An online survey is a traditional, but effective, means of collecting valuable data or performing quantitative research *. You can use a survey to solicit feedback from your students regarding your curriculum. You can use a survey to gather research data. Whatever the reason, there are many means of posting your survey online.
Typical online survey feature sets include:
- A web-based administrative interface to add, edit or delete survey questions.
- A reporting tool to view and analyze survey results.
Additional features might include:
- Email reminders.
- Ability to export in spreadsheet format.
- Customizable look & feel.
For surveys that are related to a course, Blackboard offers survey software that you can easily create and offer specifically to your students only.
For surveys that are not related to a course or need to be offered on a larger scale, there are many 3rd party survey software sites available. The range of technical requirements for implementation, prices and feature sets is large and can be overwhelming. The list of sites that we recommend based on ease of use (no download/installation required) include:
- Google Forms: A free and simple Google Docs tool that you can use to create an online form or survey. Data is collected in a Google spreadsheet that you can view at any time.
- Survey Monkey: Offers a free limited service (10 questions and up to 100 responses per survey) or an advanced, full-featured option for $200/year subscription.
- Zoomerang: Can subscribe for $350/year or $99 for 3 months.
- Hosted Survey: Pay per-response plan is useful for one-time only surveys. Clients include Harvard and Yale University.
* If you have questions about whether your survey is in compliance with federal, state and university regulations in the areas of human and animal research, contact Northeastern’s Office of Research Regulatory Compliance.