> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.talentmap.com/knowledge-base/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.talentmap.com/knowledge-base/step-5-analyze-interpret-and-report/compass-reports/reporting-faq/what-is-the-purpose-of-the-neutral-option.md). # What is the purpose of the neutral option? The neutral category provides an option for the respondent who truly does not have an opinion on a question so that they are not forced to respondent positively or negatively. If you do not include a neutral option, you are forcing employees to make a choice, when in reality there are times when people have no opinion. Without a neutral rating, the tendency is for people to choose the more positive rating, and accordingly, it will falsely skew results towards favorable. Research confirms that you should not use an even-numbered rating scale (e.g. 4-point or 6-point). TalentMap utilizes the five-point likert scale, the most common scale in attitudinal research because a five-point scale is widely considered to represent the “natural” number of opinion plateaus or levels. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.talentmap.com/knowledge-base/step-5-analyze-interpret-and-report/compass-reports/reporting-faq/what-is-the-purpose-of-the-neutral-option.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.