Designing and Implementing Internet Questionnaires Using Microsoft Excel

Abstract

Over the past ten years, the use of the Internet and e-mail as communication tools has become ubiquitous. In the survey arena, the rising costs of gathering data have been partly compensated by the use of the internet and e-based technologies which offer a range of new, relatively cost effective survey design and delivery options. This paper reports on two studies where Microsoft Excel was used to design and gather data without the additional investment associated with specialist programs. Study one examines the development of a multi-attribute survey conducted to create a new scale using a local (Australian) population of students. The second describes the use of Excel in a stated choice experiment that was sent to an international sample of museum managers. These studies show that it requires minimal programming skill on behalf of the researcher whilst offering the many of the cost, administrative and questionnaire design benefits seen with specialist software and Internet delivery. We conclude that Microsoft Excel can be considered when designing online surveys as it provides a wide range of features and benefits that allow for flexible, rich instrument design and fast, potentially accurate, data collection, checking and entry.