Are you looking to gather feedback or insights from a group, but find the traditional survey tools too complex or expensive? Google Docs has a handy feature that allows you to create a survey directly within the platform, making it a cost-effective and user-friendly alternative. Let's explore how to make a survey in Google Docs step by step.
Before we dive into the process, ensure you have a Google account and are signed in. Also, it's beneficial to be familiar with the basic functionalities of Google Docs, as understanding the platform will make creating your survey a breeze.
Preparing Your Google Doc
To begin, open a new or existing Google Doc. The first step in preparing your survey is to give it a title. Click on the 'Untitled document' text at the top of the page and rename it accordingly. For example, "Employee Satisfaction Survey".
Next, format your document by adjusting the font, size, and style to your liking. This will ensure your survey looks professional and is easy to read. To do this, select the text you wish to format, then click on the formatting options in the toolbar above. You can also add a table of contents for easy navigation if your survey is lengthy.
Adding Questions to Your Survey
Multiple Choice Questions
Google Docs offers multiple choice questions, which are perfect for gather objective information. To add one, click 'Insert' in the menu, then select 'Form' and 'Multiple choice'. In the text box that appears, write your question and provide the answer choices. Click 'Done' to save your question.
To edit or delete a question, hover over it until you see the three vertical dots. Click on these, and select 'Edit' or 'Delete' according to your needs. You can also re-arrange questions by dragging and dropping them.
Text Response Questions
For questions that require open-ended responses, use the 'Text' option. Form recipients can type their responses in the box provided. To add a text response question, click 'Insert', select 'Form', and then 'Text'. Type your question and click 'Done' to save.
You can set the box size for text responses by selecting the question, then clicking on the three vertical dots, and choosing 'Properties'. Here, you can also specify how much text is required or allowed.
Sharing and Sending Your Survey
Once you've created all your questions, it's time to share your survey. Click on the 'Share' button in the top-right corner. Here, you can change the share settings, choose who to share the survey with, or get a shareable link. If you want respondents to fill out the survey multiple times (like a daily or weekly poll), be sure to set the share settings accordingly.
To distribute your survey, you can share it via email, social media, or embedding it on your website. Google Docs allows you to track responses and see who has filled out the form, helping you get the data you need.
Analyzing Responses
Responses are automatically stored in a Google Sheets spreadsheet. To access this, click on 'Responses' in the upper-right corner of your Google Docs survey. This will open a new tab with live updates of your collected data.
Here, you can sort and filter the responses, use functions like AVERAGE, SUM, or COUNT to analyze the data, and even create visualizations like graphs and charts. This makes Google Docs a powerful tool not just for creating surveys, but also for collecting and interpreting the results.
With these simple steps, you're ready to create and distribute a comprehensive survey using Google Docs. Whether you're collecting feedback, conducting market research, or assessing employee satisfaction, Google Docs offers an easy, efficient, and free solution for all your survey needs. Now, go ahead and gather those valuable insights!