Final answer:
In surveys, items are commonly ordered from the most positive to the most negative, using an ordinal scale to clearly show a progression from desirable to least desirable outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
When ordering items within a scale or survey, typically you would order responses from the most positive to the most negative to ensure clarity for the respondents and to facilitate easy analysis of the responses. An ordinal scale used in surveys might include a range of options that express gradations of feeling or quality, such as 'excellent,' 'good,' 'satisfactory,' and 'unsatisfactory.' These are listed to reflect a progression from the most desirable to the least desirable outcome.
Rather than valuable to worthless, which might suggest a concrete assessment of worth, ordinal scales reflect subjective evaluations or preferences. For instance, these can portray levels of satisfaction or degrees of agreement. On the other hand, ratio scales do allow for the determination of absolute differences and ratios, presenting data points that can be ordered numerically and analyzed using mathematical calculations.
Choosing the correct scale is imperative for eliciting the right kind of information from survey respondents. It sets the tone for the analysis and dictates which statistical procedures are applicable. The hierarchy of scale, while used differently in various contexts like art history, when applied to surveys, relates to the level of importance ascribed to certain responses and helps differentiate the significance of various options available in the scale.