Survey/Interview Data Collection Tool Needed

January 22, 2013 10:24 AM

I will be traveling to a remote location to interview key informants for a research project. I am looking for a convenient interface which to enter the data.

I was attempting to use LibreOffice but it seemed buggy/untrustworthy. I gave up on it.

-I do not want to mess about in the master sheet of collected data. I am looking for a form or other type of thing that can be linked to a database. The idea is that I will be able to input answers and comments, but that other data from previous interviewees will not be displayed (nor will it be possible to accidentally edit them). But that at the end I can output a csv or ascii file to work with in STATA.

-I want to fill in answers on my laptop as the interviewee is being interviewed. Internet access is not a given, so it appears surveymonkey and the like are out.

- Ideally I am hoping to accomplish this in Excel, or something else that is already installed on my Mac.

What's the best way?

posted by powerbumpkin to technology (5 answers total)

Google docs spreadsheet can output csv and can create a form for inputting data.

Oops sorry didn't see the non internet requirement. But excel should be able to create forms as well.
posted by czytm at 10:38 AM on January 22

If you have Excel, you may have MS Access, which does exactly this. Or you can use Excel and create a form
posted by teabag at 11:06 AM on January 22

I don't believe there is an Access for Mac. At least, it is not an option for me. Excel forms are okay but it seems other records would be viewable in the background. I looked at excel userforms, they seem to require a lot of coding to set up. Other ideas? Thanks in advance.
posted by powerbumpkin at 11:35 AM on January 22

Bento might fit the bill. It is a little like Access for Mac, but nicer.

Alternatively, if you have access to an iPad, you might try FormAgent.
posted by heliostatic at 12:05 PM on January 22

DDH software makes a nice db that is easy to learn and has a version for every platform
posted by Sophont at 3:51 PM on January 22