Polls Tool

The Polls tool allows you to place polls on your OWL-Space site, where members can vote and see the results of the poll.

The main page of the Polls tool shows all the polls on your site, the question of the poll, the opening and closing dates for voting, a and link to the results from the poll. To delete a poll, check the box in the remove column for that poll, and press the update button at the bottom of the page.

Clicking on the Results link shows the results page for the poll, including the question, and a table of all of the answer options, how many votes each received, and the percentage of votes each received. Pressing the Back button at the bottom of the page returns you to the main Polls tool page.

Beneath each poll in the table on the main page is an Edit link. Clicking on this link will allow you to change all options just as when the poll was created.

Clicking on the Add tab of the main Polls tool page allows you to add a new poll. You can enter the question for the poll, additional instructions if desired, the opening and closing dates for voting (members can only vote on your poll between those dates), the limits for voting, and how to display the results.

Voting can be limited by a minimum and maximum possible number of answer choices. If you set the same number for each, then a member taking the poll must select exactly that many answers from among the choices. If you choose 1 for the minimum and 3 for the maximum, then a member can select one, two, or three answers from among the choices. Note that if you make the minimum greater than the maximum, or if the minimum is greater than the number of answer options you provide, then members will not be able to successfully vote in your poll.

You may set the current results of the poll to always be visible to members, never be visible to members, only be visible to members who have already voted, or only be visible after voting has closed.

When you are satisfied with the details, press the Save and add options button to begin adding answer options.

The next page allows you to enter an answer option. Your poll question is displayed at the top, and a text box is provided for you to enter the answer option in. When you are done, press Save and add options to add another answer option, or press Save to finish adding answer options and go to the poll confirmation page.

On the confirmation page, you can review and change all the details of your poll that you just set. All the answer options you entered are shown, and you can Edit or Delete each one, or add another by clicking on Add Option.

When your poll is complete, press the Save button at the bottom of the page to save the poll and add it to your OWL-Space site.

The Permissions tab on the Polls tool main page allows you to set what actions can be taken in the Polls tool by the different member types on your site. Members can be given permission to vote in polls, add their own polls, delete their own polls, delete others' polls, and edit their own or others' polls.