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Author: Cathy Rodriguez

Create, distribute and analyze surveys using Qualtrics

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Qualtrics logoQualtrics is a powerful survey tool that empowers the K-State community to collect and analyze data with ease. It is available to all faculty and staff. It’s also accessible to graduate and undergraduate students by request.

The default configuration is unlimited surveys per user with the ability for 25,000 emails, thank yous, reminders, and survey responses in a seven-day rolling period. Surveys that involve human subjects must be approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). See the Qualtrics Support page for more information.

Sign in to Qualtrics (https://kstate.qualtrics.com/) with your eID and password.

Highlighted Features

  • Variety of question types: multiple choice, matrix tables, text entry, descriptive text, graphics, rank order, timing, and more.
  • Library of existing surveys, questions, graphics, and messages that users can customize and use.
  • Branching and display logic so you can define user-tailored survey path.
  • Email and contact list triggers.
  • Quotas.
  • Advanced analytics.
  • Collaborate and share surveys.
  • Multiple distribution options, including Qualtrics e-mailer, survey URLs (public and private) and more.
  • Ability to monitor survey progress and send reminder and thank-you messages.
  • Ability to create reports, graphs, charts, and statistical results of response data
  • Export data in a variety of ways including SPSS and other statistical packages

Resources

Schedule email in Microsoft Outlook on the web

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Microsoft Outlook logoAre you going to be out of the office but need to send an email on a specific day? If so, use the Schedule Send feature in Outlook on the web.

How to Use Schedule Send

  1. Compose your email: Create a new email as you normally would.
  2. Set the time: Click the dropdown arrow next to the “Send” button and select Schedule send.
  3. Pick a date and time: A calendar will pop up. Choose the best day and time for your email to go out.
  4. Confirm: Click Send when you’ve finalized the schedule.

Outlook will send the message at the scheduled date and time.

2025 Cybersecurity Training available Feb. 1: Temporary suspension of account disabling

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

As part of K-State’s continued commitment to safeguarding the university’s information and technology resources, the Division of Information Technology (IT) is pleased to announce that the 2025 Cybersecurity Training course will be released on Feb. 1, 2025. Details about the completion timeframe for this new training will be announced in January. We encourage all faculty, staff and student employees to watch for the announcement and be prepared to complete the updated course once it becomes available.

Transition period and temporary changes

To ease the burden during the winter break and to reduce disruptions in account access, the disabling of accounts due to incomplete 2024 Cybersecurity Training will be suspended as of Dec. 20, 2024. This temporary pause will ensure that individuals do not lose access to essential systems and resources over the winter break. IT will announce when normal account disablement procedures for non-compliance will resume.

Availability of 2024 Cybersecurity Training Continue reading “2025 Cybersecurity Training available Feb. 1: Temporary suspension of account disabling” →

Beware of giveaways

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Scammers use giveaways or low-priced offers to entice you to share personal information or to take your money. One such scheme making the rounds on social media is the fake Walmart Dell laptop offer. Be vigilant. Don’t fall for these types of scams.

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How it works

Scammers create realistic-looking posts or ads on social media, often mimicking well-known companies’ branding. These ads claim you’ve been selected to receive a free or very low-priced laptop, phone, or other high-value item as part of a promotion. To claim the offer, you’re asked to click a link and provide personal information or pay a small “processing fee.”

Once scammers have your credit card information, they can make unauthorized purchases, drain your accounts, or sell your details. These actions can lead to financial losses and potential identity theft, making it critical to protect your data. Continue reading “Beware of giveaways” →

Organization tips to wrap-up your semester

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Prepare for next semester by tidying up and organizing your digital information so you can start next semester off with a clean slate. The following are a few tips to get you started:

  • Clean up your digital files.
    • Organize files that you may have let go over the semester.
    • Backup important files to OneDrive that you have stored locally.
    • Clean out your downloads folder.
    • Review files you have shared in case you need to remove any of those permissions.
  • Tame your inbox.
    • Organize/archive files that you left in your inbox.
    • Set rules to automatically organize future emails.
    • Unsubscribe to listservs that no longer interest you.
    • Empty your deleted items folder.
  • Use bulk options when you are cleaning up your email or files.
    • In Outlook, you can select multiple files and then choose to delete, archive, move to a folder, make a rule around selected files and more.
    • In OneDrive, you can delete, mark as a favorite, download, move and copy.
  • Organize your content in Teams
    • Leave old Teams that are no longer active.
    • Delete any Teams that you created but are not using.
    • Review memberships in your teams to ensure it is current.

