Is the Likert Scale Still IN in 2025? Revisiting Usage, Interpretation, and the Rounding Paradigm

Abstract

The Likert scale remains one of the most valuable instruments for studying education and the social sciences, as it is simple to use, quick to administer, and adaptable. Its effectiveness will be determined by how successfully it is used in 2025. Experts debate whether it is beneficial or detrimental to group data and analyze it using parametric tests. Some argue that this strategy is easily abused, particularly when individuals believe that decimalization implies completely revealing what people think. This study found that these kinds of actions can give individuals an inaccurate impression about how accurate something is and influence how decisions are made in business, education, research, and politics. To address these issues, a rounding-based understanding technique is proposed. It employs mode-based tests, ordinal reasoning, and rounding to whole numbers to ensure that the findings are accurate. To maintain the validity and utility of the Likert scale, researchers must apply it in a methodologically sound, unambiguous, and ethically correct manner.