Digital Toolbox: Surveys
At a Glance
Which tools to use?
- allow you to create ungraded or graded surveys directly inside Canvas. Ungraded surveys are useful for collecting feedback anonymously or for simple opinion gathering.
- Microsoft Forms can be used to make simple surveys and self-graded quizzes, but by requesting help from the Service Desk, you can use Forms to automate things like:
- Approval processes with multiple steps and approvers
- Custom email notifications based on response criteria
- Qualtrics is a powerful survey platform with a wide variety of question types, email triggers, distribution options, and collaboration settings ideal for data collection and research projects.
- REDCap - Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) is a secure, web-based application for building and managing online surveys and databases for research applications. REDCap is ideal for projects collecting data in community settings and in multi-site projects such as clinical trials.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Canvas Surveys | Microsoft Forms | Qualtrics | REDCap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question type: Multiple choice | Yes (Classic) | Yes | ||
| Question type: File upload | No (workaround: external tools) | Yes | ||
| Display logic & branching | Limited (New Quizzes only) | Yes | ||
| Allows for anonymous responses | Partial (Hide student names) | Yes | ||
| Built-in distribution via email | No (Canvas notification system only) | No | Yes | |
| Built-in distribution via SMS | No | No | No | No |
| Ability to track which individuals have responded | Yes (Canvas records submission) | No | Yes | |
| Automated email reminders | No | No | Yes | |
| Other configurable email triggers | No | No | Yes | |
| Download raw response data | Yes (via Gradebook export) | Yes | ||
| Automated accessibility/usability review | Yes (Canvas native accessibility checks) | No | No |
Question Type
| Question Types | Canvas Surveys | Microsoft Forms | Qualtrics | REDCap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Choice | Yes | Yes | ||
| Text Entry | Yes | Yes | ||
| Rank Order | No (workaround with Likert scale) | Yes | ||
| Matrix Table | No | No | Yes | |
| Slider | No | Yes | ||
| Side by Side | No | No | Yes | |
| Constant Sum | No | No | Yes | |
| Hot Spot | No | No | No | |
| Graphic Slider | No | No | No | |
| Drill Down | No | No | Yes | |
| Pick Group and Rank | No | No | Yes | |
| Heat Map | No | No | No | |
| Net Promoter庐 Score | No | No | ||
| Highlight | No | No | No | |
| Signature | No | No | Yes | |
| Timing | No | No | No | |
| File Upload | No | Yes | ||
| Screen Capture | No | No | No | |
| Captcha Verification | No | No | Yes | |
| Likert | Yes (Classic Likert Guide) | Yes | ||
| Branching | Partial (New Quizzes conditional) | Yes | ||
| Meta Info | No | No | Yes |
Distribution Option
| Distribution Option | Canvas Surveys | Microsoft Forms | Qualtrics | REDCap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Via Canvas inbox notifications | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Via email | No (external email tools required) | Yes | ||
| Via link | Yes (shareable Canvas link) | Yes | ||
| Via social media | No | No | No | |
| Via SMS | No | No | No | No |
| Via QR code | No (Canvas doesn't generate QR; workaround external generator) | Yes | ||
| Allows anonymous submissions | Partial (Canvas will show "submitted" but not details) | Yes | ||
| Ability to track individual respondents | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Set start and end dates for response collection | Yes (Availability dates) | Yes |
Collaborative Option
| Collaborative Option | Canvas Surveys | Microsoft Forms | Qualtrics | REDCap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allows multiple collaborators | No (only course instructors) | Yes | ||
| Allows non-OHIO collaborators | No | Yes | ||
| Allows OHIO collaborators | Yes (Instructors and TA's) | Yes | ||
| Configure whether an individual collaborator can activate/deactivate a survey | No | No | Yes | |
| Configure whether an individual collaborator can copy a survey project | No | No | Yes | |
| Configure whether an individual collaborator can distribute a survey | No | No | Yes | |
| Configure which survey data individual collaborators have access to | No | No | Yes |
Summary:
Use Canvas Surveys for quick classroom feedback, check-ins, or low-stakes course evaluation activities where you want easy access inside the LMS. Use Microsoft Forms for simple surveys outside Canvas. Use Qualtrics or REDCap for more complex research-grade survey needs with advanced logic, secure data collection, and sophisticated distribution.