Surveys are a valuable way to gather insights and feedback from our diverse community, including students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders. Those considering conducting a survey at Carleton should review the Survey Considerations at the bottom of this page.

This policy has been crafted to provide a clear and friendly framework for Carleton College community members who are planning to conduct surveys on our college campus or with our community members. The purpose of the policy is to help facilitate effective research by ensuring that:

  • all surveys align with Carleton’s mission and values,
  • surveys are given the time and thought necessary to design a methodologically sound survey and to ensure it is implemented in a well-organized and timely manner,
  • Carleton community members are not overburdened by the increasing survey demands, and
  • all surveys are carried out in a respectful, ethical, and well-organized manner, carefully considering privacy and valuable time of all members of our campus.

Recognizing the value of everyone’s time and effort, we kindly request that survey organizers keep their surveys concise and not overly burdensome.


Scope

This policy applies to all individuals and groups – including students, faculty, staff, and those working on behalf of the college – who wish to conduct a survey on our college campus or with members of our community. 

General Guidelines

All surveys that are not part of the regular Carleton College schedule of surveys and that:

  • include 100+ participants (e.g., alumni, students, faculty, or staff), or
  • target a specific student population (e.g., athletes, first generation, TRIO, Spanish majors) that you do not work with directly, or
  • collect sensitive1 or identifiable2 information

will require submission of IRA’s Intake Form, which will be reviewed by the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (IRA).

The following types of surveys conducted by Carleton faculty, staff, or students are EXEMPT from review:

  • Those that are part of Carleton College’s regular schedule of surveys
  • Course evaluations
  • Faculty evaluations for PEAR, continuing, third-year, and tenure review 
  • Feedback or evaluation forms for workshops, events, or (customer) service experiences, if conducted close in time to the end of the workshop, event, or service
  • Surveys conducted within a classroom, course, or lab under the supervision of a faculty member
  • Surveys conducted within the membership of an office, committee, faculty department, targeted alumni group (e.g., reunion committee) or student organization (such as student government surveying its elected members)
  • Academic department assessment and/or evaluation surveys of their major and/or minors (current or alumni)

 In addition, the following activities are exempt from review because they are not surveys:

  • Polls for scheduling meetings
  • Elections
  • Registration forms for events or activities
  • “Interest forms” for capturing interest in future opportunities or further information (e.g. “Sign up if you’d like to receive info about intramural sports”)
  • “Crowdsourcing forms” for compiling information or resources (e.g., “Please share recommendations for vegetarian & vegan restaurants for Family Weekend;” “Please tell us which community organizations you partner with.”)
  • RSVPs for events
  • Administrative record collection (e.g., requesting phone numbers; personal health waivers)

1 Sensitive information is defined as information about:

  • participants’ attitudes, behaviors, or experiences that could elicit significant discomfort during the response process
  • OR that carries elevated risk of harm to a participant’s own or another’s well-being, reputation, or standing should confidentiality become breached.

This type of data can vary depending on the context and cultural norms but typically includes information such as health-related data, financial information, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, political affiliations, and other intimate or personal details.

2 Identifiable information refers to information that can be used to identify an individual or link the data to a specific person, thus risking respondents’ privacy. This includes direct identifiers such as names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, student identification numbers, or any other personal information that uniquely identifies an individual. Additionally, indirect identifiers such as date of birth, class year, gender, or major can also potentially lead to the identification of an individual when combined with other information.

Survey Partnership

Survey organizers will be expected to identify one individual from your department, unit, or team to serve as the survey partner alongside a member of the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (IRA). The survey partner will be responsible for providing IRA with the survey materials needed based on the administration method, including drafts of all communications, names and titles for signatories, and a communication timeline. Additionally, the survey partner will be responsible for assisting with testing the survey and collaborating with IRA to troubleshoot if technical issues arise.

Timeline

Due to the increasing number of surveys the IRA Office manages and implements, as well as the increased demand for our services, a minimum of six weeks is needed to launch a survey. More time may be needed, depending on a variety of factors, including whether or not the survey has already been developed, the amount of Qualtrics support needed, and the capacity of the IRA Office. Additionally, other surveys may be open or scheduled to open during your proposed dates. In an effort to avoid overlapping surveys and prevent survey fatigue, survey timeline adjustments may need to be considered.

Data Analysis and Reporting

An unacceptably low response rate for survey data analysis is a matter of concern as it can significantly compromise the reliability and validity of the findings derived from the survey. This policy outlines the criteria for determining when a response rate is deemed unacceptable and provides guidelines for addressing such situations.

Definition of Unacceptable Response Rate

An “unacceptable response rate” is defined as a response rate that falls below the predetermined threshold, which is typically set at 30% for surveys conducted at Carleton College3. Response rates below 30% are generally considered low and raise concerns about the representativeness of the sample. Researchers and stakeholders should be very cautious about drawing conclusions from surveys with response rates at or below this threshold. As a result, IRA will not conduct data analyses, report findings, nor distribute raw or aggregated data for surveys with response rates below 30%4.

3 The response rate threshold may vary based on the specific survey and its objectives. As an example, response rates for surveys soliciting information about sexual assaults or substance use are generally lower than the Carleton’s acceptable threshold; however, these surveys are important to the Carleton community and, thus, would still be analyzed.

4 Exceptions may be made for surveys that historically receive lower response rates (e.g., HEDS Sexual Assault Campus Climate Surveys, faculty evaluations, Carleton Well-Being Perceptions Surveys). 

