Research Tools
RedCap
What Is REDCap?
REDCap is a secure data collection tool that meets HIPAA compliance standards and can be used in single and multi-site research studies. REDCap is most useful for conducting surveys, scheduling study events, and collecting data from various kinds of research studies. It was developed in 2004 by a multi-institutional consortium led by Vanderbilt University.
In terms of surveys, REDCap allows you to collect, track, and identify anonymous survey responses by either sending a web link to your REDCap survey through email or by posting the REDCap survey web link on your respective website.
Learn more about REDCap by watching a brief summary video (5 min).
How Does REDCap Work?
REDCap is accessible from any kind of device with a secure internet connection. REDCap has good security because sensitive data never leaves the secure data center that contains its secure servers. You can import data into REDCap as well as export data from REDCap.
REDCap databases are backed up on a regular schedule; the data backups are kept in a safe environment and are recoverable.
There is enough space for most research projects; larger research projects are handled on a case-by-case basis. In general, there is no limit to the number of studies you can have in REDCap.
What Are the Benefits of Using REDCap?
- Web-based, secure data collection anywhere in the world with safe web authentication, data logging, and encryption
- Advanced user rights controls
- Efficient and dynamic – conception to database/survey creation in less than one day
- Customizable and multi-site access; researchers can use projects from many sites and institutions
- Quality assurance checks; auto-validation, branching logic, and stop actions
- Flexible study modifications – a user can edit the survey or database at any time during the study
- Ability to import data from external sources to start a study or to provide mid-study data uploads
- Data entry quality control features like double data entry/blinded data entry
- Ability to export survey results to statistical software such as Microsoft Excel, SAS, STATA, R, or SPSS
- Saving your survey as a PDF so that it is available offline to fill out
Who Can Use REDCap?
REDCap can be used for projects associated with a WSU Spokane health sciences program. Users may be WSU employees, WSU students, or non-WSU research staff. WSU students must have the support and approval of a WSU faculty member. Non-WSU research staff must have the support and approval of a WSU faculty member who is the principal investigator (PI) for the project. WSU employees and students must have a valid WSU Network ID and password.
How Can I Become a REDCap User?
New WSU users should send an email to the REDCap Administrator requesting to be added as a user. The email should be sent to spokane.redcap@wsu.edu with your name and position at WSU. If you will be working on an existing REDCap project please provide the name of that project’s REDCap PI. Non-WSU research staff should contact the REDCap project’s PI for the project they will be working on and have the PI request access for them. WSU students should request access by sending an email to spokane.redcap@wsu.edu, and have their WSU sponsor send an email also.
Log in to REDCap
The REDCap login page can be found at https://redcap.spo.aws.wsu.edu. Once you have been added as a REDCap user you will log in with your WSU Network ID and password if you are a WSU employee or student, or your REDCap username and password if not a WSU employee or student.
Additional Help and Support
Contact Us
If you have questions or need help accessing REDCap, email spokane.redcap@wsu.edu