UC Merced provides Qualtrics for creating surveys and collecting structured feedback. Use this page to access Qualtrics, learn the platform, prepare a survey, manage shared resources, and find support.
Before you build a survey
Start with what you need to learn rather than with a survey platform. Before collecting new information, check whether the information already exists and whether a survey is the appropriate method.
Check existing information
Review existing campus dashboards, reports, institutional survey products, and other available information before starting a new data-collection effort.
Choose the right tool
Qualtrics is useful for structured surveys, complex survey logic, managed invitations, and survey reporting. Other collection or operational needs may be better served by another campus tool.
Plan before collecting data
Consider the intended audience, privacy, security, accessibility, research requirements, data access, and how results will be used and reported.
Access Qualtrics
Sign in to the UC Merced Qualtrics environment using your UC Merced single sign-on credentials.
Learn how to use Qualtrics
Qualtrics provides self-guided training for survey setup, customization, sharing, distribution, analysis, and reporting.
Access the training
- Sign in to your UC Merced Qualtrics account to make sure the account is active.
- Open the Qualtrics Research Core training.
- Select the training you want to take.
- Select Register.
- Select Qualtrics Credentials.
- Select Sign in with SSO.
- Enter ucmerced as the Organization ID and select Continue.
- Complete the normal UC Merced SSO process.
Recommended training
Start with Configuring Your Research Project. We also recommend:
- Customizing Your Research Project
- Sharing Your Research Project
- Collecting Research Feedback
- Understanding Your Research Feedback
- Reporting Your Research Feedback
Prepare your survey
Build with a clear purpose
- Connect questions to the survey purpose and planned analysis.
- Use plain language.
- Request only information needed for the project.
- Identify the survey owner and necessary collaborators.
Design for accessibility
- Use descriptive instructions and meaningful labels.
- Do not rely on color alone to communicate meaning.
- Use layouts that work across different screen sizes.
- Test keyboard navigation, focus order, and validation messages.
- Provide a way to request assistance or an alternative format.
Test before launch
- Test survey logice survey on desktop and mobile layouts.
- Confirm collaborators, distribution, reminders, and closure settings.
- Test Qualtrics email distribution before sending to the full audience.
Use the published survey link for respondents. A preview link is intended for testing rather than collecting live responses.
Group Libraries
A Qualtrics Group Library allows a designated group of UC Merced users to access resources saved in the shared group. These resources can include contact lists, saved email templates, other templates, and survey projects.
Group Library requirements:
- Group members must have Qualtrics accounts.
- Group members must be affiliated with UC Merced and have a UCMNetID.
- You must be a group owner to request changes to an existing group.
Having trouble with a Group Library? Email Analytics Hub.
Get Qualtrics support
General Qualtrics support
For general Qualtrics support and information about using Qualtrics at UC Merced, start with the OIT Service Hub.
Account or administrative assistance
Contact CIE when you need assistance with a UC Merced Qualtrics account, user permissions, project ownership, Group Libraries, or another issue requiring campus Qualtrics administrative support.
Planning a campus-level survey?
CIE may provide consultation for institution-wide surveys, administrative surveys, program reviews, and evaluations. Students proposing institutional-level survey work should have a sponsoring faculty or staff member.
