Features and limitations of SurveyMonkey
for the UNECE survey on census practices
(drafted by UNECE, 11 Sep. 2012)
SurveyMonkey (www.surveymonkey.com) is a popular tool to conduct online surveys. Its design is
user-friendly, and it is very easy both to create the questionnaire and to fill it. At the same time,
SurveyMonkey does not allow a high level of customization, and there are a number of limitations
for creating a survey. This short note presents some information on what can be done and what can
NOT be done with Surveymonkey. These limitations, in particular, should be taken into account
when drafting questions for our questionnaire.
WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH SURVEYMONKEY:
1)
Types of questions
A large number of types of questions can be used in Surveymonkey, including the most common
types of questions used in surveys. The types of questions available are the following:
A short description of the different types of questions is available here:
http://help.surveymonkey.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/52
2)
Skip logic design options
These options allow directing respondents through different paths depending on their answers. The
use of these options should allow shortening the length of the questionnaire and the time needed to
fill it, and may also improve the quality of the results. We could use these options, for instance, so
that countries with register-based censuses will not be asked questions that are not relevant for
them. In the following question from Surveymonkey, for instance, the respondents who click on
“No” will automatically skip the questions on outsourcing:
If you want to know more on skip logic options, a tutorial is available here:
http://help.surveymonkey.com/app/tutorials/detail/a_id/430
3)
Respondents can save a survey halfway and finish later, or update the responses
The system allows respondents to leave the survey and resume it later, and possibly update the
responses at a later stage. This functionality is dependent on the settings created for the collector.
The system saves responses through either a cookie or by the actual survey link. In either case, the
[Next] button on a page or the [Done] button at the end of the survey must be clicked to save the
page(s) of answers.
This functionality could be useful for our survey on census practices, considering that the
questionnaire will be probably long, and the respondents may want to fill it in different sessions.
Moreover, they could provide some new/updated responses at some later stage, after that they
completed the questionnaire for the first time.
4)
Other features
Surveymonkey has many other features that cannot be presented in this note. In the Resources
section at the end of this note you will find links to Surveymonkey manuals, guides, FAQs, tutorials
etc.
WHAT CAN NOT BE DONE WITH SURVEYMONKEY:
1)
Two or more levels of answers
It is not possible to have two or more levels of answers with different indent. For example, it is not
possible to create exactly the following question:
Which of the following services or activities did you contract out? (Indicate all that apply)
 Data storage
 Data quality assurance
 Dissemination
 Printing of report
 Production of digital media
 Online/web access design
 Questionnaire destruction
However, it is possible to use dots to create the indent and show the second level of answers, as in
the following example:
2)
Open text field (“Specify: ………………….”) in the middle of the answers
The option “Specify….” and a blank field for a comment cannot be placed in the middle of an answer
column among other answers, but only at the end of the possible answers. As an example, it is not
possible to create exactly the following question:
Which of the following services or activities did you contract out? (Indicate all that apply)
 Printing or production of field material
 Questionnaires
 Other documentation and/or materials
Specify …………………………………………………………………………………………………..
 Translation of field materials
 Evaluation
 Security and /or confidentiality
 Data quality
 User satisfaction
 Other evaluations
Specify ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
However, it is possible to add one blank field at the end of the answers:
3)
Ranking question with open text field (“Specify: ………………….”)
Ranking questions can be used in Surveymonkey, but when they are used it is not possible to add the
open text field (“Specify: ………………….”), not even at the end of the answers. For instance, it is not
possible to create exactly the following question:
What methods did you adopt to publicise or promote the census? (Indicate all that apply and rank
in order of importance)
 Paid advertising
 Free advertising
 National TV
 Reginal or local TV
 Other promotions
Specify …………………………………
However, we can have a ranking question with the “Other promotion” category but without the
open text field (“Specify…………”), as follows:
In alternative, we could add a new separate question with a blank field to specify what are the other
promotions. Or we could use a question with multiple answers without ranking and include “Specify
…” (as in point 2. above).
4)
Other limitations
There are probably other limitations of Surveymonkey that we are not yet aware of, and we may
discover later on as long as we design the survey. If you have any doubts about what can be done
and what cannot be done with regard to question design, you may consult the following resources.
Surveymonkey resources:
Links to various useful Surveymonkey resources are presented below. As there are various types of
accounts, please note that UNECE subscribed to the Platinum account, which includes all the
features available at Surveymonkey.
Best practices for survey design:
http://help.surveymonkey.com/euf/assets/docs/pdf/SmartSurvey.pdf?noIntercept/1
Answers and FAQs: http://help.surveymonkey.com/app/answers/categorylist/noIntercept/1
Help center: http://help.surveymonkey.com/app/home/
User Manual: http://help.surveymonkey.com/euf/assets/docs/pdf/UserManual.pdf?noIntercept/1
If you have any questions about features and limitations of Surveymonkey, please consult the
resources listed above. If you don’t find the answers to your questions, you may write to
social.stats@unece.org