Data Input, Mark-sense using flatbed scanner
 

I am contemplating redoing a survey where I expect about 400 responses. Two years ago I input the data entirely by hand from the response papers. I would like to do the survey again, but I'm too lazy to capture the data by hand this time.

Can anyone suggest Win XP software which will capture mark-sense data from forms scanned in my flat-bed scanner? (free is best :O )

I would go to my expert, who designed and built the scanners used in the 1960 and later US Censuses, except that he died about a year ago.

Thank you all,

seacue

For 400 I'd do it by hand (assuming there aren't too many questions, 20 say). Easier with two people, one reading one typing. Maybe I'm spoilt, the party machine can always find a person-afternoon of effort somewhere or other :)

For much more than that I'd set up the survey online, let the punters do the data entry.

Mr Wombat, (I think that's correct)

But a substantial fraction of the responders won't have a computer - I want to find that - or are barely computer-literate.

Requiring on-line entry would seriously bias the results.

Thanks for your comments.

seacue

Alright then, how about telephone IVR.... get a company to host a button push survey for you.... this can be magically compiled into a database form... you can even give people a PIN number to login.

Otherwise heavy-duty OCR made by the likes of Kofax or Visionshape is probably what you're after, preferably (but not necessarily if you're willing to put up with a trade-off on the speed/quality side of things) combined with a decent document scanner.

Or just make sure your forms are correctly designed for optimal high speed scanning and then outsource the post-processing, the latter being able to advise on the former. Depending on the nature of the forms, perhaps a company such as Popularis might suit (not a recommendation, just used by a company I deal with who I know have used them for a few years now).

I should have researched there before asking this question, but Giggle has links to

queXF | An Open Source, web based paper form verification and data entry system

and

Udai Waterloo OMR tool

Can anyone comment on them?

seacue

sorry, no
completely new to me

I've never used either, but here are some observations:

The prerequisites for queXF look a bit daunting for a non CS/IT person. Do you know mySQL, for example? Or even have it installed? I think you'd spend more time fiddling with the supporting s/w than just hand counting the results. If you had a lot of this sort of stuff to do, it might be worthwhile.

Udai: A crude and simple interface. Read the directions carefully, but if you can handle that its not overwhelming for most people with basic computer skills. It does seem to require a custom form, built with PowerPoint. If you've got that installed, and know it, good. If you already have a form built, this could be a stumbling block.

:8

EEngr
Thank you for pointing out the need for MySQL understanding with queXF. Something I don't have much of. I have it installed.