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Survey Peer Network

The Office for Planning and Analysis (OPA) has been working for the last two years to address concerns about the survey environment at the University. Issues like survey fatigue and low response rates were negatively affecting data, while a rise in third-party survey tools created inefficiencies and legal risks for the University.

To tackle these issues, O-SAT (OPA Survey Advisory Team) was formed to assess the current survey environment at the University and identify solutions. O-SAT also works to learn more about the needs of survey practitioners on campus. Through a survey of 185 unit designees at the University and a series of information sessions across campus, we found that many of those who play a role in survey activity expressed a strong interest in forming better connections with their colleagues and learning more about best practices. O-SAT recognized the need to convene University survey practitioners, and as a result launched the Survey Peer Network (SPN) in May 2011.

SPN is a platform designed to connect University of Minnesota professionals with survey-related resources—and each other. We hope to generate a campus-wide awareness of survey best practice and implementation at the University, and to facilitate survey-related conversation through multiple communication channels.

SPN November 18 Meeting - Strategic Sampling for Better Research Practice

Friday, November 18
10-11:30 am
402 Walter Library

Session leaders:
Tom Dohm, Office for Measurement Services
John Kellogg, Office of Institutional Research
Thomas Lindsay, CLA Survey Services

Sampling has been identified as a significant component of survey research, and getting good data means starting with a good sampling plan. The purpose of this session is to address issues and challenges of sampling faced by survey researchers.

To create this session, we need to hear from YOU: What do you want to know about sampling? What questions come up in your day-to-day work? What experiences (good and bad) have you had with creating and implementing sampling plans?

SPN October 20 Meeting - Protecting Participants and Ourselves: IRB, Security, and Privacy Issues in Health Science Survey Research

Thursday, October 20
1-2:30 pm
450 Masonic Cancer Research Building (425 East River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455)

This 90-minute session will provide information about ways to protect participants (and ourselves) while planning, administering, and analyzing health science survey research - focusing on IRB, HRPP, privacy, and data security. The purpose is to discuss the foundation for sound, quality research using best practice strategies.

This session is geared toward towards those in the health sciences. We plan to discuss pertinent issues using concrete scenarios. To craft these scenarios, we need to hear from YOU - what questions do you have about IRB, HRPP, privacy, and data security? What issues have you faced in the past? Please submit these questions and comments in the "Questions and comments for the session" section below.

This event has been designated by the Office of the Vice President for Research to satisfy the Awareness/Discussion component of the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) continuing education requirement.

SPN September 21 Meeting - Protecting Participants and Ourselves: IRB and Privacy Issues in Survey Research

To view the recording of this session, visit: https://umconnect.umn.edu/p54696297/

Protecting Participants and Ourselves: IRB and Privacy Issues in Survey Research
Wednesday, September 21
10:30 am - 12 pm
402 Walter Library

Facilitator:
Ron Huesman, Office of Institutional Research
Panel:
John Jensen, University Privacy and Security
Cynthia McGill, Institutional Review Board
Michael Oakes, Epidemiology (faculty)
Jeffrey Perkey, Institutional Review Board

This 90-minute session will provide information about ways to protect participants (and ourselves) while planning, administering, and analyzing survey research - focusing on IRB, HRPP, privacy, and data security. The purpose is to discuss the foundation for sound, quality research using best practice strategies.

This session is geared toward general survey practitioners on campus, as well as those involved in social sciences research. We plan to discuss pertinent issues using concrete scenarios. To craft these scenarios, we need to hear from YOU - what questions do you have about IRB, HRPP, privacy, and data security? What issues have you faced in the past? Please submit these questions and comments via our RSVP form (link below).

In October, SPN will host a similar session geared towards those in the health sciences - if you are interested in that session, please fill out our RSVP form and choose the "I would like to attend the October session for health sciences, please add me to that email list" option.

This event has been designated by the Office of the Vice President for Research to satisfy the Awareness/Discussion component of the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) continuing education requirement. A form will also be available for those interested in satisfying College of Continuing Education (CCE) continuing education credits.

SPN June 8 Meeting - Survey Tools Panel and Discussion re: Enterprise-wide Survey Software Evaluation

SPN’s second meeting addressed two of the topics generated by participants at the first meeting: an overview of the survey tools currently available and the possibility of a University-wide survey tool in lieu of UM Survey.

Part 1 – Survey Tools Panel
Our survey tools panel showcased presentations by each panelist about their specific survey tool/knowledge of a specific survey tool issue, and then fielded questions from our meeting attendees.

Panelists included (from left to right): Karin Teder, UM Survey; Shelly Wymer, O-SAT; Erik Hoover, UM Survey; Gary Brisbin, Office of General Counsel; Susan McKinnell, Google Forms.

View video recordings of the survey tools panel:

To see the Powerpoints presented by the panelists, click on the links below to download:
Gary Brisbin, General Counsel
Erik Hoover, UM Survey
Susan McKinnell, Google Forms

Part 2 – Enterprise-wide Survey Software Evaluation
Chris Frazier, chair of the Enterprise-wide Survey Software Evaluation (ESSE) Committee, provided background information on the purpose and timeline of the project, giving the group context before they began their Café Conversation discussion around key questions related to survey tool needs.

View video recording of the presentation:

To see the Powerpoint presented, click on the link below to download:
Chris Frazier, Enterprise-wide Survey Software Evaluation

To view participant feedback from the Cafe Conversations, click on the link below to download:
ESSE Cafe Conversations Feedback

SPN May 10 Meeting - Kick-off and Engagement Session

Thanks to all those who attended the kick-off meeting on May 10; we had a great turnout and even greater visioning sessions! If you were not able to attend the first meeting, don’t worry – you can still join our ongoing dialogue about surveys at the University by attending our June meeting.

The group of 38 participants broke out into 8 small groups, and each group brainstormed a list of topics they might like to see addressed at an SPN meeting in the future and wrote their ideas on a poster. Each participant was then given 3 dot stickers to distribute among all 8 posters — they were asked to place their dots on the 3 topics they would be most interested in learning more about or discussing further.

If you are interested in joining the Survey Peer Network listserv, please email opa@umn.edu and include “Join SPN” in the subject line.