Full course description
Term: Summer 2026
Date: August 17th, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: University Mall 2104 (Directions) & Zoom
Instructors: Nathaniel Porter, Sabbir Chowdhury, & Robyn Lynch
Presented By: University Libraries (LIB)
Description:
Please note there are only 20 seats available in-person.
Get the training you need to start building and administering a survey at Virginia Tech in one day, with optional 1 on 1 consultation with VT data professionals!
This hybrid workshop is designed to equip you for 3 tasks common to almost all survey data collection projects, whether for research, teaching, or administration:
1. Choose a data collection tool - we'll start with an overview of major survey collection tools at Virginia Tech, including Qualtrics, QuestionPro, REDCap, Microsoft Forms, Google Forms, and Canvas Surveys.
2. Build and administer your survey project - after the overview, you can choose a breakout for hands-on practice in creating surveys in Qualtrics, Microsoft Forms, or REDCap - including advanced features like survey logic. Each breakout will be led by an expert survey professional at VT.
3. Design an effective survey - in this section, each person will create a study plan that will help determine how many people and how to recruit them to the study, what questions need to be included, how to ensure the data are high quality, and what will be necessary for working with the data after it's collected.
In addition, consultants will be available on Zoom for individualized advice on statistics, privacy and data protection, health data collection, and survey design and tools.
The schedule is as follows:
9:00-10:15 Choose a data collection tool
10:30-12:00 Build and administer your survey project
12:00-12:30 Campus survey resources
12:30-1:30 Lunch/break and optional 1-on-1 consultations
1:30-3:30 Design an effective survey
This workshop is open to all VT faculty, staff, and students, though not all tools are avaialble to everyone. It will take place in person in the TLOS suite in University Mall (Blacksburg) and online via Zoom, with lunch and refreshments provided for those attending in person. You do not need any experience with survey design, software, or data collection and analysis to participate.