NSSE: National Survey of Student Engagement

Faculty discussions spark some rigorous debates about the validity and reliability of the NSSE... But in the main, we value the information, attend to it, and move to create ways to shore up the soft areas exposed by the reports.

Daryl H. Stevenson, Dean of Academic Administration, Houghton College

Survey Administration Mode Decision Tree

The decision tree below may help you choose the best survey administration mode for your school. You can also download a PDF version of the decision tree.

Deciding Between Paper, Web+, or Web-Only Modes

Paper Mode - Students receive a paper invitation to participate, a hard copy of The Report, and the option of completing a Web version of The Report.
Web+ Mode - Students are initially invited to participate via e-mail and three follow-up e-mail messages are sent. Upon the fourth follow-up, a sub-group of non-respondents will be sent a paper copy of The Report as well as directions to complete the on-line version of the survey. Requires accurate student e-mail addresses and local mailing addresses.
Web-Only Mode - Students receive all correspondence by e-mail and complete the Web version of The Report. Requires a very accurate list of student e-mail addresses that are checked regularly.