Rate subjective state on 1-5 or 0-10 scales at 3 fixed…

When This Fires

• When designing any subjective measurement protocol for personal experiments
• When Five-step environmental experiment's experimental protocol needs a specific measurement tool
• When tracking subjective states (focus, energy, mood) across multiple days
• Complements Measure at predetermined fixed times, not end-of-day… (fixed-time measurement) with the specific scale and anchor requirements

Common Failure Mode

Unlabeled scales: "Rate your focus 1-10" without defining what each number means. Monday's 7 and Wednesday's 7 may represent different actual focus levels because the internal calibration shifted. Anchors prevent this drift by providing external reference points.

The Protocol

(1) Choose your scale: 1-5 (simpler, coarser) or 0-10 (finer, requires more discrimination). Use the same scale for the entire experiment. (2) Write anchor descriptions for at least 3 points on your scale (low, middle, high). For a 1-5 focus scale: "1 = can't focus, mind constantly wandering. 3 = normal focus, some distractions. 5 = deep flow, completely absorbed." (3) Keep the anchor descriptions visible during every measurement (taped to monitor, saved in phone note). Read them before rating — don't rely on memory of what the numbers mean. (4) Record at 3 fixed times daily (Measure at predetermined fixed times, not end-of-day…). Rate your current state, not your whole-day impression. (5) The measurement should take under 15 seconds: glance at anchors, assign number, record. If it takes longer, the scale is too complex or the anchors are too wordy.