Large Survey Process Step 2
Step 2. Does the evidence you need already exist?
As we mentioned in the Welcome page, Wake conducts a lot of surveys. All these surveys are a lot of work, both for you and for your participants. Not only do you have to organize and execute the survey, you have to analyze and report on the data before you can implement your findings. Our participants put a lot of time and thought into answering survey items, many of which are similar across surveys.
Previous large surveys
One way we can get the evidence we need and reduce the number of surveys we conduct is to use existing survey data. We can also collaborate with other people who are conducting similar surveys.
You can use the Large Survey Dashboard to see what large surveys were previously administered at Wake and identify other people who are conducting similar surveys. You can filter the Dashboard by population, survey date, and survey topics (see Step 3 for more details); see the survey instrument itself; and retrieve contact information for the researcher who administered the survey to learn more.
Why do we ask this question on the Large Survey Request Form?
As we’ve mentioned, Wake conducts a lot of large surveys each year. The result is that our response rates and data quality are declining. By making better use of our existing data and conducting more collaborative surveys, we may be able to administer fewer surveys and improve the quality of our survey data.
Tips for best practice
Survey data are not the only source of evidence. Maybe you can find the evidence or data you need elsewhere, or maybe you don’t need survey data at all.
Below are some examples of data that Institutional Research can help you locate. Other sources might be found in your department’s records, other administrative offices, or in departments that you might collaborate with.
WFU Fact Book
The Fact Book is an online, interactive publication reporting comprehensive information about Wake Forest. In addition to the general information about the university, its history and its purpose, the Fact Book also provides frequently requested longitudinal data regarding our students, faculty, staff, finances, and facilities.
IPEDS
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) is a collection of interrelated data surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Education. IPEDS gathers information from 6,400 colleges, universities, and technical and vocational institutions that participate in the federal student aid programs. The data include information about institutions’ students, faculty, staff, revenues, and expenditures. Nearly all U.S. universities participate in IPEDS. The data are longitudinal, and the definitions are consistent across schools. This is a very valuable resource if you are interested in comparing Wake to peer institutions.
Common Data Set
Similar to IPEDS, Wake also produces annually the Common Data Set (CDS), a collaborative effort among the higher education community to provide summary data to the public about the institutions’ students, faculty, finances, and financial aid. Many of the data in the Common Data Set are also found on the IPEDS website – one notable exception is that the CDS reports the number of undergraduate class sections by class size (e.g. 2-9 students, 10-19 students, etc.). As with IPEDS, since participating schools are using the same definitions, comparisons across institutions may be made. Unlike IPEDS, there is no central CDS repository. You have to search for each institution’s CDS separately.
Questions? Contact us at largesurvey@wfu.edu