Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Thing 18: SurveyMonkey

Oh surveys. I like. I have filled-out many an online survey in my day, and I usually don't mind. I do not like long surveys or ones with vague questions. I also prefer closed-ended questions. They're just easier. I think if you would like to include open-ended questions you should do so cautiously. When compiling your results, open-ended questions are a lot harder to aggregate and you can't really run them through various statistical tests. However, they are very informative and can be essential to an effective survey. It just depends what the question is and how many open-ended questions there are. It is also good to think about what you would like to do with the data you receive.

I think SurveyMonkey is easy to use. I have used it in the past and have few complaints. The design is simple and intuitive. It also provides several options for how the survey is to be designed and analyzed.

I think we need more surveys in the library. I have found the few we have had in the Circulation Department have been very helpful. They are a great way to increase communication and stay informed.

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