Dear researcher,
Hair et al. (2003, p. 157) provided justification to use ordinal sale (Likert-like scale) as an interval scale. This would enable using PLS-SEM.
However, it is important to understand that this justification applies to data measured on
Likert-like scales, but not to all ordinal scales (e.g., educational level).
See
Hair, Joseph F., Babin, Barry, Money, Arthur H. and Samouel, Phillip (2003)
Essentials of Business Research. New York: Wiley.
Good luck with your research
The attached paper will be useful. Page 6 contains an example using a 7-point likert scale which is a recommended approach to PLS-SEM.
Note that on page 2 the PLS-SEM assumptions requirement are not as strict as other approaches, therefore 7 or 10 points may not make much difference, but to refine a scale as much as you can is usually better, i.e., using a 10point scale. That said, the intervals must be meaningful, and the 7-point likert scale may be as discriminating in respondents patterns to these questions as one can predict. See the page 2 screenshot below for more reasons in line with justifying the use of a 7-point v 10point:
7-Point and 5-Points Likert scale is more preferred
with the valued answer of Michelle B. Cowley
Chan,
There is no evidence that one is superior to the other. One essential difference between the 7 and 10 point scales: people who are fence sitters will choose 4 on a 7 point scale. On the other hand, you can't pick 5 as the mid-point of a 10 point scale. Zainudin Awang recommends the use of 10 point scale. Read his book.
Thank you for the feedback dear researchers. I'm struggling in determining which type of scale need to be used in my research as I found out there are actually two different School of Thoughts that is whether to implement 7-point or 10-point into a psychometric scale. My research is related to attitudes and data analysis using PLS-SEM.
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