Spss Measure Scale Ordinal Nominal. The first level of measurement is called the nominal level of measurement a sample of college instructors classified according to subject taught e g english history psychology or mathematics is an example of nominal level measurement. Gender varies in that an individual is either categorised as male or female.
In spss the researcher can specify the level of measurement as scale numeric data on an interval or ratio scale ordinal or nominal. The intervals between the categories used are not defined. For example the department of the company in which an employee works.
Nominal and ordinal data can be either string alphanumeric or numeric.
In spss for all practical purposes it combines the interval and ratio scale into one and called scale variable. A nominal sometimes also called categorical variable is one whose values vary in categories. Each of these has been explained below in detail. Nominal and ordinal data can be either string alphanumeric or numeric.