Overview
The following tools are available at USC for creating online surveys:
- Google Forms
- Microsoft Forms
- Qualtrics
Here, we compare the three options and link to instructional guides for each.
Basics of online survey tools
When you need to gather feedback or input from a large group of people, whether for informal or formal purposes, it's often much easier to survey people by creating an online form rather than starting a long email chain.
Your USC account gives you access to three different but powerful tools for setting up online forms. Generally speaking, here's how we'd rank the tools, from easy to hard:
- Google Forms
- Quickest option for setting up an informal or internal survey
- Microsoft Forms
- Similar to Google Forms, but arguably cleaner/more professional, visually
- Qualtrics
- Steep learning curve but has powerful features for creating research surveys
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 schedule a meeting, there's an even simpler solution than these full-featured online survey tools: check out our guide, "Using Microsoft Findtime to poll and schedule meeting times."
Choosing an online survey tool
Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, and Qualtrics have some key differences, but all three tools allow you to:
- Create and edit a single-page or multiple-page survey, with a variety of question types and the ability to create conditional questions
- Preview and test a survey, as well as delete test responses
- Add collaborators to a survey or transfer survey ownership
- Send a survey to respondents via email or direct link, with options to either identify respondents or keep them anonymous
- View responses, individually and in “summary” format
- Download responses as a spreadsheet for analysis
Click on the sections below to view expanded details and resource links for each tool:
Google Forms
Google Forms at USC
- Available to USC faculty, staff, and students
- Unlimited number of forms
- Well-suited for:
- Feedback surveys
- Anonymous voting
- Event RSVPs
- Submissions and proposals
Google Forms resources
Microsoft Forms
Microsoft Forms at USC
- Available to USC faculty, staff, and students
- Up to 200 forms (if you need to create more forms, first delink the form so that you are not deleting existing responses, and then delete the form itself)
-
Approved by ITS for the storage of FERPA-regulated data, although additional controls may be needed
- Well-suited for:
- Feedback surveys
- Anonymous voting
- Event RSVPs
- Submissions and proposals
- Quizzes and tests
Microsoft Forms resources
Qualtrics
Qualtrics at USC
- Available to USC faculty, staff, and students
- Unlimited number of forms
- Some usage restrictions, per ITS
- Well-suited for formal research surveys or questionnaires
Qualtrics resources