Online Survey Tools: A Case Study

of Google Forms
Vasantha Raju N. N.S. Harinarayana
Librarian Associate Professor
Government First Grade Department of Library &
College Information Science,
Periyapatna University of Mysore, Mysore
vasanthrz[at]gmail.com ns.harinarayana[at]gmail.com

Paper Presented at the National Conference on “Scientific , Computational and

Information Research Trends in Engineering”
January 30th, 2016 at GSSS Institute of Engineering & Technology for Women,
Mysore
 Presentation Layout
• Introduction
• Evolution of Modes of Survey Research Tools
• How Online Survey is Useful Compared to
Other Modes of Survey Research
• Online Survey Tools and Their Salient
Features
• How Online Survey Can be Conducted on the
Web: A Case Study of Google Forms
• Issues Involved in Conducting Online Survey
 Introduction

Online Surveys or Web-Based Surveys?

An online survey is a questionnaire that the target audience can

complete over the Internet. Online surveys are usually
created
as Web forms with a database to store the answers and
statistical software to provide analytics

- Techopedia

Source: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/27866/online-survey
Evolution of Modes of Survey Research
Tools
Web Based Surveys
2000 onwards

E-mail Surveys
1980s

Telephonic/Fax
Interviews
1970s

Face to Face
Interviews
How Online Survey Tools Are Useful Compared
to Other Survey Research Tools
 How Online Survey Tools Are Useful...
Conti..
Factor* Mail Fax . Web-Based
Coverage High Low Low
Speed Low High High
Return cost Preaddressed/prestamped 800 return fax No cost to the
respondent
number
Incentives Cash/Non-cash incentives Coupons may be Coupons may
can be included included be included

Wrong Low Low High

address
Labour High Medium Low
needed
Expertise to Low Medium High
construct
Variable About $1.00 About $0.50 No cost
cost/Each
survey**
**These were the estimated costs for a 4 page survey that has a population in the U.S.

*Adapted from “A comparison of mail, fax, and web based survey methods” by Cihan Cobanoglu, Bill Warde, and Patrick J.
Moreo, 2001, International Journal of Market Research, 43, p. 407.
A Few Online Survey Tools
A Few Online Survey Tools and their Salient Features
Survey TypeForm Google Forms Client Zoho Survey
Monkey Heartbeat
Features
Well designed Unlimited questions Unlimited surveys Survey Follow-ups Unlimited survey

Easy to use Unlimited answers Unlimited Automatic 15 Survey questions

respondent remainders of non-
s respondents
Embed surveys Data export Survey data Third party data 150 responses
automatically for benchmarking
stored in Google
spreadsheet

10 questions Basic reporting Add images or Cross-tab reports

videos
100 respondents Custom Imbed survey into Easy editor
design e-mails and
themes websites
15 question types 100% free Personalized survey
questions

Limitations
Free/Paid Free/Paid Data Privacy Free/Paid Free/Paid
$26/M $20/M $25/M $39/M
 How Online Survey Can be Conducted on the
Web: A Case Study of Google Forms
• Google Forms is a component of Google Docs which provides
cloud based document file management service.

• Why Google Forms ?

– Freely available on the web
– Unlimited surveys
– Unlimited respondents
– Stability of the Service
– Survey data automatically stored in Google Spreadsheet and many
more
 How Online Survey Can be Conducted on the Web: A
Case Study of Google Forms
Conti...
Steps Involved in Web Based Survey design, developing, hosting,
data collection, and data analysis in Google Forms

 Step-1: Designing and Developing Web Based Surveys

 Step-2: Hosting and Data Collection

 Step-3: Data Response and Data Coding Sheet

 Step-4: Data Analysis and Graphical Representation of Data

 How Online Survey Can be Conducted on the Web: A Case
Study of Google Forms
Conti...
 Step-1: Design and Developing Web Based Survey
 Google Forms File menu New option was used to create a web
based questionnaire (see the Figure below)

Fig-1: Google Forms Web Survey Design

Interface
• Step-1: Design and Developing Web Based Survey

Final version of the web survey questionnaire designed using New

option in Google Forms which was hosted on the web.

