Purpose and Overview
Miami University provides access to Google Forms for simple surveys and Qualtrics, a powerful online survey platform, to support academic research, administrative assessments, and student projects. Qualtrics enables users to design, distribute, and analyze surveys efficiently, facilitating data-driven decision-making across the university community.
| Feature / Use Case |
Google Forms |
Qualtrics |
| Ease of Use |
Very simple, quick to set up |
More complex, but highly customizable |
| Target Audience |
Basic surveys, quick polls, internal forms |
Research surveys, institutional assessments |
| Customization & Logic |
Limited branching and formatting |
Advanced display logic, piping, randomization |
| Data Analysis & Reporting |
Basic summaries in Sheets |
Advanced analytics, cross-tabs, dashboards |
| Accessibility & Branding |
Limited control over look/feel |
Full theming, brand templates, accessibility tools |
| Compliance (FERPA, IRB, etc.) |
Limited (use with caution for sensitive data) |
IRB-friendly, designed for research compliance |
| Collaboration |
Easy with Google Workspace sharing |
Team collaboration with roles and permissions |
| Best For |
Class forms, event sign-ups, quick feedback |
Research studies, evaluations, complex surveys |
Features and Benefits
Features
- Survey Creation: Design custom surveys with various question types and logic.
- Distribution Options: Share surveys via email, anonymous links, or QR codes.
- Data Analysis: Utilize built-in tools for real-time data analysis and reporting.
- Collaboration: Share surveys and results with team members for collaborative projects.
- Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other data analysis tools for advanced processing.
Benefits
- User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design simplifies survey creation and management.
- Secure Data Handling: Complies with university data security standards.
- Accessible Support: Comprehensive support resources available for all users.
Service Boundaries and Constraints
- Student Access: Students require sponsorship from faculty or staff to obtain full access.
- Account Duration: Sponsored student accounts are active per semester and need renewal.
- IRB Approval: Surveys involving human subjects may require Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.
Eligibility and Audience
- All faculty, staff and students have access to Google Forms
- Faculty and Staff: Automatically granted full access to Qualtrics.
- Students Sponsored Accounts: Qualtrics access must be sponsored by faculty or staff to gain access.
Faculty and staff can request a Qualtrics account for a graduate student or a student employee, or faculty may elect to request student accounts for a class project. These accounts are referred to as 'sponsored' accounts and remain active on a per semester basis. To get a sponsored account, students should log in to Qualtrics to create an account; then the sponsor should contact IT Help.
- Undergraduate student accounts are created with a reduced feature set and will require collaboration with the faculty or staff sponsor
- Graduate student accounts are granted full access and require less interaction with the faculty or staff sponsor
Getting Started and Support
Contact Qualtrics support at support@qualtrics.com or calling 1-800-340-9194