diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-survey-likert.js b/plugins/jspsych-survey-likert.js
index e3c356be..59bbcafa 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-survey-likert.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-survey-likert.js
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ jsPsych.plugins['survey-likert'] = (function() {
     // default parameters for the trial
     trial.preamble = typeof trial.preamble === 'undefined' ? "" : trial.preamble;
     trial.required = typeof trial.required === 'undefined' ? false : trial.required;
+    trial.button_label = typeof trial.button_label === 'undefined' ? 'Submit Answers' : trial.button_label;
 
     // if any trial variables are functions
     // this evaluates the function and replaces
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ jsPsych.plugins['survey-likert'] = (function() {
     }
 
     // add submit button
-    form_element.innerHTML += '<input type="submit" id="jspsych-survey-likert-next" class="jspsych-survey-likert jspsych-btn" value="Submit Answers"></input>';
+    form_element.innerHTML += '<input type="submit" id="jspsych-survey-likert-next" class="jspsych-survey-likert jspsych-btn" value="'+trial.button_label+'"></input>';
 
     form_element.addEventListener('submit', function(e){
       e.preventDefault();
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-survey-text.js b/plugins/jspsych-survey-text.js
index ac473abc..f452520f 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-survey-text.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-survey-text.js
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ jsPsych.plugins['survey-text'] = (function() {
   plugin.trial = function(display_element, trial) {
 
     trial.preamble = typeof trial.preamble == 'undefined' ? "" : trial.preamble;
+    trial.button_label = typeof trial.button_label === 'undefined' ? 'Submit Answers' : trial.button_label;
+
     if (typeof trial.rows == 'undefined') {
       trial.rows = [];
       for (var i = 0; i < trial.questions.length; i++) {
@@ -62,6 +64,12 @@ jsPsych.plugins['survey-text'] = (function() {
         trial.columns.push(40);
       }
     }
+    if (typeof trial.values == 'undefined') {
+      trial.values = [];
+      for (var i = 0; i < trial.questions.length; i++) {
+        trial.values.push("");
+      }
+    }
 
     // if any trial variables are functions
     // this evaluates the function and replaces
@@ -75,12 +83,12 @@ jsPsych.plugins['survey-text'] = (function() {
     for (var i = 0; i < trial.questions.length; i++) {
       display_element.innerHTML += '<div id="jspsych-survey-text-"'+i+'" class="jspsych-survey-text-question" style="margin: 2em 0em;">'+
         '<p class="jspsych-survey-text">' + trial.questions[i] + '</p>'+
-        '<textarea name="#jspsych-survey-text-response-' + i + '" cols="' + trial.columns[i] + '" rows="' + trial.rows[i] + '"></textarea>'+
+        '<textarea name="#jspsych-survey-text-response-' + i + '" cols="' + trial.columns[i] + '" rows="' + trial.rows[i] + '">'+trial.values[i]+'</textarea>'+
         '</div>';
     }
 
     // add submit button
-    display_element.innerHTML += '<button id="jspsych-survey-text-next" class="jspsych-btn jspsych-survey-text">Submit Answers</button>';
+    display_element.innerHTML += '<button id="jspsych-survey-text-next" class="jspsych-btn jspsych-survey-text">'+trial.button_label+'</button>';
 
     display_element.querySelector('#jspsych-survey-text-next').addEventListener('click', function() {
       // measure response time