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WELCOME TO PROTOGENIE
Start slashing the costs of expensive programming to support your research today. Enjoy the powerful and easy-to-use research toolkit on the Web. Learn the many exciting ways that ProtoGenie virtually reinvents the way software is created to support research.
The heart of ProtoGenie is the ProtoGenie Composer/Editor. ProtoGenie Composer/Editor is the authoring program that enables you to create new protocols or to edit your own protocols on the Web to support both qualitative and quantitative research. The first screen after logging on contains ProtoGenie Startup Options. From there, you are on your way.
Remember the ProtoGenie motto: "Share unto others as you would have them share unto you." Make your protocols available to other ProtoGenie users.
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Contact Information
Contact us by Mail
Pasadero, Inc.
2043 E. Libra Drive
Tempe, AZ 85283-3321
To Email us, Click Here:
You can also find this contact information by clicking on Contact in the top menu of the ProtoGenie home pages.
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INTRODUCTION TO PROTOGENIE
The following section provides an overview of ProtoGenie, including:
ProtoGenie Highlights
Why is ProntoGenie Necessary?
Why Is ProtoGenie On The Internet
What is ProtoGenie World?
Who Can Use ProtoGenie?
About the Developers
Remember the ProtoGenie motto: "Share unto others as you would have them share unto you." Make your protocols available to other ProtoGenie users.
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ProtoGenie Highlights
ProtoGenie is a revolutionary research toolkit that reinvents the way research software is created to support experiments, clinical trials, human factor, industrial, surveys and other kinds of research and evaluation. ProtoGenie slashes the costs of old-fashioned computer software by eliminating highly specialized coding and inflexible one-shot programs. ProtoGenie's friendly and intuitive interface is grounded in the logic of scientific method and the familiar look and feel of the traditional desktop interface. All of this enables programmers and non programmers alike to build powerful, configurable, and recyclable research support applications at radically lower costs.
The word "Proto" in ProtoGenie is shorthand for "protocol" which refers to the plan of a scientific experiment or treatment." A protocol is a set of instructions to guide the conduct of an experiment. ProtoGenie automates protocols so that the computer will administer and record experimental sessions effectively, accurately, and reliably. "Genie" is the name of the mythical spirit that looks after its master. It is also French for "genius." Both are light-hearted metaphors for the way ProtoGenie helps the researcher overcome obstacles and makes good things happen.
Exciting ProtoGenie Features
Expandable to all research methods
Supports on-line and off-line studies
Offers confidentiality and sharing
Open source architecture
Platform independence
Menu-based authoring
Configurable protocols
Full-featured Help
Large library of protocols
Outputs results in familiar formats
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Why Is ProtoGenie Necessary?
There is a fundamental disconnect between the process by which research is designed and the process by which software is "programmed." Developing software for research is fundamentally an iterative process. The typical instruction to a software engineer is "Please do X, Y, and Z." Weeks later, researchers receive the program only to discover that Z was not correctly understood or is not right for what they want to do. So, the researchers say, "Please change Z to W." Weeks later, they try it again and it crashes or does something bizarre because the engineers did not anticipate the effect of the change on other parts of the code. Back to the engineers it goes and so on and so forth until deadlines and budgets have been trashed and the researchers are angry with the programmers and programmers are angry with the researchers.
The dreamer's solution is for software engineers to be researchers or for researchers to be software engineers. Obviously, neither is realistic. But, what if researchers could create their own software without becoming software engineers? This is exactly what ProtoGenie makes possible by re-using existing protocols, by making protocols configurable, and by making all composing operations menu-based and easy to do.
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Why is ProtoGenie On The Internet?
Online application liberates researchers from expensive shrink-wrapped applications and irritating and distracting self-maintenance and upgrades.
Online uniquely provides universal access independent of equipment and operating systems.
Online provides a standard and familiar user interface and an open architecture consistent with the philosophy of ProtoGenie.
Online provides for an integrated researcher forum and an integrated help system.
By the very nature of the Internet, online implementation fosters the decentralization of research and encourages small science as a remedy to monopolized science.
Last but not least, its Web-centric application easily supports ON-LINE studies, such as on-line surveys and on-line experiments.
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What is "ProtoGenie World?"
Community of Researchers
PG World is a secure worldwide research environment for researchers brought together by ProtoGenie online user forum to share software and information and to reduce dependence on software engineers and costly fixed applications. The Internet makes this rich research environment possible. It is designed to grow and evolve with universal access and open source tools. A central principle is the conservation of software effort through the recycling of protocols. In other words, ProtoGenie treats protocols as research CAPITAL to be exploited, not wasted. PG World makes the application of this principle possible. See ProtoGenie Users Forum
Signing up for ProtoGenie World Forum
Check out this tool for sharing your experience, problems, and software with other ProtoGenie users.
ProtoGenie Users Forum
See also ProtoGenie World under Key Concepts/Definitions online.
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Sharing Protocols
To make your protocol available to other ProtoGenie users, log on to ProtoGenie. Click on the title of the protocol that you wish to share. In the User Action Menu, click on . On the Permissions Page under Protocol Options, click on "Public."
Remember that "public" does not mean that others can change your original protocol or get at your data or findings. It simply means that others can make a copy from which to shape their own protocol.
