Overview
Qualtrics is a web-based survey and data collection tool managed by Information Technology Services (ITS). Detailed information about the features and suggested uses of this product are available directly from Qualtrics. F&M also provides Google Forms which you may want to consider using, based on your survey requirements. A helpful Comparison Chart is available to help you decide which application will best meet your needs.
Human Subject Policy
IMPORTANT: If you are creating a survey related to research, you must review the College’s Human Subjects Policy. If you have questions about this policy and/or how to gain necessary approvals or assurance compliance, please contact the Office of the Provost.
How to
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Access the Qualtrics Service
Access is provided to current employees and students. If you are a new employee, you must wait until after your effective date to use Qualtrics. To access Qualtrics, go to https://fandm.qualtrics.com using the Chrome browser, and log in using your F&M NetID and password. If this is your first logon using this custom URL, an account will automatically be provisioned for you. The most frequent error that users have is using the wrong URL.
Your Qualtrics Account
Your auto-created account is configured to only allow 5 active surveys at one time and has a limit on the number of responses you can collect. Collaborating outside of F&M is also restricted with the default account.
Modifying your Account
If you need your account modified (for example, to request expanded survey creation/dissemination permissions,) please submit a help desk ticket by going to helpdesk.fandm.edu and selecting the Computer Programs and Application - Qualtrics category. Helpdesk staff will assure all necessary College approvals before granting expanded access.
Deactivation of your Account
Just as access is automatically provisioned, access to Qualtrics will automatically terminate when you leave or graduate from F&M. It is important that you:
- Change ownership of surveys to another person(s) if they will be needed by someone else at F&M after you leave.
- Download or export survey information if you want to keep your work. Or, if you have another active Qualtrics account, contact Qualtrics directly to have your surveys moved.
If you are a student, please refer to the Alumni Access article for other ITS services that will change when you graduate.
Getting Help
Methods
If you have technical questions about using the features of Qualtrics, contact Qualtrics directly, by clicking the “Help” link in the upper right-hand corner of the product, or visit by visiting qualtrics.com/contact-support. Support is available via chat, email, or phone (800-340-9194), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is the quickest and most efficient way to get expert-level assistance. Regardless of the method used to contact support, all users will be required to log in to the portal with their Qualtrics account credentials.
Logging into the Support Portal
Please note that the Qualtrics Support team can only provide support assistance for the account that you use to authenticate. This will ensure the privacy of your account, including preventing anyone from posing as someone else. On the login screen, click the “Sign in with SSO” link and then enter fandm in the organization box. You will then be brought to the Franklin & Marshall branded login page where you will enter your NetID and password. If you are unable to login, there is an option to select “Can’t login or don’t have an account?”, which will direct you to a “Limited Support Center.”
Customer Newsletter
You can also sign up for their customer newsletter which will provide timely information on designing surveys and making the most of your Qualtrics account.
Google Forms will likely meet the needs of most people. However, if you need features that appear in the blue highlighted boxes, you will need to use Qualtrics.
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Google Forms
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Qualtrics
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Overview
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Primarily a Form Tool but can also be used for Questionnaires, Quizzes, and Surveys.
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Primarily a Survey Tool.
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Best used for gathering data.
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Best used for gathering opinions. But can easily be used for gathering data.
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Transactional
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Relational + Transactional
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Short Learning Curve
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Long Learning Curve
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An unlimited number of surveys and responses are allowed. However, sending invitations by email is limited to our F&M Google email service.
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New users are limited to 5 surveys and there are quotas on the number of respondents and emails allowed. Contact ITS to be upgraded.
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Templates Provided
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A very large assortment of templates and question types are provided.
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Intelligent Analysis of forms is NOT available.
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Intelligent Analysis of surveys is included with suggestions on how to improve them.
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Limited Support (Online knowledge base or user community).
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24x7x365 Live-person email/chat support in addition to online knowledge base and user community.
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Question Types
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Limited Question Types
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Extensive Question Types
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Conditional Questions (if/then/else) with the use of sections.
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Conditional Questions. Complex options available with or without section breaks.
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Cannot hide choices within a question.
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Can control what choices are seen within a question based on logic.
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Electronic Signatures
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Not available.
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A signature field type is available for hand-drawn signatures on a mobile device or with a mouse on a desktop. Not legally enforceable. Use Adobe Sign for legal signatures.
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External Data
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Cannot import (embed) known data to display in a question or to be automatically included in a response.
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Can import (embed) known data to display with questions or to be automatically included in a response.
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Distributing
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Often sent to people you know, or posted to a webpage for general use. It is not critical to be completed by everyone. Responses are often used to complete a transaction for an individual.
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Often sent directly to a target audience who you may not know based on certain known characteristics. It is important to get as many responses as possible to get useful (aggregate) data.
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You can distribute email from your own account and include a link. You can also send via chat, Google Groups. You can embed link on a website or blog or send directly to social media apps.
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You can distribute via a custom email message and send it without identifying who you are with a unique link or with an “anonymous link”. You can also distribute directly to social media apps. More details.
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Can be restricted to only allow F&M people to complete the form based on their email address.
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There are several ways to restrict access to the survey, including requiring respondents to sign in with their NetID or Google account.
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A form can easily be shared via link, or embedded in a webpage.
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A survey can easily be shared via link, or embedded in a webpage. A custom link can also be generated with Qualtrics for sharing.
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Forms cannot be scheduled for distribution.
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Surveys can be scheduled for distribution via email. Follow-up reminders can be sent to just the people that did not complete the survey.
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Responses
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Individual responses are VERY important. Individual responses can be easily viewed or printed with Google Forms.
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Individual responses are often not important. It is difficult to view individual results or to print them in Qualtrics.
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All responses are automatically collected in a Google Sheet for ease of analyzing summary results.
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Responses are collected within Qualtrics and summary responses can be analyzed with a built-in report writing tool.
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Real-Time responses in the Google Sheet can easily be viewed and shared, just like other files that are stored in Google Drive. Individual data is easily identified. Custom charts and graphs can also be created to display real-time results.
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Real-Time responses can be shared via a link by creating a custom report (visualization). Individual data is not identified in reports.
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Notifications can be sent when a response arrives.
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Notifications can be sent when a response arrives.
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Notifications on how a specific question was answered cannot be configured.
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Various email triggers or other actions can be performed based on how one or more questions are answered.
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Responses can be exported as a .csv.
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Responses can be exported as a .csv.
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All responses are automatically collected in a Google Sheet for ease of analyzing summary results.
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Responses are collected within Qualtrics and summary responses can be analyzed with a built-in report writing tool.
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Sharing
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Real-Time responses in the Google Sheet can easily be viewed and shared, just like other files that are stored in Google Drive. Individual data is easily identified. Custom charts and graphs can also be created to display real-time results.
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Real-Time responses can be shared via a link by creating a custom report (visualization). Individual data is not identified in reports.
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You can invite others to collaborate on your survey who have a Google Account.
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You can invite other active Qualtrics users to collaborate on your survey.
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