I don't “agree” and I'm not neutral: the case against neutral and naked "agree” or “disagree" options in Likert survey items

The Likert scale: potentially the most common type of survey item and arguably the most prone to being stretched beyond its capacity. The malleability and sheer number of available scales out there can make finding a high-quality one feel like you’re meandering through the wild, wild west. In this Ignite presentation, I’d like to give you a metaphorical saddle so you can ride through this landscape with a smidge more confidence; I’ll make the case against using naked, descriptor-less “agree” and “disagree” options and also against what seems to be respondents’ oasis-in-the-desert: the neutral option. Literature and applied examples from my own work will address how there ain’t enough room in town for either of these design choices. We ask Likert scales to do a lot of heavy lifting for us, so it’s time for someone around these parts to interrogate whether they are truly up to the task.