If you prefer to provide access to a protocol on a person-to- person basic with the option to specify the level of access, type in the person's email address under "Add a User to Your Protocol" and under that specify the access options you wish him/her to have.
Keep in mind that the ProtoGenie motto is "Share unto others as you would have them share unto you."
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Who Can Use ProtoGenie?
Anyone can use ProtoGenie who can operate a computer and has an Internet connection and access to a computer with average power and memory. This includes programmers and non-programmers, experienced researchers and inexperienced researchers from all fields and disciplines, college students, high school students, and elementary school students.
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About the Developers
To visit the Origins and History of ProtoGenie Webpage, Click here
Eight years in the making, ProtoGenie Online was designed and developed by Pasadero, Inc., under the direction of Dr. Lawrence H. Boyd. Dr. Boyd was a Professor, School of Social Welfare, The University of California at Berkeley and co-owner of Berkeley Systems, Inc. He is owner and President of Pasadero, Inc., Tempe, Arizona.
Development was funded in part by the Small Business Innovation Research Grant Program of the National Eye Institute, Phase I and II, R44 EY12444- (01-02), entitled "Software Toolkit for Basic & Applied Vision Research." Without this support, it is likely that ProtoGenie would not have happened. Read or download Final Report
The School of Optometry, The University of California at Berkeley, provided critical field assistance and consulting on the computer support needs of researchers under the enthusiastic leadership of Dr. Ian Bailey and with the professional and equally enthusiastic assistance of Dr. Scott Fitz and Dr. Kuang-Mon Tuan, also of the School of Optometry.
Wesley L. Boyd, former president of Berkeley Systems, Inc. and President, Moveon, Inc., Berkeley, California, looked into the future and created the pioneering Web-centric architecture of ProtoGenie. He was assisted by Dr. Scott Fitz, School of Optometry, The University of California at Berkeley and Stephen Boyd, President, Webdraulics, Tucson, Arizona, both of whom shared the Web-centric vision of ProtoGenie.
Dr. Scott Fitz, School of Optometry, The University of California at Berkeley also wrote the code for ProtoGenie Online with the talented art & graphics assistance of Stephen Boyd, Webdraulics, LLC, Tucson, Arizona.
Stephen Boyd, President, Webdraulics, Tucson, Arizona, gave ProtoGenie the rare combination of Web mastery and project understanding to create the Introductory and promotional pages of ProtoGenie online, assist in the development and application of the toolkit on the Web, assist development of the online help files, and host and maintain the ProtoGenie Website.
William Boyd, Professor, College of Law, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, provided expert consulting on ProtoGenie applications in the law.
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SETTING UP AN ACCOUNT
The following section covers signing up signing up for a membershipand the related topics of system requirementsand logging on.
Remember the ProtoGenie motto:
"Share unto others as you would have them share unto you."
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System Requirements
- Windows or Linux based PC.
- Pentium 2 processor or greater.
- High speed internet connection. (Recommended)
- Flash 6 Plug In.
- * The Java Plug In.
- Internet Explorer v 5.5 or higher.
* The Java Plug In is necessary for a special application of ProtoGenie. You can download it below.
Download the Java Plug In
Note: ProtoGenie does function on the Apple Macintosh with Safari and UNIX-based platforms, but it has not been systematically tested on these platforms. Testers are welcome.
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Signing up for a ProtoGenie Membership
A ProtoGenie membership is free and entitles you to use ProtoGenie Composer/Editor to create and modify protocols for your research, to copy any ProtoGenie protocols that are assigned public status, and to store results in the ProtoGenie database.
You also may want to sign up on the World of ProtoGenie forum to communicate with other users, post questions, find answers or simply show off your protocols.
To set up an account up:
1. Open the ProtoGenie website at http://www.protogenie.com
2. Click on the Sign Up link at the top of the ProtoGenie home page and follow instructions.
Your email address will be your login name and you will create a password.
After submission you will receive a confirmation email that states that you are a member with all attendant privileges.
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How to Log On
To Log onto the ProtoGenie Composer/Editor:
1. Open the ProtoGenie website at http://www.protogenie.com
2. Click Log On at the top of the ProtoGenie home page or any other page of the Website.
3. This will bring up a box containing fields for your log on name (email address) and your password.
Enter this information and click Log On. This will open the Start Up Options Page of the ProtoGenie Composer/Editor containing a number of start up options, including working with a protocol from ProtoGenie's libraries (personal, general, and typical designs), starting with a blank protocol, restoring a backup file, and using a ProtoGenie tutorial.
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PROTOGENIE HELP FEATURES
This section describes the full-featured help system provided by ProtoGenie. Topics include:
ProtoGenie Tutorials
Context-Sensitive Help
On-Screen Prompts
Mouse-Over Help (Under construction)
Online Help System
Table of Contents
Online Help by Index of Keywords
ProtoGenie Printable Manual
Remember the ProtoGenie motto:
"Share unto others as you would have them share unto you."
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Help Features
ProtoGenie provides a full-featured online help system including tutorials, context-sensitive help, contents by topic, a searchable index, and a printable manual. To browse these help features, use the Forward and Back links at the top of these pages. To go to the Help System in the ProtoGenie website, click on the Support link in the top menu of the home page at http://www.protogenie.com.
For the Contents by Topic and Index, click on "Contents" or "Index" above or in the left margin.
