Thus, the differences
between ‘‘always,’’ ‘‘often,’’ and ‘‘sometimes’’ on a
frequency response Likert scale are not necessarily equal. In
other words, one cannot assume that the difference
between responses is equidistant even though the numbers
assigned to those responses are. This is in contrast to
interval data, in which the difference between responses
can be calculated and the numbers do refer to a measureable
‘‘something.’’ An example of interval data would be
numbers of procedures done per resident: a score of 3
means the resident has conducted 3 procedures. Interestingly,
with computer technology, survey designers can
create continuous measure scales that do provide interval
responses as an alternative to a Likert scale. The various
continuous measures for pain are well-known examples of
this