Author Visit Evaluations

Inspired by a few recent posts offering advice on school visits, I’m adding one of my own shortcuts to the list of tips for LJ writer friends.

SurveyMonkey is a free, online tool that allows you to create surveys that you can send to teachers and librarians after a school visit.  I used the site to put together a simple survey asking people to rate statements like these…

The planning and communication before this author visit was timely and efficient.
The author established a rapport with staff and students.
The presentation was educational and entertaining for students.
The presentation and/or workshops met the school’s needs and aligned with curriculum.
The honorarium and travel expenses were reasonable and a good value.
I’d recommend this author for school visits.

You can set up whatever multiple choice responses you like, but I included a matrix like this for each statement:

strongly agree
agree
somewhat agree
somewhat disagree
disagree
strongly disagree
don’t know/not involved in this aspect of visit

I also included a place where people could comment on the best part of the presentation and offer suggestions for improvement, as well as a form for general comments.  One last question asks respondents if I have permission to use their comments on my website or other materials for teachers who may be interested in author visits.

Because it’s an online survey, many people find it easier and quicker than filling out and mailing back paper surveys.

What about you?  How do you get feedback about your school visits & other presentations?