In combination with ProtoGenie's familiar Web-based interface the ProtoGenie Help system makes learning and using ProtoGenie to create powerful research protocols easy and enjoyable.
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ProtoGenie Quick Start and Tutorials
Quick Start - Make an Online Survey in 10 Minutes
This single page of online instructions demonstrates how you can make a program (protocol) in a few short minutes to conduct an online spot survey on the question whether the United Stated should exit or stay in Iraq. Click here to go to the Quick Start Tutorial.
Level 1 New User Tutorial
This tutorial creates a protocol for a quickie on-line survey to demonstrate the most basic concepts and operations of ProtoGenie. Click here to go to Level I Tutorial
Level 2 New User Tutorial
This tutorial converts the on-line survey of Level I into a simple on-line experiment to introduce the basic concepts of groups, treatment, and measurement events in an experimental design. Click here to go to Level II Tutorial.
Level 3 New User Tutorial
This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions to create a ProtoGenie protocol for a typical pretest-posttest classical experimental design covering more advanced operations such as context specification, scheduling, and extended support operation. Click here to go to the Level III Tutorial.
Classroom Special Project Psychology Experiments Tutorial
(All welcome)
This tutorial was developed in a collaborative effort with Dr. Kathryn LaFontana, Chairperson of the Psychology Department, Sacred Heart University, Connecticut and Pasadero, Inc., makers of ProtoGenie. This tutorial involves an experiment that studies the effects of verbal descriptions on opinions about the physical attractiveness of individuals in photographs. Click here to go to this tutorial.
Qualitative Research Method Tutorial - Under development
This tutorial will provide step-by-step instructions to create a ProtoGenie protocol for a study that uses qualitative research methods in a typical focus group.
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Context-Sensitive Help
This help feature provides three kinds of immediate help on the current screen.
1. The first consists of how-to assistance when you take an action for the first time. These on-screen prompts will automatically appear in the Events Editor Panel below the Events window.
2. The second kind of immediate context-sensitive help is the mouse-over. As the mouse pointer crosses over a heading or action, a short definition and/or instruction will appear.
Other help options include, contents by topic, and a searchable help index.
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On-Screen Prompts
On-Screen Prompts are how-to instructions and explanations that automatically appear (generally with yellow background) under the Group and Events window when you take an action for the first time. For example, when you first open the Composer/Editor, an on-screen prompt will tell you that you must add a group and define it before you can add treatment, measurement, or control events.
Additional context-sensitive help is provided by Mouse-Over help.
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Mouse-Over Help
(This help feature is under construction.)
As you cross over headings and action labels with the mouse pointer, the mouse cursor will turn into a finger-pointing hand and a definition or instruction will appear near the hand. Additional context-sensitive help is provided by on-screen prompts.
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Online Help System
The ProtoGenie help system includes the option to view the help file as a Table of Contents with topic descriptions or to search an Index of Key Words.
To go to the Help system in the ProtoGenie website, click on the Support link in the top menu of the home page at http://www.protogenie.com.
Other ProtoGenie help options include, tutorials, context-sensitive help, a searchable help index, and a printable manual.
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Online Help by Topic (Contents)
ProtoGenie Help Features include the familiar contents and search by topic capability of popular applications. To use the Contents feature, click on the label "Context" to the right of the label "Contents" at the top of the panel on the left side of the screen. Click on your topic of choice.
Note that the ProtoGenie Home Pages also have a Search feature. To use this, click on the word "Search" at the top left of the home pages and enter a key word to locate in the home pages.
Other help options include, tutorials, context-sensitive help, online contents by Index of keywords, and a printed manual.
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Online Help by Index of Keywords
ProtoGenie Help Features include the familiar index and search capability of popular applications. To use the Index feature, click on the label "Index" to the right of the label "Contents" at the top of the panel on the left side of the screen. Go to your web browser Edit drop down menu and choose Find (on this page) and type the term(s) you want to search for into the "Find What" text field.
Note that the ProtoGenie Home Pages also have a Search feature. To use this, click on the word "Search" at the top left of the home pages and enter a key word to locate in the home pages.
Other help options include, tutorials, context-sensitive help, online contents by topic, and a printed manual.
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ProtoGenie Printable Manual
ProtoGenie help system includes the option to download a printable manual. If you would like a printable manual, click here. In the ProtoGenie website, click on the Support link in the top menu of the home page at http://www.protogenie.com.
Other help options include, tutorials, context-sensitive help, online contents by topic and a searchable help index.
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HOW TO WITH PROTOGENIE - OVERVIEW
This section provides an overview how to use ProtoGenie. How to Create a Protocol: Overview Related topics include:
Selecting a Protocol to Use as a Template
Personal Library of Protocols
Blank Protocol
Typical Designs Library
General Library of Protocols
Remember the ProtoGenie motto:
"Share unto others as you would have them share unto you."
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How to Create a Protocol: Overview
There are six basic steps to creating a protocol.
1. Log On
2. Select a protocol to use as a template
3. Add Groups
4. Add Events
5. Sequence groups and events
6. Save protocol and set permissions.
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SELECTING A PROTOCOL TO USE AS A TEMPLATE
This section describes ProtoGenie sources of protocols for use as templates. Topics include:
Selecting a Protocol to Use as a Template
Selecting a Research Method
Personal Library of Protocols
Blank Protocol
Typical Designs Library
General Library of Protocols
Remember the ProtoGenie motto:
"Share unto others as you would have them share unto you."
