REDCap and Online Data Collection

REDCap logo

Since 2016, RDA has hosted an instance of REDCap (www.projectredcap.org), software for collecting and managing research data via a web browser. REDCap is not just survey software, but a platform for creating data collection projects that can include both online surveys and also data entry tools. The Life Span Institute's instance of REDCap is securely housed at KU's central IT department, and the data stored in HIPAA-compliant systems.

We currently have over 180 REDCap research projects and 200 active users. We host multi-site projects for researchers at LSI and their collaborators around the world.

Other online data collection tools

In addition to REDCap, RDA supports many data collection systems, including:

  • Qualtrics
  • SurveyMonkey
  • LimeSurvey
  • and many others

RDA can also build custom data collection tools and instruments, including adaptive, stimulus-based behavioral measures. We can integrate a variety of media, including images, audio and video elements.

Self-scoring surveys and measures

If you have an existing or novel measure with a scoring algorithm, we can build scoring logic into your data collection instrument to produce immediate raw totals across subscales or the entire measure. We can build basal and ceiling rules, and other complex administrative structures to ensure your measure is administered correctly.

Blog Posts

  • Online Surveys Best Practices

    If you plan to have an open research survey that you distribute through email lists or social media, especially if you indicate that you will be compensating your survey subjects, you should expect to have your survey completed by “bots” and should plan accordingly.

  • Reports With Longitudinal Data

    Events and arms in a REDCap project are powerful features for organizing and accurately collecting and labeling data. At the same time, adding events complicates the structure of your data. It’s important to understand how to report and export those data in ways that are useful for the team and for data analysis.

  • REDCap and NDAR

    The research project you’re working on has a data sharing and archiving requirement with the NIMH Data Archive: what does that mean? This post will answer that question and go over the process of meeting that requirement.

  • Double Data Entry

    Data validity is something that research teams are always concerned with (or should be concerned with). Building systems into data collection that mitigate the risk of invalid or erroneous data is a best practice, and there are many ways to do that.

  • REDCap Project Modifications in Production Status

    Handling project modifications when a REDCap project is in "Production" status can sometimes be tricky. This post describes steps you can take to address issues that may arise as the result of needing to change your project structure, so that you don't lose data or create ambiguity or inconsistencies in your data.

  • Double Data Entry, Data Validation, and Data Comparison in REDCap

    REDCap has a built-in module for double data entry (DDE) that can be enabled in projects. The DDE module adds specific user roles so the same data can be entered independently by two separate users, then reviewed by a third user.