Semantics Differential (SD)

The semantics differential (SD) is essentially an informal rating scale that is designed to measure the 'connotations' - feelings and attitudes that are connected with the meanings of words.

An example of this would be words that are related to the sense of smell; scent, odor, stench, aroma, etc. Each of these words indicates the smell of something, but also indicate the quality of the smell (pleasant, unpleasant, delicate, strong). For example, "The coffee had a wonderful aroma" or "The garbage dump had a horrible stench."