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Selecting a Protocol to Use as a Template
The first page after logging on is the Startup Page.
This page contains six options for starting a session.
Access your Personal Library of Protocols
Start New Protocol From Scratch (Blank Protocol)
Search The ProtoGenie Library of Protocols
Select a Typical Design to Use as a Template
Restore a Protocol From a Previously Downloaded Backup File
Open menu of Tutorials for New Users
The first four are sources of protocols from which you can select templates for starting new protocols.
Personal Library
If you have a protocol in your personal library that you wish to use as a template, click on "Access your Personal Library of Protocols." This brings up a list of protocols in your personal library of protocols. To begin work on one of them, click on the protocol title. This brings up a menu containing the actions that you can perform on the selected protocol.
Starting from a Blank Protocol
If you decide to start with a blank startup protocol click on "Access your Personal Library of Protocols." This takes you directly to a Research Methods page, where you select a research method most suited to your study. Then, you are on the Edit Protocol Page of the Composer/Editor ready to construct your new protocol.
ProtoGenie Library of Protocols
If you wish to search the ProtoGenie Library of Protocols for a protocol to use as a template, click on "Search The ProtoGenie Library of Protocols." This takes you to the Search Page, where you can search by title, author, key words, research method, and protocol ID. When you find one that looks interesting, you can browse the protocol in the Composer or you can run it to see if it will fit your needs as a template.
Typical Design Library (Under Construction)
If you intend to start with a protocol from the Typical Design Library, click on "Select a Typical Design to Use as a Template."
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Selecting a Research Method
When starting a completely new protocol from scratch you need to specify the research method fitting your study. A research method also must be specified when searching your personal library and the general library and when browsing the typical design library. The reason for designating a research method is to characterize your protocol for future reference and for future users (if you make the protocol public). Also, construction options and procedures differ somewhat from method to method. For example, while the basic concepts of surveys and classical experiments are similar, procedures will sometimes be different.]
A dropdown menu for selection of a research method appears on the Search Protocols Page.
To designate a research method, simply click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on the one closest to your study.
A dropdown menu for selecting a research method also appears on the Research Methods Page of the Composer and in the popup Protocol Description Window on the Edit Protocol Page.
For details on ProtoGenie's classification and description of research methods, see Research Methods in the ProtoGenie Website.
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Archival Research
Archival research involves the analysis of data from existing data archives, such as the U.S. Census, economic & political surveys, genealogical archives, & public records. These sources are often used for new primary analyses. They are also used as baseline and comparative data in studies using other methods, as in combined methods research.
A dropdown menu for selection of a research methods appears on the Research Methods Page of the Composer. It also appears on the Search Protocols Page and in the popup Protocol Description Window on the Edit Protocol Page. To select a research method, simply click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on the one closest to your study.
If your study fall in the category of Archival Research, click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on "Archival Research."
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Case Study
Case studies involve the description and analysis of a single person, group, system, process, or other entity in great detail often to determine how it works and to identify the factors or dynamics that lead to success or failure. The case study method is frequently thought of as a "qualitative research method" and so it also appears in the list of "types" under "qualitative research methods." For more on qualitative research methods, click here.
A dropdown menu for selection of a research methods appears on the Research Methods Page of the Composer. It also appears on the Search Protocols Page and in the popup Protocol Description Window on the Edit Protocol Page. To select a research method, simply click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on the one closest to your study.
If your study falls in the category of Case Study Research, click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on "Case Study Research." Alternatively, you can click on "Qualitative Research Methods" and then on Case Study Research.
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Classical & Quasi-Experiment
Classical experiments seek to measure the causal effects of treatment variables on response variables through random assignment of subjects to experimental groups and through the manipulation of the treatment variables. Sometimes these experiments are referred to as "laboratory experiments" because of high degree of control over settings. They are commonly used in psychology and related disciplines and in clinical settings, law and other professions.
Studies that do not permit high levels of control are generally known as "Quasi-experiments" and are generally used in field settings such as schools and other institutions. Classical experiments create situations as close to real as possible. Quasi-experiments compensate for lack of controls through matching, placement and withdrawal of treatments, and statistical analysis.
A dropdown menu for selection of a research methods appears on the Research Methods Page of the Composer. It also appears on the Search Protocols Page and in the popup Protocol Description Window on the Edit Protocol Page.
If your study is a classical or quasi-experimental design, click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on "Classical & Quasi-Experiment.
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Clinical Trials
A clinical trial is a study that follows selected individuals forward in time from a pre-set baseline, some receiving an intervention and some not. A clinical trial typically measures the effects of medical interventions, including therapeutic agents, devices, regimens, and procedures. Clinical trials are most commonly used in medical, pharmaceutical, and public health research. A major component of design is generally the provision of mechanisms and procedures for maximizing and assessing "compliance," as in taking a medication daily or weekly in the prescribed amount at the prescribed times.
A dropdown menu for selection of a research methods appears on the Research Methods Page of the Composer. It also appears on the Search Protocols Page and in the popup Protocol Description Window on the Edit Protocol Page.
If your study is a clinical trial, click on the dropdown list of research methods on the Search & Select Protocol Page and click on "Clinical Design."
