Qualtrics: Using Survey Software
As faculty, students, or staff at BYU, we occasionally need to ask people questions. It might be part of an academic research project or we might just want to improve what we do by seeking feedback. Surveys are a good option for gathering information and opinions from people.
Surveys can be administered directly, by show of hands or by voice, by paper or online using survey software. If you choose to give an online survey, BYU has received a multi-year grant from Qualtrics that allows us to use their survey creation and administration software without cost. This license can be used to produce education-related online surveys. According to Qualtrics, their software is “Easy enough for an intern…Sophisticated enough for a Ph.D.”
How are professors using Qualtrics?
Carol Solomon, Teacher Education
“I have developed two major long-term surveys using Qualtrics. I am responsible for two grants dealing with cultural and linguistic learning challenges. The data will be collected over several years and will be used in research on teacher development and inservice practice. By developing a survey that is easily manageable online I will save time, money, and resources. I found Qualtrics easy to use even for a mature mind such as mine. I am so impressed that data can be collected and stored and then reviewed in a variety of formats for research purposes. I am looking forward to reviewing the data collected from the surveys to further our research for developing better teachers sensitive to the learning needs of English Language Learners and children with special needs. I am even looking forward to learning to use more features that Qualtrics offers to make future surveys even more effective.”
Getting Started with Qualtrics
If your email address is a BYU domain email (e.g. byu.edu or byu.net), then you can immediately access Qualtrics by signing up for a trial account.
After you have signed up for the trial account or if you want to skip the trial account step and start using the software, click here. This link will take you to a page where you will give the information needed by the Center for Teaching & Learning to upgrade or create your account.
While Qualtrics is easy to use, it also has a variety of optional and more complex features. To learn how to use the more powerful features, use the Qualtrics Help and Tutorials.
Since this is grant software, Qualtrics has requested that initial problem calls go through Larry Seawright at the Center for Teaching & Learning. He can be reached by phone at 801-422-8151 or by email at byu.qualtrics@byu.edu.