRODUCTION:

Thurston scale was developed by Louis Leon

Thurston in 1928, as a means of measuring an attitude. It
is made up of statements about a particular issue, and
each statement has a numerical value indicating how
favorable or unfavorable it is judged to be. People check
each of the statements to which they agree, and a mean
score is computed, indicating their attitude.

Thurston Scaling Methods:

1. Equal-appearing intervals
2. Successive intervals
3. Paired comparison

The three methods differed in how the scale values for items were constructed, but
in all three cases, the resulting scale was rated the same way by respondents.

METHODOLOGY:
Under Thurston scaling, the selection of items is made by
a panel of judges who evaluate the items in terms of
whether they are relevant to the topic area and
unambiguous in implication. In this case we used a
Questionnaire consisting of 25 questions regarding
various aspects of Indian Institute of Social Welfare &
Business Management (IISWBM) and gave it to 25
students of IISWBM for answering. The detailed procedure
is as under:
(a) A large number of statements were gathered from
twenty five students of IISWBM that expressed various
points of view towards the institution.
(b) These statements were then submitted to Another
group of students, each of whom arranged them in eleven
groups or piles ranging from one extreme to another in
position. Each of the judges was requested to place
generally in the first pile the statements which he thinks
are most unfavorable to the issue, in the second pile to
place those statements which he thinks are next most
unfavorable and he goes on doing so in this manner till in
the eleventh pile he puts the statements which he
considers to be the most favorable.
(c) ) A final selection of statements was then made. For
this purpose a sample of statements, whose median
scores were spread evenly from one extreme to the other
is taken. The statements so selected, constitute the final
scale to be administered to respondents.The position of
each statement on the scale was the same as determined
by the judges.
After developing the scale as stated above, the
respondents were asked during the administration of the
scale to check the statements with which they agreed.
The median value of the statements that they checked
was worked out and this established their score or
quantified their opinion.

SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE:
Name-
Age
Gender-
Student of IISWBM-
Course-

The following questions have been put forward to find out the attitude of students
towards the institute IISWBM.

The statements have to be marked on a scale of 11 where 1 stands for an opinion

that is most unfavorable to 11 which stands for an opinion that is most favorable.
In case of a neutral opinion the ratings should be around 6 or 7.

Faculty:
.
1.The students are satisfied with the method of teaching used by the teachers.

2.The teachers of the Institute complete the syllabus on time.

3.The teachers communicate well with the students.

4.The teachers hold enough doubt clearing sessions for students.

5.The teachers have sufficient subject knowledge.

6.The teachers connect well with each and every student and there is no partiality.

7.Faculties are concerned with individual students progress.

Infrastructure:

9.The classrooms are well equipped and meets the learning needs of students.

9.The seating arrangements are comfortable for students.

10.A certain level of hygiene is maintained in the institute.

11.Availability of drinking water at all times.

12.Presence of bins in the Institute to dispose off waste.

Administration:

13.The college staff are co-operative and friendly.

14.College staff are available as and when required for any kind of work.

Course:

15.Teaching is lab-based rather than boring lectures.

16.Teaching within the course is effective.

17.Teaching outside the course is effective.

18.Routine designed for students is hectic.

19.Attendance plays a major role in the course.

Return on Investment:

20.Placements and the fee structure go hand in hand.

21.It is a good platform for creating a network.

22.There is 100% placements in Summer Internship Projects as well as Final

Placements.

Campus Life:

23.The students enjoy their life.

24.There are enough recreational facilities for the students(e.g.-gymnasium)

25.There are not much restrictions imposed on the students.

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS:

QUESTION MEDIAN INTERQUARTILE

NUMBER RANGE
1 6 4.5
2 9 1.5
3 8 3
4 6 3
5 10 2.5
6 7 3
7 7 5
8 7 3
9 8 2
10 8 2.5
11 10 4
12 8 3
13 8 3.5
14 8 3
15 4 3
16 6 2.5
17 6 3
18 9 3
19 9 4
20 8 3
21 8 3.5
22 7 3
23 8 4
24 8 3
25 7 3.5

For every question with the same value of median we find

out the question which has the lowest inter-quartile
range.
The questions which are found to be the experimental
ones are as follows:

i)Question 16(with median value 6)

ii)Question 6,8,22(with median value 7)
iii)Question 9(with median value 8)
iv)Question 2(with median value 9)
v)Question 5(with median value 10)
CONCLUSION:

The Thurston method has been widely used for

developing differential scales which are utilized to
measure attitudes towards varied issues like war, religion,
etc. Such scales are considered most appropriate and
reliable when used for measuring a single attitude. But an
important deterrent to their use is the cost and effort
required to develop them. Another weakness of such
scales is that the values assigned to various statements
by the judges may reflect their own attitudes. The
method is not completely objective; it involves ultimately
subjective decision process. Critics of this method also
opine that some other scale designs give more
information about the respondents attitude in
comparison to differential scales.