Need help creating a survey

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

I am trying to create a survey for my stock market group. I have something set up with MS Word, but my word is old, Word 97. Not sure if it will work for all levels of word, or if I should be doing the survey another way.

Anyone have experience with doing surveys, online or via email? Need to send out to about 50 members.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I'm not an expert, but I work with Word files from many different sources. Even an old Word format will probably (probably, not definitely) open and will be readable to people with newer versions of Word. However...YOU may not be able to open the files they send back to you.

The easiest way around this would be to do the survey as an e-mail, right in the body of the e-mail. Of course that would not be secure, though. So if you're looking for more security...well, wait. NOTHING sent via e-mail will be secure. So can you just put the survey in the body of the e-mail?

[CarlK Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CarlK]

Given the small sample size, and what appears to be an informal survey, I agree that putting the survey questions in the body of an email will probably work well. Code the closed-ended questions numerically (eg. Yes=1, No=2), and when the emails are returned you can enter the respondent's numbers in Excel to produce frequency counts, averages, etc.
Carl

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

I'm not an expert, but I work with Word files from many different sources. Even an old Word format will probably (probably, not definitely) open and will be readable to people with newer versions of Word. However...YOU may not be able to open the files they send back to you.

Thought about that and did try it. Wife has the newest Word, I have old Word. I sent the form to her, she could select answers, save the form and then send it by return email to me. It opened and I could see her answers. Most of the questions have a drop down menu to allow only one selection and also reduce the amount of space requirements. If I used radio knob method, I would have to list everything.

If I go with the email method, which has also been considered, the questions where I have three to six possible answers to the questions would be more difficult to select just one. There are questions where it has a two part answer, again, more difficult with email.

I could rewrite the survey, reduce the multiple answers, anyway I do this, it is going to be a difficult form.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

How do you get a drop-down menu in Word? That's a good trick!

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

How do you get a drop-down menu in Word? That's a good trick!

You use the forms tools. It has text field that will limit or specify type of info, drop down field, check box field, add tables as part of the form and will shade the areas where answers are required, plus will lock it so the questions can not be accessed, only the answers.

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

I was going to attach the form for review, but it is 64K, larger than is allowed.

Shoot.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Yep, those Word files get big fast. As soon as you use any of the "specials," you can't believe how much memory it's taking up!

[Guest Close Quarterbore]

The fancy stuff looks nice but the more you add the more likely you will have problems... If you are doing this electronically then a e-mail will ensure that everyone can read and reply.

If you have a website, you can also create an HTML form where your members can fill out their information and then e-mail it. This is not real complicated and could be added to any site in an hour or so.

Now, if you are real motivated you can create a website or webpage and using PHP and a MYSQL database you can do all kinds of stuff but that is very likely to be way more then you want to get into!

Lots of options, just depends on how often you need to do this...

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

Had a couple thoughts on how to create this, Word Form, Excel Form, standard email or web based.
Word-have something that I think will work, not sure if everyone has Word. Requires form to be updated, saved, then returned.
Excel-more work to create, less people have Excel as I don't think it came with all MS Office in the past releases, only professional versions. Same as Word, update, save and return.
Email would be quickest for the return, but maybe more difficult on setup and getting the right responses.
Web would be best, but since this is a one time only (as planned now), not experienced enough in this area.

I may have to go email, which is disappointing, but I know that will work.

[Guest Close Quarterbore]

Do you have a website? If so, doing a html form should only take about an hour... honest, it is easy and you have the formated results sent to your e-mail...

Tutorials:

HTML Forms - Your First HTML Form

User Feedback HTML Form

Just set it up and practice on yourself before you tell everyone where to find it...

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

Do you have a website? .

There is the problem. I would have to set up a website, then start filling it up. Maybe that is another question that should go on the survey 'does anyone know how to set up a website?'

I was thinking about a website as I watched the go daddy ads yesterday. No, really I was .

I think I may have to go to the email version. That way, I know everyone will have the same access to the info. We can look into a website as the user group grows.

Thanks for the help and suggestions.

[hliw Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close hliw]

Survey Tool

Don - If your stock market group are all email users, you may want to simplify things by going to SurveyMonkey.com - Powerful tool for creating web surveys. Online survey software made easy! This site will help you create a survey and send it out. You can then log on and electronically review the data you receive. It's a great tool and will make your analysis of results MUCH simpler. I believe it also has charting capability - your buddies will be VERY impressed! Good luck!
HLIW

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

That may work. I'll have to look into it more when I get home from work. Headed into yet another 2 hour meeting.

[hliw Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close hliw]

Survey Monkey

Don - Any luck?
HLIW