Follow these steps to start getting organized for next semester.

Rehearse your presentation in PowerPoint

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Speaker Coach recording screenDid you know you can practice rehearsing your PowerPoint presentations by using the Speaker Coach feature?

Speaker Coach evaluates your pacing, pitch, your use of filler words, informal speech, euphemisms, and culturally sensitive terms, and it detects when you’re being overly wordy or are simply reading the text on a slide.

After each rehearsal, you get a report that includes statistics and suggestions for improvements.

Get started

  1. Open your presentation in PowerPoint for the web.
  2. On the Slide Show tab, select Rehearse with Coach.
    Note: If you don’t have a     Slide Show tab, use the View tab to start Speaker Coach. The presentation opens in a full-screen view, similar to Slide Show.
  3. Select Start Rehearsing in the lower-right corner of your screen when you are ready to begin rehearsing.
  4. As you speak, Coach gives on-screen guidance (in the lower-right corner of the window) about pacing, inclusive language, use of profanity, filler words, and whether you’re reading the slide text.
  5. When you’re through, exit the full-screen view. Coach opens a Rehearsal Report that summarizes what it observed and offers recommendations.

Beware of scams during Black Friday

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Black Friday gives cybercriminals a golden opportunity for scams. They can use social media, email messages and more to entice you to buy or share personal information. Follow these tips to stay safe during Black Friday.

  • Phishing emails – Be cautious of emails promising exclusive deals. Scammers often mimic trusted retailers, but their links may lead to fake websites designed to steal your personal or payment information. Hover over links to check if the URL matches the retailer’s website or go directly to the retailer’s website instead of clicking links.
  • Beware of fake social media ads – Social media is often used during the holiday season, and often times they are scams. Avoid clicking on ads from unknown brands. Pay attention to comments on the post. Other users may flag scams.
  • Protect your personal information – Scammers may ask for unnecessary information during checkout. A legitimate retailer will only require the details needed to process your order.
  • Keep your devices secure – Shopping on unsecured devices or public Wi-Fi can expose you to cyber threats. Use strong passwords and enable multi-factor authentication on accounts. Shop on your own device with up-to-date antivirus protection. Avoid entering payment information on public Wi-Fi unless you use a VPN.

Stay vigilant and keep your personal and financial information safe.

 

How to identify scams on social media

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

data from the Federal Trade Commission shows that scams originating on social media have accounted for $2.7 billion in reported losses since 2021Social media is a powerful tool for connecting with friends, sharing experiences, and discovering new content. But it’s also a hotspot for scams. Cybercriminals use clever tactics to trick users into giving up personal information, money, or even access to their accounts. Follow these tips to learn how to spot these scams on social media.

Watch for Red Flags in Messages

Scammers often send messages that look like they’re from someone you know or a trusted company. These messages might ask for personal information, like your password or Social Security number, or try to get you to click on a suspicious link. Be cautious if:

  • The message seems urgent or too good to be true.
  • The person asks for money, especially through gift cards or wire transfers.
  • The language or tone doesn’t sound like the person you know.

Be Wary of Unverified Accounts Continue reading “How to identify scams on social media” →

Streamline your workflow with Quick Steps in Microsoft Outlook on the web

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Quick Steps are shortcuts that allow you to perform multiple actions on an email with one click. Instead of doing each task separately, Quick Steps helps you streamline your work.

How to Set Up Quick Steps

  1. Open Outlook and go to the Home tab.
  2. On the toolbar, click Quick Steps.
  3. Click Add quick step
  4. In the Name box, type a name for the new Quick Step.
  5. Under Choose an action, select the action that you want the Quick Step to do. Select Add another action for any additional actions.
  6. Click Save.

Quick Step Examples

Continue reading “Streamline your workflow with Quick Steps in Microsoft Outlook on the web” →

Watch out for gift card scams: protect your money and stay safe

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

The holiday season is approaching, and gift card scams are a common tactic used to steal your money. Understanding how this scam works and staying alert can help you avoid becoming a victim.

How the gift card scam works

Gift card scams start with a call, text, email, or social media message. Scammers will try every trick to get you to buy gift cards and hand over the card number and PIN codes. :

Continue reading “Watch out for gift card scams: protect your money and stay safe” →