5-step guidelines for effective survey planning

Well-designed surveys gather actionable data to support college decision-making. Use this five-step framework to plan your project and develop reliable, unbiased instruments.

Need hands-on support? Request a survey consultation.

Successful surveys begin with planning, not writing questions. Establish your reporting deadlines first and work backward to set a realistic timeline. 

Consider when, what, who, where, and how data will be collected. Addressing these factors before launching a survey can improve response quality, reduce bias, and ensure that the resulting data effectively support decision-making.

  • Account for end-to-end timing. The whole process (i.e., survey development, data collection, analysis, and reporting) typically requires two to six months depending on the complexity of the survey. 
  • Begin by establishing reporting deadlines. When are the final results needed? Work backward to create a realistic project timeline. 
  • Timing should align with your study’s objectives. 
    • Beginning of term surveys can capture students’ expectations.
    • End-of-term surveys are more appropriate for assessing experiences and satisfaction. 
    • Pre- and post-testing: When evaluating the impact of a program or intervention, collecting data both before and after the event can provide valuable insights into changes over time.

Choose the right tool

Before creating a survey, confirm it is the best method for your goal:

  • Administrative data request: Use when you need institutional records (e.g., GPA, enrollment, retention). Avoids survey fatigue and ensures accurate data.
  • Focus groups / interviews: Use when you need deep, open-ended context to understand why or how respondents feel/behave.
  • Surveys: Use when you need broad, standardized metrics on self-reported attitudes, experiences, or satisfaction across a large audience.

Clearly define the research goal and the information needed to reach it.

Every question should directly support a decision or research need. Non-essential questions increase respondent burden and reduce completion rates. 

  • Identify core decisions: Before drafting questions, determine what decisions the data will inform. What information do you need to take action?
  • Distinguish must-know from nice-to-know: If a question does not directly support your core objective, remove it.
  • Limit demographics: Only request demographic data (e.g., age, program) if it is essential to your analysis. If you plan to disaggregate your survey findings by respondent characteristics, know that this will require a larger number of respondents.
  • Engage stakeholders: Identify key colleagues or department leads early to confirm alignment on data needs.

After identifying your core research questions, determine the types of information required to answer them. These may include perceptions, experiences, performance measures, or comparisons across groups. 

Survey only individuals with direct, firsthand experience with the topic. For instance, only survey students about career services if they have used those specific services. Do not ask staff to report on secondhand student experiences.

Identify your target audience.

Determine who you need to survey and any specific respondent characteristics required for the study, such as enrollment intensity, credit-hour completion, academic major, or program participation. 

Informed consent is required. 

Clear communication about privacy practices builds institutional trust and improves response rates. Written informed consent is legally required to help protect participants. 

Always inform respondents about the following:

  • Purpose of the study 
  • Anonymity versus confidentiality (clarify whether identity is entirely unknown or kept private by researchers)
  • How the data will be stored, analyzed, and reported 
  • Voluntary participation and the ability to opt out without penalty
  • Risks or rewards associated with completing the survey

Manage survey fatigue

Our students receive many survey invitations every semester, which causes survey fatigue and makes them less likely to respond to a given survey. 

  • Consider sampling: A representative sample often yields valid data without surveying an entire student population (schedule a consultation with us to discuss if needed). 
  • Student Omnibus Survey: OIRA conducts a survey each semester covering key topics for many different groups and initiatives. If you have 1-2 questions you want to ask students, let us know and we can consider it for inclusion. (Complete a survey consult request.)

Choose your survey format.

The survey environment can significantly impact response rates and data quality. Decide where and how respondents will complete the survey (classroom, online). Online surveys are often the most efficient option because they reduce distribution costs and simplify data collection. 

Platform and accessibility requirements

  • Ensure accessibility: Online surveys must meet web accessibility standards so users with visual, motor, or cognitive disabilities can complete them. Review platform guidelines, such as SurveyMonkey’s accessibility guidance.
  • Use enterprise tools: ACC maintains an enterprise license for SurveyMonkey via Single Sign-On (SSO). Contact IT to activate your account. (Google Forms is also available through your ACC account.)
  • Plan for lower online response rates: Build digital reminders and potential participation incentives into your project plan.

Plan your survey methodology entirely before data collection begins. 

Determine sample size requirements, distribution methods, follow-up procedures, and data management processes.

Structure and flow

  • Order logically: Begin with simple, engaging questions to build momentum. Place sensitive or demographic items at the end.
  • Keep it concise: Shorter surveys produce higher completion rates and better data quality.
  • Test the instrument: Have a few key stakeholders or target respondents test the survey to flag confusing logic or unclear phrasing before launching.

