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
Need Help?
For 24x7 assistance, contact IT Help at 513-529-7900 or initiate a chat session via Miami IT Chat
or contact Qualtrics support at support@qualtrics.com or calling 1-800-340-9194