Institutional Research
What is Institutional Research?
Institutional Research encompasses all activities directed at describing the full spectrum of functions (educational, administrative, and support) occurring within a college or university. Institutional research activities examine those functions in their broadest definitions, and embrace data collection and analytical strategies in support of decision-making at the institution.
State Reporting and FactBook Production
Our office coordinates data submissions to satisfy term-driven state, federal, and other external reporting requests in collaboration with the appropriate Polk State divisions. We also publish data in the form of annual report summaries via Polk State’s FactBook and in conjunction with specific Institutional Effectiveness initiatives. Our staff represents Polk State at various state meetings, in particular at the Florida Department of Education Management Information Systems Task Force (MISATFOR).
Research and Data Services
Our office holds primary responsibility for providing various college and higher education data. A number of recurring reports are produced each year to meet the specific information needs of Polk State functions. We also satisfy many inquiries to deliver targeted research or ad-hoc reports across a wide spectrum of data required for academic and non-academic decision-making.
Questionnaires and Surveys
Our office acts as a clearinghouse for internal questionnaires and surveys used for evaluating the College and its services. On a regular basis, we conduct college-wide assessments like CCSSE, the Community College Survey of Student Engagement; the ACT Student Opinion Survey; or PACE, the Personal Assessment of the College Environment. Other college areas rely on our office for help in developing instruments, design studies, and decide on the best methods of data collection, data analysis, and report-writing.
