All this discussion on evaluation makes me want to mention a VERY good software
product from Apian Software in CA, called "SurveyPro". It has been around for
some years and I was first introduced to it by Christina Simpson at the Glenbow
in Calgary. It was irritating to use as some of its modules were Windows-based
and others DOS. A few months ago, the full Windows version of it was released
and Karen Graham at Canadian Museum of Civilization and I (and undoubtedly
Christina) have been having great fun with it ever since. (I've done three
surveys this summer with it).

Survey Pro is a reasonably effortless way to format very professional-looking
questionnaires, input data (either yourself or your respondents), analyze the
data using a variety of statistical techniques, and prepare reports with
graphics, charts, etc., all in a single program. If you require the more arcane
statistical methods that only a dedicated stats program like SPSS can provide,
Survey Pro allows you to export directly to SPSS.

It's not often I rave about a software program, but this one is unique and I
recommend it highly to anyone interested in survey research.

Only one catch. You still have to know what questions to ask, how to ask 'em,
how to interpret the results and a few little things like that! Reading Sage's
excellent "Survey Kit" is a great way to start.

For info, call Apian at (415) 694-2900.

Harry Needham
Canadian War Museum