Graphic Rating Scale

Graphic
 Rating
 Scale
 Recommendations
 
 
 
Acceptable
 rating
 scales
 should
 have
 the
 following
 characteristics:
 
 
1.
 Performance
 dimensions
 should
 be
 clearly
 defined.
 
 
2.
 Scales
 should
 be
 behaviorally
 based
 so
 that
 a
 rater
 is
 able
 to
 support
 all
 ratings
 with
 
objective,
 observable
 evidence.
 
3.
 Abstract
 trait
 names
 such
 as
 "loyalty,"
 "honesty,"
 and
 "integrity"
 should
 be
 avoided
 
unless
 they
 can
 be
 defined
 in
 terms
 of
 observable
 behaviors.
 
4.
 Points,
 or
 anchors,
 on
 each
 scaled
 dimension
 should
 be
 brief,
 unambiguous,
 and
 
relevant
 to
 the
 dimension
 being
 rated.
 For
 example,
 in
 rating
 a
 person's
 flow
 of
 words,
 it
 
is
 preferable
 to
 use
 anchors
 such
 as
 "fluent,"
 "easy,"
 "unimpeded,"
 "hesitant,"
 and
 
"labored,"
 rather
 than
 "excellent,"
 "very
 good,"
 "average,"
 "below
 average,"
 and
 "poor."
 
Carefully
 constructed
 graphic
 rating
 scales
 have
 a
 number
 of
 advantages:
 
1.
 Standardization
 of
 content
 permitting
 comparison
 of
 employees.
 
2.
 Ease
 of
 development
 use
 and
 relatively
 low
 development
 and
 usage
 cost.
 
3.
 Reasonably
 high
 rater
 and
 ratee
 acceptance.
 
Agencies
 should
 be
 cautious
 of
 rating
 errors.
 Possible
 rating
 errors
 include
 halo
 effect,
 
central
 tendency,
 severity,
 and
 leniency.
 The
 halo
 effect
 occurs
 when
 a
 rating
 on
 one
 
dimension
 of...