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Cohort Research
Cohort research generally involves observations of the same people or people of the same description over a long period of time. A common form of cohort research tracks a group of children from their birth and records a wide range of information about them. The difficulty and challenge is to stay in touch with all members of the cohort. Some studies continue for years. Clinical trials are a form of shorter term cohort studies.
Random assignment to treatment and control groups is very desirable, but not always possible.
A dropdown menu for selection of a research methods appears on the Research Methods Page of the Composer. It also appears on the Search Protocols Page and in the popup Protocol Description Window on the Edit Protocol Page. To select a research method, simply click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on the one closest to your study.
If your study falls in the category of Cohort Research, click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on "Cohort Research."
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Combined Methods Research
Combined methods research involves the use of more than one method. One form of combined methods research is in collateral methods designs in which methods are for the most part used separately in complementary. Generally, different measurement and treatment instruments are administered and results are compared. For example, a study may compare data from a data archive with the results of an experiment. Another multiple method situation is the case study, which might combine observational tools, archival analysis, survey research, and a natural experiment. Another kind of combined methods research involves integrated methods designs. As the name implies, methods are merged - often in the same instruments. For example, different wordings or formats for a survey question might be given to experimental and control groups to test their effects on responses. In this example, the objective may be to test the validity of survey items or to test the effects of such things as labels like "Democrat" or "Republican" on issue response consistency.
Another important kind of combined research methods integrates qualitative research methods and quantitative research methods, as in the case of an exploratory phase followed by a quantitative phase. For more on qualitative research methods, click here.
A dropdown menu for selection of a research methods appears on the Research Methods Page of the Composer. It also appears on the Search Protocols Page and in the popup Protocol Description Window on the Edit Protocol Page. To select a research method, simply click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on the one closest to your study.
If your study falls in the category of Combined Methods Research, click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on "Combined Methods Research."
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Laboratory Trials Research
Laboratory trials typically involve repeated presentations of stimuli (interventions or treatments) and measurements (trials). They often use equivalent materials to control the effects of memorizing. Stimuli are often presented on visual and auditory devices. They are commonly used in vision, cognitive, and human performance research. Laboratory trials also are used in materials research and testing. Examples include testing the effects of colored text and backgrounds on reading speed and comprehension and testing the effects of distractors on target detection and recognition. An industrial example might test the effects of variable temperatures on the properties of a material or product.
A dropdown menu for selection of a research methods appears on the Research Methods Page of the Composer. It also appears on the Search Protocols Page and in the popup Protocol Description Window on the Edit Protocol Page.
If your study falls in the category of Laboratory Trials Research, click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on "Laboratory Trials Research."
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Observational Research
Observational research is the systematic, usually first-hand observation of some event in progress, such as a classroom, gang activity, legislative body, or discussion group. Designs range from virtually unstructured, as in participant observation, for exploratory purposes, to tightly structured observations of specific behaviors. This kind of research is generally guided by questionnaires, check lists of anticipated events or phenomena, and comment fields for entering unanticipated events or phenomena as they occur.
An example of an application of ProtoGenie in an observational study in vision science is a systematic recording of observations of accident avoidance behaviors and confrontations in a busy corridor at a convention for blind people.
Observational methods are frequently thought of as a "qualitative research methods" and so Observational Research also appears in the list of "types" under "qualitative research methods." For more on qualitative research methods, click here.
A dropdown menu for selection of a research methods appears on the Research Methods Page of the Composer. It also appears on the Search Protocols Page and in the popup Protocol Description Window on the Edit Protocol Page. To select a research method, simply click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on the one closest to your study.
If your study fall in the category of Observational Research, click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on "Observational Research."
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Survey Research
Survey research is the study of attitudes, beliefs, and behavior of people and their settings through questionnaires administered by mail, handouts, personal and, telephone interviews, and the Internet.
Surveys typically range from one question spot polls to large-scale studies and sometimes employ panels and time samples. Today, the Internet enables surveys to be conducted completely online. Surveys are frequently used in national and local studies of political and economic attitudes and reported behavior. Surveys are used to identify important variables, to increase understanding, and sometimes to promote a change through education. Unlike the experiment, there is no conscious attempt to intervene to determine causality.
Classical experiments have been imbedded in surveys to study measurement problems associated with the wording and format of questions. This is an example of a "Combined Research Method." For more on combined methods, click here.
A dropdown menu for selection of a research methods appears on the Research Methods Page of the Composer. It also appears on the Search Protocols Page and in the popup Protocol Description Window on the Edit Protocol Page.
If your study fall in the category of Survey Research, click on the dropdown list of research methods and click on "Survey Research."
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Qualitative Research Methods
ProtoGenie developers are currently launching a development program that will build on ProtoGenie's generic foundation to support qualitative research methods. Many qualitative method researchers feel that the benefits of statistically-based "quantitative" research are seriously limited because, in their opinion, the formal logic of quantitative research ignores context and concentrates on fragments of phenomena instead of phenomena as wholes. Moreover, these critics contend that the users of quantitative research methods tend to make the mistake of believing that their models "are" reality rather than formalistic "depictions of reality" and do not recognize that such depictions are heavily influenced by subjective perceptions and predispositions.