Question wording

  • Be precise and time-bound: Avoid vague frequency terms like Often or Usually. Use concrete intervals like Weekly or 2 to 4 times a month.
  • Avoid double-barreled questions: Do not combine two concepts in one item (e.g., “Faculty are helpful and use Blackboard”) as this can result in unclear responses. Split them into separate questions.
  • Minimize cognitive load: Avoid complex questions like ranking or large matrix grids, which force respondents to make difficult mental calculations and lead to high drop-off rates on mobile devices. 
  • Prioritize closed-ended questions: Use standard multiple-choice, checkboxes, or rating scales to simplify navigation. 
  • Limit open-ended questions: Restrict open-ended prompts to 1 or 2 strategic questions to collect qualitative context without fatiguing respondents. Quotes from open-ended responses can help support findings from other closed-ended items in your survey.

Response options

  • Ensure options are exhaustive and mutually exclusive: Ranges like 1-3 hours, 4-6 hours, and 7-9 hours prevent overlap and cover all possibilities.
  • Keep scales balanced: Use consistent scale options to prevent choice paralysis. Always include Neutral, Not sure, and N/A options when applicable. 

Consistent response scales

Using consistent question structures makes the survey easier to navigate. Here are a few recommended scales:

  • Agreement: Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Not sure, N/A
  • Satisfaction: Satisfied, Neutral, Dissatisfied, Have Not Used, Not sure, N/A
  • Frequency: Daily, Weekly, Monthly (adapt to context)
  • Helpfulness: Very helpful, Somewhat helpful, Not helpful, Not sure, N/A
  • Concern: Very concerned, Somewhat concerned, Not at all concerned, Not sure, N/A
  • Difficulty: Not at all challenging, A little challenging, Very challenging, Not sure, N/A
  • Importance: Critical, Important, Neutral, Unimportant, Not sure, N/A
  • Familiarity: Very familiar, Somewhat familiar, Unfamiliar, Not sure, N/A
  • Likelihood: Likely, Neither likely/unlikely, Unlikely, Not sure, N/A
  • Support needed: A lot of support, A little support, No support, Not sure, N/A

Sample questions

  1. Beyond checking grades, how often do you use Blackboard for your coursework? (Multiple choice)
  • 1 or more times a week
  • 1-3 times a month
  • 1-3 times in a semester
  • Rarely or never
  1. Which of the following best describe how you work with or relate to your advisor? (Answer choices: Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Not sure, N/A)
  • I find it helpful to meet with my advisor before I register for classes
  • I feel supported by my advisor
  • My advisor helps map out when I should take all of the classes required to complete my degree

Review your instrument 

  • Cognitive load: Are there any questions that are wordy, confusing, or double-barreled?
  • Flow & logic: Does the ordering of the questions make sense? Are transitions between topics smooth?
  • Drop-off risks: Are there specific points or question types where students might get frustrated and abandon the survey?
  • Tone: Is the language approachable and encouraging for community college students (or for your survey population)?
  • Seek stakeholder input. Ask for stakeholder feedback to identify confusing areas and make necessary improvements before distribution. 

After the survey: Analysis and reporting

The survey process does not end once responses have been collected. Careful analysis and thoughtful reporting are essential to transforming data into actionable insights. You can request consulting services from OIRA for technical assistance.

Analyze survey results using appropriate statistical software and analytical techniques. For simple analyses, you can leverage some built-in analysis tools in SurveyMonkey (excluding AI tools). 

Researchers should examine response distributions, identify meaningful patterns, and evaluate whether the findings adequately address the original research questions. When advanced analytical support is needed, consulting services from OIRA may provide valuable technical assistance.

Please note that it is against ACC policy to use AI tools or other external platforms that aren’t approved for storing or processing FERPA-protected or private data, including survey data.

Much like focus group and interview data, individual responses and open-ended responses should not be analyzed by AI tools. Even without names, the unique combination of information can make them identifiable, which violates FERPA. 

Once a student’s story is fed into AI, the college loses the ability to protect that student’s anonymity. Students participate under a specific informed consent statement with the college. Even if it were included in consent language, the use of these tools remains risky as it fundamentally compromises the college’s role as a safe and responsible steward of the student voice. 

Finally, AI models lack an understanding of our specific community and the unique challenges our students navigate. Human-led analysis ensures we capture the nuances of the student experience without averaging out the insights that inform better support services.

  • Provide context: Provide readers with sufficient background information to understand the survey analysis results. This should include the survey’s objectives, target population, methodology, response rate, and any limitations that may affect interpretation of the findings. Clear documentation promotes transparency and strengthens the credibility of your results.
  • Support decision-making: Frame conclusions around practical implications and evidence-based recommendations to help stakeholders make informed decisions. The ultimate purpose of most surveys is to inform action. Provide evidence-based interpretations, practical implications, and recommendations that are directly supported by the data. Recommendations should focus on helping stakeholders make informed decisions rather than simply describing survey results.

Request a consult

The Office of Institutional Research and Analytics (OIRA) provides consulting services on an as-available basis to assist employees as you design your surveys. If you’d like additional support, complete our Survey Consult form.