Fig-2: Final Version of Web Based Survey Which was Hosted on the
Web
Step-2: Hosting and Data Collection

• Online Forums, Social networking sites and e-mail contacts are

the major means for web based survey for data collection
from the sample

• A request for participating in our survey was sent via LIS

forum on 30th April 2015.

• Simultaneously same message was posted on the Facebook

wall. Some of the Friends of MyDLIS shared the post for
wider reach.
 Web Survey Posted in LIS Forum and Facebook
Wall

Dear Sir/Madam/Friends

I have taken up a small survey on “What Are They Now? A Survey of

University of Mysore Library and Information Science (MyDLIS)
Graduates of 2000 to 2014” to understand the employability status of
graduates, usefulness of LISc skills in employment and also to obtain
on-field MyDLIS graduates feedback on MLISc Course and its future
perspective.

The University of Mysore MLISc graduates who have passed out from
2000 to 2014 can participate in this survey. Through this forum I kindly
request those who have completed their MLISc degree from the
University of Mysore from 2000 to 2014 to participate in this survey.
Participation in this survey is anonymous.

Following link will lead you to the

survey: http://goo.gl/forms/RrwO9gQU9j

This survey is very brief and takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete. If you

have any questions about the survey, please contact me at:
vasanthrz@gmail.com

Please complete the survey by May 8, 2015. Your assistance in providing

invaluable information about this topic is much appreciated.

Fig-3: Web Survey Posted in LIS Forum and Facebook

Wall
 Step-3: Data Response and Data Coding
Sheet
• Once request is sent for participation intended
participation
click the w eb URL and fill the survey.

• After posting our web survey via LIS Forum and Facebook,
those who have graduated from DLISc, University of Mysore
from 2004-2014 participated in the survey.

• Almost 71 graduates filled the web survey.

• Figure 4 shows the day-wise data response for survey

hosted
on the web.
Day-Wise Response for the Web Survey “What are they Know? A
survey of University of Mysore Library and Information Science
(MyDLIS) graduates of 2000-2014

Day-Wise Data Response Rate

14
13 13
Number of Respondents

12

10 10

8 8

6
5 5
4 4 4

2 2 2
1 1 1 1
0

Date
 Step-3: Data Response and Data Coding
Sheet
• One of the major advantage of online survey tools are storing
responses automatically in a database in anyzable format.
• Google Forms also allows automatic storage of response data
in its spreadsheet application.
Step-4: Data Analysis and Graphical Representation of
Data

• Google Forms allows for analyzing the data that is

collected through the web survey.

• One can generate graphical presentation of data

easily along with descriptive analysis of the results.

• Users data stored in Spreadsheet can be saved and

downloadable in various formats (MS Excel, CSV,
TSV
and PDF, etc.)
Graphical Presentation of Samples in Google Forms
 Issues involved in Web Based
Surveys
– Technological variations
– Computer literacy
– Internet penetration rate
– Low-response rate
– Privacy and security issues
– Sample selections...
References
• Cobanoglu, C., Warde, B., & Moreo, P.J. (2001). A comparison of mail, fax and web
based survey methods, International Journal of Market Research, 43, 405-10.

• Evans, J.R., & Mathur, A. (2005). The value of online surveys. Internet Research, 15 (2),
195-219.

• Fleming, L.M., & Bowden, M. (2009). Web based surveys as an alternative methods
traditional mail methods, Journal of Environmental Management, 90, 284-292.

• Kaye B.K. & Johnson T.J. (1999). Research Methodology: Taming the Cyber Frontier.
Social Science Computer Review, 17, 323-337.

• Wright, K.B. (2006). Researching Internet based populations: Advantages and

disadvantages of online survey research, online questionnaire authoring software
packages, and web survey services. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication,
10(3). Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1083-
6101.2005.tb00259.x/full

• Zhang, Y. (1999). Using the Internet for survey research: A case study. Journal of
the
American Society for Information Science and Technology, 51(1), 57-68.
 Thank
You

Image Courtesy: OCLC