Nevertheless, most researchers agree that both qualitative research and quantitative research are necessary. There continues to be considerable specialization in one or the other method through personal and disciplinary preference and philosophical dispositions. However, there is a trend toward using both methods in the same study. One version of this employs the methods sequentially, as in the case of an "exploratory" phase from which population information and null hypotheses are gleaned for use in a quantitative phase. Other studies use these methods in combination, as in gathering contextual information using qualitative research methods for use in quantitative models.
To develop a strong capability to support qualitative research methods, ProtoGenie has added another "category" of research methods called "Qualitative Methods" to our original list of methods, which included archival research, case study research, clinical trials, classical & quasi experimental designs, cohort research, laboratory experiments, observational research, and combined methods research.
Among the "Types" of methods that will be supported under qualitative research methods are:
Participant Observation
Direct Observation,
Unstructured Interviewing
Case Studies
Content Analysis
Focus Groups
The capability to conduct qualitative research already exists to a considerable extent in ProtoGenie's generic design and wide-ranging tools. For example, ProtoGenie supports "seat-of-the-pants" or "on-the-fly" operations such that researchers at any time can stop the execution of a protocol, change a stimulus or measurement, and resume the protocol. The next step is to build on the generic design of ProtoGenie and its wide array of tools and to add features to support specific operations as in conducting focus group or participant observation studies.
We welcome the input of researchers who are experienced in qualitative research and we are looking for opportunities to work with individuals and groups in institutional settings toward the development of qualitative applications in those settings. To contact us with your suggestions for this program or to express your interests in participating in the collaborative development of ProtoGenie to fit your departmental or institutional needs, click here.
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ProtoGenie Libraries
There are three ProtoGenie libraries of protocols as follows:
Personal Protocol Library
This is a directory of your own protocols. Of course, you are permitted to make a copy of a protocol from this library to use as a template for a new protocol. To take some action on a particular protocol, click on the Action dropdown menu to the right of the title and select the action you wish to perform. Actions include Run, Edit, Edit Copy, Users, Results, Backup, and Delete. To use a protocol from this library as a template for a new protocol, click on Edit Copy. This will bring up the ProtoGenie Composer/Editor page containing a copy of the desired protocol ready for changes required by your new protocol.
Generally, you can browse your list of protocols and find what you are looking for, so that it will not be necessary to search your own library of protocols. However, if you have been principle investigator on many projects, it is conceivable that you will have an extraordinarily long list of protocols in your personal library. In that case, you can use the ProtoGenie search feature at the top of your list of protocols.
ProtoGenie General Library of Protocols
The General Library of Protocols is a ProtoGenie archive of protocols that have been created using ProtoGenie Composer/Editor. This archive is searchable by author, ID number, title, research method, and key words. Each protocol is given a status of private or public by the author when it is created. The default status is "Private" unless the author resets the status to "Public." With Public Protocols created by users other than yourself the only Actions available are Run and Edit Copy. If you use Edit Copy, save that copy, and make it Public, all Actions available to an Author (Run, Edit, Edit Copy, Users, Results, backup, and Delete ) will be action options when you access the Saved Copy.
Typical Designs Library (Under development)
The Typical Designs Library is an archive of partially completed protocols organized by research method. After users select the research area most appropriate to their studies their list of typical design protocols will contain the designs most associated with their selected research area. For example, a typical design for classical control group experiments is the popular pretest-posttest control group design in which one group receives a treatment with measurements before and after the treatment while the other group gets only the pre and posttest measurements.
In typical designs protocols, the locations in the specific designs where groups, measurements, and treatments are to be presented contain place holders labeled "unspecified ( event )". For example, where a treatment is to be defined in the protocol the label will simply be "Unspecified Treatment." The same goes for measurements, control events, and groups.
Since typical design protocols are organized by research method, then the only search criterion is research method and the number of protocols under research methods is relatively small, then you only have to designate the research method that most applies to your study.
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What are Typical Design Templates?
(Under Development)
Typical design templates are simply skeletons of designs in protocol format. Place holders labeled "unspecified" ( ) mark the specific locations where group, measurement, and treatment events are to be presented. For example, where a treatment (intervention) is to be presented or administered in the protocol the label will simply be "Unspecified Treatment." The same goes for measurements, control events, and groups. The task for the user is to specify (define) these unspecified events to create a new protocol. Design diagrams are displayed for the selected typical design and step-by step tutorials for building a custom protocol are provided for each group and event in the design.
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Browsing & Searching the Typical Designs Library
(Under Development)
The Typical Designs Library contains partially completed protocols organized by research method. In typical designs protocols, place holders labeled "unspecified" ( ) mark the specific locations where groups, measurements, and treatments are to be presented For example, where a treatment is to be presented in the protocol the label will simply be "Unspecified Treatment."
Typical design templates are organized by research method, as follows:
Typical Classical Experiment Designs
Typical Survey Designs
Typical Observational Designs
Typical Laboratory Designs
Typical Case Study Designs
Typical Archival Analysis Designs
Typical Qualitative Research Designs
Browsing or Searching the Typical Design Library
1. Log on to ProtoGenie.
2. Select Typical Designs Library.
3. Select the research method closest to your study method.
4. Click on Go. This will give you a list of typical designs for the selected method with a brief description. For example, if you selected "Classical & Quasi Experimental Designs," you would get a list of ten typical classical designs and their descriptions.
