01Decide how many responses you need
It depends on the size of your population and the margin of error you can accept. For a typical class report, 30 to 100 responses is often enough; more formal research commonly aims for 200 to 400.
- If you are unsure, use the free sample size calculator. Enter a confidence level and margin of error and it works the number out.
- Response rates are often only 30% to 60%, so plan to send the survey to more people than you need.
- If your instructor sets a minimum, follow that.
02Write questions people will finish
- Keep the whole survey under five minutes, around 15 questions. Shorter surveys get more completions.
- Ask one thing per question. "Are you satisfied with the course content and the teaching?" is really two questions.
- Make the options mutually exclusive and complete, and add "Other" when needed.
- Put personal details and open-ended questions last, and make as few questions required as you can.
- Test it on three to five friends first and watch where they pause.
03Where to find respondents
- Classmates, clubs and class group chats are the fastest, but they tend to be one type of person, so explain your sample in the report.
- Online communities and survey-swap groups: say how many questions and how long it takes, and what your research is for.
- A survey-swap tool such as Form Swap: you fill in other people’s surveys to earn points, then spend points to get yours answered. No sign-up.
- In person or with a QR code: most effective when your respondents gather in one place.
04How survey swapping works well
- Answer other people’s surveys first to earn points, and see how they write theirs.
- When you post yours, state the number of questions, the time it takes and who it is for. Surveys that ask too much get ignored.
- Show a completion code and a link back after submitting so respondents can claim their points.
- Close the survey once you reach your target so nobody answers for nothing.
05After you collect responses
- Remove obvious junk answers, such as the same option throughout or a very short completion time.
- Report the valid responses, the response rate and where the sample came from.
- Summarize the data with a pivot table. See the Excel pivot table tutorial.
Q&AFAQ
Does a swapped survey count as a valid sample?
It can, as long as you say honestly in your methods section how the data was collected (for example an online survey exchange) and that the sample may lean toward internet users. Check with your supervisor if in doubt.
Does filling in a survey expose my personal information?
That depends on the survey. Check that it only asks for what it needs. Inkacuity’s Form Swap never sees or stores anyone’s answers.
Can Inkacuity help me organize the results?
Yes. Data cleaning and basic Excel charts are part of the document service. Send a request with what you need.
Rather have it done for you?
Document and Excel help, from about us$9. Report writing, data organizing and basic Excel work: tables, formulas, pivot tables and charts, usually delivered within a day or two.