Start Here: Survey Tools at USC

Overview

You can use survey tools for many purposes, such as a simple sign-up form, a feedback questionnaire, or a complex multi-part research survey. The following applications are approved at USC for creating online surveys:

Microsoft Forms
Google Forms
Qualtrics

In this guide, we compare the three options and link to instructional guides for each.

A note about working with sensitive data

Only Microsoft is approved by the USC Office of Cybersecurity for the storage of confidential data, including FERPA-protected data. This means that if you plan to collect sensitive information in your survey, you must use Microsoft Forms, not Google Forms or Qualtrics.

A note about using surveys to decide meeting times

If you're interested in surveying a small group of people on the best time to meet, there is a specific Outlook feature for this:

Using Scheduling Poll to poll times and schedule meetings in Outlook

Comparing survey tools

Generally speaking, we recommend using Google Forms or Microsoft Forms if you need to set up a simple survey, and Qualtrics if you need more advanced features. For a detailed comparison, review the table below:

Microsoft Forms Google Forms Qualtrics Who can use the tool USC faculty, staff, and students, and USC affiliates (iVIPs) USC faculty, staff, and students USC faculty, staff, and students Survey limits Up to 200 forms Unlimited Unlimited Example use cases

Anonymous voting or feedback forms
Non-Zoom event RSVPs
Submissions, proposals, and nomination forms

Anonymous voting or feedback forms
Non-Zoom event RSVPs
Submissions, proposals, and nomination forms

Formal research surveys and questionnaires
Any surveys requiring advanced features, such as the ability to set up quotas and display logic

What kind of information can I collect? Public, internal, and confidential data, including FERPA- and HIPAA-protected data Public and internal data Public and internal data
Qualtrics cannot be used to conduct commercial or government-sponsored research, and should not be used to collect personally identifiable information Visual design options

Customization available for the background color/image and header image

Customization available for the typeface and text size, header image, and theme color Extensive customization options, including typeface and text size, header image, background, and colors and spacing Available question types Multiple choice, short and long text, rating, ranking, and more Multiple choice, short and long text, rating, grid, and more Multiple choice, short and long text, matrix, slider, ranking, and more Advanced features "Add branching" feature allows respondent to progress to a specific section based on answer

"Go to section" feature allows respondent to progress to a specific section based on answer

Advanced features targeting survey flow, including the ability to set up display logic, quotas, and loop & merge blocks Can survey respondents upload files? Yes, but respondents must be signed into an @usc.edu account Yes, but respondents must be signed into a Google account (does not have to be an @usc.edu account) Yes Can responses be downloaded as a CSV? Yes Yes Yes Can I collaborate with colleagues on the form? Yes, but form ownership cannot be transferred between individuals Yes Yes How do I get started using it? Creating a survey in Microsoft Forms
Microsoft Forms sample surveys Creating a survey in Google Forms
Google Forms sample surveys Creating, branding, and distributing a Qualtrics survey
Qualtrics sample surveys