Tips for Obtaining an Acceptable Response Rate

There are a number of proactive measures that can help you avoid low survey response rates. Some of the most common and effective methods include:

  • Carefully identify your audience and send personalized invitations. This shows your respondents that you value their time and feedback, and that you are interested in hearing specifically from them.
  • Keep your survey short and to the point. No one wants to spend hours filling out a long survey, so aim for a survey that can be completed in 10 minutes or less.
  • Make sure your survey questions are clear and easy to understand. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that your respondents may not be familiar with.
  • Offer an incentive for completing the survey. This could be anything from a small discount on a future purchase to a chance to win a prize.
  • Send follow-up reminders to respondents who have not yet completed the survey. Be careful not to overdo it, but a gentle reminder can be enough to encourage some people to finish the survey.

Here are some additional tips for increasing survey response rates:

  • Pilot test your survey before sending it out to a large audience. This will help you identify any potential problems with the survey, such as unclear questions or technical difficulties.
  • Use a survey platform that is easy to use and accessible on a variety of devices. This will make it easier for your respondents to complete the survey, regardless of where they are or what device they are using.
    • We strongly recommend using Qualtrics, as it includes a wide range of powerful features, stores data securely, and is capable of supporting collaboration with colleagues at Carleton as well as other institutions. If you don’t already have a Qualtrics account, please send an email to ira@carleton.edu to request a free account through Carleton’s license5. 
  • Promote your survey on social media and other channels where your target audience is active. This will help you reach more people and encourage them to participate.
  • Thank your respondents for their time and feedback. This shows them that you appreciate their participation and that their feedback is valued.

It is also important to note that even the best-designed surveys will have some level of non-response. This is simply a reality of survey research. However, by following the tips above, you can minimize non-response and improve your chances of getting an acceptable response rate that is representative of your population of interest.

If you are still concerned about getting a good response rate, please reach out to the IRA Office at ira@carleton.edu for additional support. They have the experience and expertise to help you design and implement a survey that will help ensure you get the results you need.

5 If you are an academic institution on an academic license, your use of the Services is restricted to academic research purposes. Services may be used only by students, staff, or faculty of your institution. Commercial use of the Services is prohibited and includes, without limitation, use of the Services on behalf of other institutions or entities for compensation or where such institution or entity would otherwise purchase a commercial license.

Survey Request Process

Step 1: Those planning to distribute a survey or conduct survey research at Carleton College must submit IRA’s Intake Form.

Step 2: Survey Request Form reviewed by IRA.

Step 3: Decision is rendered.

Step 4: The survey organizer will be notified of the decision and, depending on that decision, will be asked to comply with the appropriate step below: 

If Approved: an IRA staff member will send you the Survey Partnership Form, which will establish how this work will be carried out, in partnership with IRA. In general, this form should be completed by the survey organizer and returned to IRA within seven days6. (A printable version of the Survey Partnership Form can be found at the bottom of this webpage.)

If Denied: refrain from moving forward with the proposed project. The survey organizer may review the appeal process (below) and determine whether or not an appeal is appropriate.

Step 5: Once the Survey Partnership Form is submitted, IRA will establish a Declaration of Collaboration that both IRA and the survey organizer will review and sign.

Step 6: Survey project commences7.

Appeals

Step 1: The survey organizer may appeal the decision to deny a survey. Appeals should be submitted in writing to ira@carleton.edu and must be supported by new information that was not included in the original survey request. All appeals should address the following: 

  • Rationale for the appeal
  • Remedies for IRA’s concerns that led to the denial
  • Updated project timeline 

Step 2: The appeal will be reviewed by the Institutional Research and Assessment Advisory Committee (IRAAC).

Step 3: Decision is rendered.

Step 4: The survey organizer will be notified of the decision and, depending on that decision, will be asked to comply with the appropriate step below: 

If Approved: the survey organizer will complete Steps 4, 5, and 6 in the Survey Request and Review Process section, above. 

If Denied: refrain from moving forward with the proposed project. Neither IRA nor IRAAC will accept a second appeal.

6 Substantial deviations from the details you provided in your initial Survey Request Form may warrant additional review and/or timeline adjustments.

7 If, after the project commences, your survey plans change, the project may be halted for additional review.

Appeals

Step 1: The survey organizer may appeal IRA’s decision to deny a survey. Appeals should be submitted in writing to ira@carleton.edu and must be supported by new information that was not included in the original survey request. All appeals should address the following: 

  • Rationale for the appeal
  • Remedies for IRA’s concerns that led to the denial
  • Updated project timeline 

Step 2: The appeal will be reviewed by the Institutional Research and Assessment Advisory Committee (IRAAC).

Step 3: Decision is rendered.

Step 4: The survey organizer will be notified of the decision and, depending on that decision, will be asked to comply with the appropriate step below: 

If Approved: the survey organizer will complete Steps 4, 5, and 6 in the Survey Request and Review Process section, above. 

If Denied: refrain from moving forward with the proposed project. Neither IRA nor IRAAC will accept a second appeal.

Non-Compliance

While we prefer to work collaboratively and supportively, please be aware that failure to adhere to this survey policy may lead to a reconsideration of survey privileges or other actions, as determined by the College.

Review and Amendments

This survey policy will be periodically reviewed and updated to ensure it remains current and aligned with our College’s evolving goals and values.




Contact Information

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this survey policy, please reach out to the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment at ira@carleton.edu. We are here to assist and guide you through this process.



Printable Version of the Survey Partnership Form

If you would like to preview the Survey Partnership Form prior to completing it, please click here to download a printable version. Once you are ready to complete the form, please fill out the Qualtrics version, which is linked above in the Survey Request and Review Process section of this webpage.