Video Conferencing - Using Zoom Polls


Introduction

Zoom is a versatile video conferencing tool that unifies cloud video conferencing, simple online meetings, group messaging, and a software-defined conference room solution into one easy-to-use platform. You can host and join Zoom video conferences from your computer, tablet, or smartphone. 

The Zoom Help Center has full instructions on using Zoom. The instructions below are specific to Virginia Tech. To see other Zoom topics, please see Video Conferencing - Holding Zoom Conferences on a PC or Mobile Device.

This article details how to use Polls in Virginia Tech Zoom. Hosts can use polling during scheduled Zoom Meetings to collect feedback and information from participants.

  • Polls only work from scheduled meetings, not instant meetings. 
  • Polls are not available in the mobile app. 
  • Hosts can set up poll questions in a scheduled meeting beforehand, or add them once the meeting starts. 

Contents

Instructions

Creating a Poll Before a Meeting

You can only create polls before a scheduled meeting if you're using the Virginia Tech Zoom Portal.

  1. Log into the Virginia Tech Zoom Portal.
  2. On the left-hand menu, click Meetings and then click the meeting you want to add a poll to. You'll go to the Manage Meeting page. 
    • Or, click Schedule a New Meeting, schedule it, and click it on the Meetings page. 
  3. Click on the Polls/Quizzes tab and click + Create.
    Image of the above instructions
  4. On the Create page: 
    1. Enter a title for the poll.
    2. Enter the question text.
    3. Choose the question type from the dropdown menu: Single Choice, Multiple Choice, Matching, Rank Order, Short Answer, Long Answer, Fill in the blank, Rating Scale.
    4. Enter the answer text.
    5. Toggle on Required, Show as dropdown, or Create Breakout Rooms if you want to use those settings.
    6. Click + Add Question to create more questions.
      Image of the above instructions
  5. When you're done, click Save.  
  6. After you click Save, you'll go back to the Manage Meetings page.

It's good to remember that you can:

  • Save intermittently while adding questions. 
  • Add more questions to a poll. To do this, click Edit next to the poll name.
  • Add up to 25 polls per meeting. You can add unlimited questions to each poll.

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Creating or Launching a Poll During a Meeting 

You can create polls from the Zoom client during a scheduled meeting.

  1. During the meeting, in the Zoom client's bottom menu bar, click Polls/Quizzes
    • If you don't see Polls/Quizzes, click More.
    • If you still don't see Polls/Quizzes, make sure you're not in an instant meeting.  
      Image of the above instructions
  2. If you don't have polls saved in the meeting, click on +Create.
    • Add your questions and click Save. See step 4 under Create a poll before a meeting for specific instructions.
    • When you're done adding questions, hover over the poll you just created and click Launch to start the poll. 
  3. If you have saved polls, you'll see the poll name. Hover over the poll and click Launch to start the poll.
    • You can also click on the three dots and click Edit to edit the poll during the meeting. 
      Image of the above instructions
  4. The participants in the meeting will then be prompted to answer the polling questions. The host will be able to see the results live.
  5. To stop the poll, click End Poll.
  6. To share the results of the poll with the meeting participants, click Share Results.

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Downloading Poll Results

See Generating Zoom Meeting Reports: Downloading Poll Results.

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Getting Help

For instructions on resolving common issues with Zoom, see: Video Conferencing - Troubleshooting Zoom.

For problems logging into Zoom, contact Virginia Tech 4Help:
  • Go to 4Help, log in with your Virginia Tech Username (PID) and password, and click Get Help.
  • Call 540-231-4357.

For problems using Zoom, contact Zoom Support:

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