5. To search the Typical Design Library for all methods, enter a keyword and click Search.
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USER ACTIONS MENU
This section covers the operations that are available to users in ProtoGenie Composer/Editor and how to open protocols in ProtoGenie.
Remember the ProtoGenie motto:
"Share unto others as you would have them share unto you."
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User Actions Menu
The first page that a user sees after clicking on the title of a protocol in any protocol library or search list is a menu of operations that can be performed on the selected protocol.
The specific operations in this menu will vary according to the permissions that the original authors attached to the protocol. Protocols in one's personal library will have all the actions, which are:
Run - Execute selected protocol in the list (must be in a Personal Library or designated Public).
Edit - Edit selected protocol in the list (must be in personal library).
Edit Copy - Make a copy of selected protocol in the list (must be in personal library or have a public security status).
Users - This is a list of people who have been added to the Designated User List attached to selected protocol..
Results - This option enable you to look at the results of previous runs of selected protocol.
Backup - This option provides the capability to locally back up a server copy of a ProtoGenie file for safe-keeping
Delete - This enables you to delete the selected protocol.
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Opening Existing Protocols
To open a protocol in any ProtoGenie protocol library:
Log on.
In the Start Up Page, click on the library that you what to access. For example, for your own personal library, click on "Access Personal Library of Protocols."
Click on the protocol title. This brings up a menu of operations that are available to you for that protocol. For your own personal library, they are Run, Edit, Edit Copy, Users, Results, Backup, and Delete. To edit a protocol you are working on, click Edit. To make a new protocol, click Edit Copy.
These steps take you to the ProtoGenie Editor/Composer on the Edit Protocol Page, where the first screen automatically presents a popup Protocol Description Window, where you can enter or edit the description of the protocol. If you have already filled out this documentation window and do not what to make any changes, close the popup window for a full view of the Edit Protocol Page ready to modify your protocol to your specifications.
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COMPOSING & EDITING PROTOCOLS
This section covers the following topics:
Composing & Editing Protocols
Protocol Description Popup Window
The Heart of ProtoGenie Composer -
Logic of the Protocol Construction Process
Events Versus "Event Names"
Deciding on a Protocol Construction Strategy
Remember the ProtoGenie motto:
"Share unto others as you would have them share unto you."
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Composing & Editing Protocols
After logging in and selecting a startup option from the Startup Page, you are ready to begin composing a new protocol from a copy of the old or from scratch using a blank protocol.
The first screen after logging on contains six start up options. If you are want to start with a blank protocol, click on you Blank Protocol and you will go directly to the main page of the Composer, called the "Edit Protocol Page." When this page comes up, a Protocol Description Window automatically pops up to underscore the importance of documenting your protocol. If you prefer this window not to pop up automatically when you come on the Edit Protocol Page, you can click the check box that hides this window until you manually bring it up in the top menu.
If you are starting with an existing protocol for a template, you first go to the library list that you requested (personal, general, or typical designs) or a list produced by a search. In this list, click on the title of the desired protocol.
Clicking on a protocol listing in a library will bring up a menu of user actions available to you for that protocol. The full access list of options contains "Run, Edit, Edit Copy, Users, Results, Backup, and Delete."
If you select the Edit or Edit Copy option, that will take you to the Edit Protocol Page, where you are ready to begin to compose or edit your protocol. A typical Edit Protocol page looks like this:
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Protocol Description Popup Window
The purpose of the Protocol Description window is to provide information in sufficient detail to help other ProtoGenie users decide whether your protocol would make a good template for their intended studies. This information can be entered or modified at any time by clicking on Description in the top menu of any composer/editor page.
The Protocol Description window contains fields for the title, description of the study, topic/field, keywords, author, protocol ID, when created, last modified, category of research, public access status, and current user.
If this window has not been filled out, enter the following:
1. In the field labeled "Title," enter the name of your protocol.
2. In the field labeled "Description," enter a brief abstract of the study for which the current protocol will be used.
3. In the field labeled "Topic/Field," enter a topic or field name to be associated with the current protocol.
4. In the field labeled "Keywords," enter as many words separated by commas as necessary to enable effective searches by other ProtoGenie users.
The login name of the principle author of the protocol will automatically appear under "Author." Note that under search options, you can search protocols by author's name. There is no input field associated with "Protocol ID" because this number will be automatically assigned at the point you Save your protocol to the database. The dates "Created" and "Modified" are filled automatically by ProtoGenie.
There are two dropdown menus in the lower right-hand quadrant of the Protocol Info Panel that are particularly important to other potential users. The first is labeled "Category of Research Method." A category will have been selected (showing in the window) by you when you selected a protocol to use as a template or by the original author of the protocol. Generally, you will want to leave this on the research method selected. If for some reason it is not the method you wish to use, then you can change it here.
The dropdown menu labeled "Public or Private" has two options, "Public" and "Private." The default setting is "Private," meaning that no one can access the protocol without your express permission. If you know that you would like to permit all ProtoGenie members to copy and use the current protocol as a template for their own studies, then select "Public." This permission status can be changed at a later time should you desire.
If you do not want this window to pop up when you open the composer again, click the check box for this option. You can display this window anytime you wish by clicking on "Description" in the top menu of the composer/editor. When you are finished with the Description window, click the close box and the Edit Protocol Window will be fully displayed.
