Which of the following is NOT one of the four scales of measurement in appraisal?

The correct answer is linear, which is not one of the four established scales of measurement in appraisal. The four scales of measurement recognized in statistics are nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. Each of these scales serves a distinct purpose in the classification and analysis of data.

Nominal measurement categorizes data without any order. For instance, this scale might include variables such as gender or ethnicity, where the categories are merely labels without any quantitative value.

Ordinal measurement involves ordered categories, allowing for a ranking of values, but does not specify the distance between each rank. An example of this could be a satisfaction survey where responses are categorized as 'satisfied,' 'neutral,' or 'dissatisfied.'

Ratio measurement encompasses all the properties of nominal and ordinal scales, but it also includes a true zero point, making it possible to compare absolute magnitudes. Examples include height, weight, or temperature in Kelvin, where the differences and ratios are meaningful.

Linear, while often used in other contexts such as linear regression or linear relationships between variables, does not fit within the framework of established scales of measurement in appraisal.