Create a new spreadsheet in Google Docs.
Save the spreadsheet with a name suitable for a form to collect data e.g. Travel to School in 3ABC.
Choose Form/Create New Form.
The title should be the name you just saved.
Add fields to the form. These will appear as columns in the spreadsheet.
Add a theme to the form if you wish.
When you have finished you can email the form to a list of recipients. The recipients should be saved for later use.
The recipients of the email will be able to fill in the details online and your spreadsheet will be automatically updated.
Survey ideas: journey to school (Name, Location, Distance, Mode); computer games (Name, Platform, Favourite Game, Hours played per day).
If this doesn't work then do the following:
Create a new form in Google Docs.
Complete the form and add a theme. Googledocs will create a spreadsheet with a column for each field on the form.
Click Email this form and enter your email addresses.
Enter the email addresses of the people you want to mail the form to. As you enter the email addresses they will collect in a list for future use. If you have a GoogleMail account you may have arranged your recipients into groups of family, friends, etc.
The email recipients will receive an email that contains a link to the spreadsheet and the form itself. The form can be forwarded to another person so more data can be collected.
When the data is completed close the spreadsheet and it will be saved.
Open your spreadsheet and watch as it fills up with data. When your data are complete choose File/Download as .. Excel. You can now use Excel's charting features. You can also use any postcode data in GoogleMaps or GoogleEarth to plot locations in your database.
You could collect data on: museums, sports grounds, hotels.