ASTM_E_3041_-_17.pdf

Designation:E304117Standard Guide forSelecting and Using Scales for Sensory Evaluation1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E3041;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 The objective of this guide is to provide information tobe reviewed and considered by the sensory and consumerscientist who wants to select and use scales to measureresponses from consumers or trained assessors.For ease ofreading,the term sensory scientist is used throughout the guidewhen statements apply to the sensory and consumer scientists.1.2 This guide covers a brief definition of scales as well assome fundamental and practical challenges the sensory andconsumer scientists should be aware of when using scales.Italso provides a list and a description of the most commonlyused scales in the field of sensory evaluation and consumerproduct research along with a classification framework forthese scales.1.3 The scope of this guide is limited to the sensory andconsumer science professionals selection and use of ratingscales when an assessor assigns one symbol/value to onestimulus,to their perception of a stimulus or an internalattitude/opinion.It does not cover:1.3.1 Details of analysis of data obtained from rating scales,1.3.2 Guidelines for questionnaire design including attributeselection,1.3.3 Fundamentals of measurement such as reliability andvalidity,1.3.4 Measurement models used to convert scale responsesinto measures of unobserved sensory or hedonic quantities,1.3.5 Tasks in which the assessor assigns a symbol/value toa group of stimuli,1.3.6 Rankings,and1.3.7 Multi-item scales.1.4 UnitsThe values stated in SI units are to be regardedas the standard.No other units of measurement are included inthis standard.1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety,health,and environmental practices and deter-mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.1.6 This international standard was developed in accor-dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-ization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recom-mendations issued by the World Trade Organization TechnicalBarriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2E253 Terminology Relating to Sensory Evaluation of Mate-rials and ProductsE2299 Guide for Sensory Evaluation of Products by Chil-dren and Minors3.Terminology3.1 DefinitionsSee Terminology E253 for definitions re-lating to sensory evaluation of materials and products.3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.2.1 interval datadata obtained from a scale for whichnumerically identical differences on any part of the scalecorrespond to the same magnitude of difference.3.2.1.1 DiscussionThe occurrence of a zero point ininterval data does not correspond to the complete absence ofthe characteristic measured.An example of interval data is atemperature in degrees Fahrenheit where each degree change isthe same change in thermal heat regardless of point on the scaleand 0F does not represent the complete absence of thermalenergy.3.2.2 ordered category scale,nrating instrument in whichthe categories used to encode the responses are ordered bymagnitude.3.2.3 ordinal data,ndata obtained when items are orderedwith respect to magnitude,but the magnitudes of differenceamong successively ordered items are not necessarily equal.3.2.3.1 DiscussionExamples include ranking,just-about-right scales,and the Likert scale.1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E18 on SensoryEvaluation and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E18.04 on Fundamen-tals of Sensory.Current edition approved Dec.1,2017.Published January 2018.DOI:10.1520/E3041-17.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United StatesThis international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.1 3.2.4 rating instrument,ncollection of symbols/values,provided by the sensory scientist to the assessor along withinstructions,from which the assessor chooses to communicatean affective,attitudinal,behavioral,or perceptual respo