Surveying in Microsoft Forms vs. Qualtrics

Faculty, staff, and students at Georgia Gwinnett College have two options for surveying internal and external respondents: Microsoft Forms and Qualtrics. To access these web-based applications, all you need to do is sign in with your GGC Account (email and password). Review the table below to compare the two applications and decide which is right for your next project.

Feature	Microsoft Forms	Qualtrics
Ease of use	Beginner	Intermediate
Best use case	Quick/basic feedback or event registration	Complex research or data collection
Collaboration method	Share access individually or assign to a Team	Share access individually or to a group email address
Conditional logic (ex. Skip next question if the user answers True…)	“Branching”	“Skip logic” and “Display logic”
Accessibility features	Microsoft Immersive Reader	ExpertReview score with suggested changes
Customize appearance of survey	Yes	Yes
Preview: desktop and mobile	Yes	Yes
Anonymous responses as needed	Yes	Yes
Distribution methods	Link, QR code, or embed	Link or QR code
Data analysis and reports	Basic Forms response view and linked Excel sheet	Exporting (CSV, etc.) and customized Qualtrics report-building with export to PDF

Respondent View Comparison

Before You Survey: IRB Considerations

Depending on the type of survey you are running, the research of human subjects is subject to review by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Georgia Gwinnett College. This is to ensure that human subjects are treated ethically and equitably, provide voluntary and informed consent, and have their privacy protected. If you are considering conducting a survey of human subjects, please review our GGC IRB policies. Not all surveys are subject to IRB review, but if you are unsure, review the IRB policies at GGC.

Upcoming Workshops

Information Technology will be hosting a workshop on Forms and a workshop on Qualtrics the following day for any GGC faculty, staff, or students who would like more information or instruction on how to get started using either of these supported surveying services.

Resources

• GGC Institutional Review Board (IRB) 
• IT Services – Qualtrics 
• MS Teams: Add the MS Forms tab to a team channel