Consensus & statistics · Administrator
Use range consensus on rating scales
Group ordered ratings into ranges and distinguish any-range, high-range, and combined inclusion/exclusion rules.
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Configure an 80% high-range criterion on a five-point scale
For Range 3 on a five-point ordered scale, the low range is choices 1–2, the middle range is choice 3, and the high range is choices 4–5. Select the intended Range 3 variant and set the question or matrix-column Stability Threshold to 80% for an 80% high-range requirement. Changing this threshold changes the upper percentage requirement; it does not change the fixed 15% low-range boundary in Range 3:1570.
Check comparison signs explicitly. The restored method reference documents less than 15%, whereas some protocols specify 15% or less. These differ at exactly 15%. Test that boundary and verify it separately against the protocol if needed; do not treat the two rules as interchangeable.
If the protocol also specifies median ≥ 4, enable and review the median separately. See combined median criteria.
What a range means
Range consensus combines adjacent choices on an ordered scale. On a nine-point scale with three ranges, ratings 1–3 form the low range, 4–6 the middle range, and 7–9 the high range. On a five-point scale, three ranges use 1–2, 3, and 4–5.
Set the Likert Scale flag and verify the stored order of the choices. Range Label changes the text shown for a range; it does not change which choices belong to it. Use the actual supported scale allocation and test non-standard scale lengths.
Choose the intended rule
| Method family | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Range Consensus 2, 3, 4, or 5 | Can establish agreement in a range meeting the configured threshold. |
| Range Consensus X Hi | Focuses on the highest range rather than agreement in any range. |
| Range Consensus 3:1570 | Uses a high-range threshold together with a low-range limit of less than 15%. |
| Range Consensus 3:1570 7015 | Adds a corresponding consensus-out rule; other outcomes remain undetermined. |
| Patient- or group-specific variants | Apply additional stakeholder criteria. Confirm the variant and group mapping against the protocol. |
Similar names can represent different decisions. Do not select a method only because its name includes a familiar percentage. Confirm both inclusion and exclusion behavior.
A worked inclusion example
Suppose the protocol specifies at least 75% of valid ratings in 7–9 and fewer than 15% in 1–3. Of 20 valid ratings, 16 are high, 2 are middle, and 2 are low. High is 80% and low is 10%, so the stated inclusion rule is satisfied.
If 16 are high, 1 middle, and 3 low, the low share is 15%, which fails a less than 15% condition. Test boundary cases in Surveylet because the required comparison signs are part of the rule, and a rounded display is not enough to resolve a boundary.
Keep the denominator explicit
Exclude the virtual “I don’t know” non-rating from scored calculations and distinguish valid ratings from total questionnaire participation. If the protocol uses another denominator or stakeholder-specific rules, verify that the selected built-in method matches it. Export the counts used for reporting.
Complete choice allocation for Range 2, 3, 4, and 5
Range 2: choice positions by range
| Number of choices | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | 1–2 | 3 |
| 4 | 1–2 | 3–4 |
| 5 | 1–3 | 4–5 |
| 6 | 1–3 | 4–6 |
| 7 | 1–3 | 4–7 |
| 8 | 1–4 | 5–8 |
| 9 | 1–5 | 6–9 |
| 10 | 1–5 | 6–10 |
| 11 | 1–6 | 7–11 |
| 12 | 1–6 | 7–12 |
Range 3: choice positions by range
| Number of choices | Low | Medium | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | 1 | 2 | 3–4 |
| 5 | 1–2 | 3 | 4–5 |
| 6 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 5–6 |
| 7 | 1–3 | 4 | 5–7 |
| 8 | 1–3 | 4–5 | 6–8 |
| 9 | 1–3 | 4–6 | 7–9 |
| 10 | 1–3 | 4–7 | 8–10 |
| 11 | 1–4 | 5–7 | 8–11 |
| 12 | 1–4 | 5–8 | 9–12 |
Range 4: choice positions by range
| Number of choices | Very Low | Low | High | Very High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4–5 |
| 6 | 1–2 | 3 | 4 | 5–6 |
| 7 | 1–2 | 3 | 4 | 5–7 |
| 8 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 5–6 | 7–8 |
| 9 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 5–6 | 7–9 |
| 10 | 1–3 | 4–5 | 6–7 | 8–10 |
| 11 | 1–3 | 4–5 | 6–8 | 9–11 |
| 12 | 1–3 | 4–6 | 7–9 | 10–12 |
Range 5: choice positions by range
| Number of choices | Very Low | Low | Neutral | High | Very High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5–6 |
| 7 | 1–2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6–7 |
| 8 | 1–2 | 3 | 4–5 | 6 | 7–8 |
| 9 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 5 | 6–7 | 8–9 |
| 10 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 5–6 | 7–8 | 9–10 |
| 11 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 5–7 | 8–9 | 10–11 |
| 12 | 1–3 | 4–5 | 6–7 | 8–9 | 10–12 |
Choose the correct Range 3 method
| Method | Consensus in | Consensus out / other status |
|---|---|---|
| Range 3 | Any range reaches the configured threshold. | Other results do not meet consensus. |
| Range 3 Hi | Only the high range reaches the threshold. | A low- or middle-range majority does not qualify. |
| Range 3:1570 | High ≥ threshold and low < 15%. | Everything else is consensus out. |
| Range 3:1570 7015 | High ≥ threshold and low < 15%. | Out: low ≥ threshold and high < 15%. Otherwise undetermined. |
| Range 3:1570|50 | Overall high ≥ threshold and low < 15%, or patient-group high > threshold. | Out: high ≤ 50% in each stakeholder group. Otherwise undetermined. |
| Range 3:1570|50G | Overall high ≥ threshold and low < 15%. | Out: overall high ≤ 50%. Otherwise undetermined. |
The default threshold documented for these range methods is 70%; use the threshold required by your protocol. The patient-weighted variant identifies a stakeholder choice whose title contains “Patient”; otherwise the documented fallback is the first choice in the stakeholder demographic question. Check this mapping before using the patient rule.
On a three-point scale, Range 3 assigns each choice to its own range. On a nine-point scale it groups 1–3, 4–6, and 7–9. A “Range 3” label therefore does not always mean ratings 7–9; the scale length matters.