These are slides that are from a workshop held on April 20th, 2011 on collecting information through the internet.

1. How do you know?
Dennis Dew & Vicky Maloy
April 27th, 2011

2. Why do you collect information?
1. For research/analysis
2. To improve teaching
3. To make decisions
4. All of the above.

3. PART ONE:
HOW TO WRITE BETTER SURVEY
QUESTIONS

4. Basic Ideas
Before you create your survey, be sure to know:
• What are you trying to measure?
• How is it defined?
• How will I use the data?

5. 3 Basic types of questions
1. Open ended questions
2. Partially close-ended questions
3. Close-ended questions with a Rating Scale
All types of questions have reasons to use
them, depending on the situation.

6. Variety
• Ask questions that produce a variety of
responses.
• Accommodate all possible answers – have an
option for “I don’t know” or “Not applicable.”
Otherwise
you are wasting the respondent’s time.

7. Writing better questions:
1. Ask only one question at a time.
2. Be sure responses are mutually exclusive.
3. Design the survey to be similar to a conversation
with your respondent.
4. Do not use emotionally loaded or vaguely
defined words.
5. Do not use unfamiliar words or abbreviations.
6. Don’t waste your respondent's time.

8. More helpful tips
• One concept = one question.
• Do not presume or suppose a situation.
• Be specific. Just ask “How old are you?” don’t
ask for a range. (One exception – asking about
money.)
• Have someone else read your survey before
you send it out.

9. PART TWO:
ONLINE RESOURCES FOR CONDUCTING
SURVEYS

10. Part Two: Technical Details
• Many different options on the internet for
collecting information.
• What type of questions will be asked?
• Who will be answering?
• What needs to be done with the answers?

11. Options!
MyCampus Google Wufoo MySignUp Doodle SuperSaaS
Surveys Forms
Address mycampus. docs. wufoo. mysignup. www. www.
mtmercy. google. com com doodle. supersaas.
edu com com com

12. Main purpose?
MyCampus Google Wufoo MySignUp Doodle SuperSaaS
Surveys Forms
Designed Surveys Anything Anything Collecting Scheduling Scheduling
for: information meetings

13. Who can create here?
MyCampus Google Wufoo MySignUp Doodle SuperSaaS
Surveys Forms
Restricted Instructors Anyone College Anyone Anyone Anyone
to? / Group with a has an can can can
Leaders Google account - register register register
account Also, can for free for free for free
register level of level of level of
THIS for free service service service
INCLUDES level of
STUDENTS! service

14. Types of Fields MyCampus Google Wufoo MySignUp Doodle SuperSaaS
Surveys Forms
Multiple
Choice
True / False
Yes / No
Types of Fields
Multiple
Select
Likert Scales
Text fields
Number fields
Predefined list
Other? Questions Date, Can add
support html Time, pictures to
& pictures Price, form, if
hosted
E-mail
elsewhere.

15. Distributing Forms
MyCampus Google Wufoo MySignUp Doodle SuperSaaS
Surveys Forms
How? Form in Form can Form can Form on Form on Form can
MyCampus be be the the be
e-mailed, e-mailed, internet. internet. e-mailed,
embedded embedd embedded
in an ed in an Link to Link to in an
iFrame iFrame form sent form sent iFrame
and on through through and on
Google. e-mail, e-mail, internet.
Facebook
& Twitter
* - N.B. Links to websites can be shared.

16. Answering Forms
MyCampus Google Wufoo MySignUp Doodle SuperSaaS
Surveys Forms
Restricted Only to Whole Whole Whole Whole Whole
to? accounts in internet internet internet internet internet
your groups
/ classes OR OR OR OR
Private* Private* Private* Private*
with link with link with link with link
OR OR
Password Password
Protected protected
* - N.B. Links to websites can be shared.

17. Example: Advisee Conferences
MySignUp
(http://www1.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=advisingtimes)
Doodle
(http://www.doodle.com/m7n84gfrx4crhz9r)

18. Example: Beginning of term survey
MyCampus WuFoo

19. Answers please!
MyCampus Google Wufoo MySignUp Doodle SuperSaaS
Surveys Forms
Download Can export Can export Can export Can export Can export Can export
to? submission submission submission submission submission submission
data to data to data to data to data to data to
.CSV .CSV .CSV .XLS .XLS .CSV
.TXT .TXT .TXT .PDF .XLS
.XLS .XLS HTML
.PDF XML
HTML ICS
Open Office

20. MyCampus Survey
Report tool:
Using the Item Analysis tool can give
you a breakdown on the answers that
have been collected.

21. Wufoo’s Report
tool:
There are many “widgets” in the
reports in Wufoo that can help you
analyze your entries.

22. From: Clapp, Jason
Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 2:02 PM
To: Fulltime Faculty; Parttime Faculty
FERPA Reminder
A word of warning!!!
Subject:
All,
As you work with students in your classes, please recall that the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
must guide how we use and disclose student information. This act is intended to protect the privacy of student
information.
...
Given the list of directory information above, one will note that the following may not be disclosed without the
student’s written permission:
Grades
GPA
Student ID numbers
SSNs
Many of you have access to this information via the course roster, academic plan and transcript. Please be cautious
to not disclose non-directory information, and to use discretion when disclosing directory information. This is a
time when many students meet with you. Please take care regarding the information on your desk and computer
screen as well.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Jason Clapp
Registrar
Mount Mercy University

23. Any questions?
Please e-mail
Dennis Dew or Vicky Maloy
Thank you!