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The Heart of ProtoGenie Composer
The first screen after logging on contains six start up options. In the case of starting with a blank protocol, you will enter your Research Method and go directly to the main page of the Composer. This page is called the "Edit Protocol Page." In the case of using an existing protocol for a template, you will go to the library list that you requested or a list produced by a search. In that list, you will click on the title of the desired protocol and that will bring up a menu of user actions available to you for that protocol. When you select the Edit or Edit Copy option you will go to the Edit Protocol Page under the Groups tab, where you are ready to begin composing your protocol. A typical Edit Protocol page would look like this:
The Edit Protocol page contains three tabs beginning on the left with the tab called Groups. The second tab is Events and the third tab is Sequencing. Groups and events are made under the first two tabs and their names are listed and sequenced under the third tab. When you first arrive at the Edit Protocol Page, you will always be looking under the Groups tab.
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Logic of the Protocol Construction Process
Study the Edit Protocol Page containing the three tabs and you should recognize the basic logic of ProtoGenie. In a nutshell, the process of building a protocol boils down to:
Defining groups for the Execution List Window.
Defining Measurement, Treatment, and Support Events for the Event Names Window.
Entering names of events from the Event Names Window into the groups in the Execution List Window in the order that they will be executed.
Also, a powerful feature of ProtoGenie is the ability to duplicate individual events and whole sets of events, thereby eliminated the need to create all groups and events from scratch.
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Events Versus "Event Names"
ProtoGenie distinguishes between "events" as they appear in the Event Specification Table of the Events Window and "names (or labels) of events as they appear in the Event Names Window and the Execution List Window. An event name in the execution list simply points to an event that you have created. Consequently, you can enter the same name in more than one place in a group and in more than one group and the actual event will execute when the protocol comes to that name, wherever it might appear and as many times as it might appear.
This feature of ProtoGenie eliminates the need to create the same event every time an identical event appears in a research design. If you make a change in the actual event, the name refers to the modified event. If you change the name (label) of the actual event, the name (label) of the event will automatically change.
This feature is consistent with the re-cycling philosophy of ProtoGenie, which is aimed at eliminating the practice of using software or parts of software once and throwing it away. In future versions of ProtoGenie, events will be stored for use (by name) in any protocol by the same user and by any users (given the consent of the authors).
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Deciding on a Protocol Construction Strategy
There are two distinct sets of operations in the making of a protocol. The first is the creation of groups and events. The second is the sequencing of event names in groups. Consequently, when there are many groups and many events as there often are, there are several different ways one might choose to create the lists of events in groups in a protocol.
Strategy 1: Groups First, Then Events
Create all of the groups and all of the events in them.
Enter the event names in the groups.
Strategy 2: First Group and Events, Then Second Group, Etc.
Create the first group.
Create all of the events for that group.
Enter the event names in that group.
Create the next group and repeat this procedure.
Strategy 3: First Group, First Event, Then Second Group
Create the first group.
Create the first event for that group.
Enter the event name for that event in the group.
Create the next event and repeat the above.
Special Case: Random Assignment of Subjects to Groups at Run-time
Create a Super Group
Create a Random Assignment Event by Treatment
Other Considerations Involving Strategy
Another variation on the strategies above is sometimes effective because of the fact that it is often useful to create and list the names of the Treatment and Control Events before creating and listing the Support Events in the groups. Doing it this way can help clarify what kind of support events are needed and where they event names should be inserted.
Keep in mind that when there are two or more events in a design that are identical you need not make separate events for each of them. Instead, you can simply enter the same event names wherever they are needed.
Also, keep in mind that instead of creating an event from scratch when it is similar to one that already exists, you can Duplicate the one that is similar, customize it to fit, enter the event name in the execution list, and delete the event name that is not correct.
There is also another powerful time-saving ProtoGenie feature that enables authors to Duplicate an entire group, thereby making another set of events that can be customized to fit specifications. This is done under the Edit menu of the Groups page.
You can also duplicate the list of event names in a group. This is done under the Actions menu of the Sequencing Page.
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CREATING GROUPS
This section covers the use of experimental groups, differences between treatment and control groups, and how to create groups for a protocol. It also covers the random assignment of subjects to groups online at run-time.
Remember the ProtoGenie motto:
"Share unto others as you would have them share unto you."
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Why Use Groups?
Treatment Groups
If more than one treatment is being tested, groups are frequently used to sort out the effects of each treatment and combinations of treatments. In this situation, each treatment is assigned to a specific group. Consequently, they are referred to as "Treatment Groups."
Control Groups
Groups are used in experimental research to help distinguish between effects on subjects that are due to treatments and effects that are due to history and other threats to validity. Therefore, subjects in the typical control group are not presented any treatment.
Also, groups are used to determine whether a treatment has greater effects on one population than another. For example, a teaching method might be more effective with males than it is with females. In this case, there might be three groups: one consisting of male subjects, one consisting of female subjects, and one consisting of males and females who do not receive the treatment. These groups are generally called "Control Groups."
Random Assignment of Subjects to Groups at Run-time
See Random Assignment to Groups.
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Experimental Groups
Groups of subjects are often defined for controls and comparisons in experiments. Subjects may be assigned to different groups based on subject attributes or they may be randomly assigned to groups that will receive different treatments.
Experimental Groups are used to compare the effects of an intervention (treatment) in one population to the effects in another. For example, one might be interested in the question of whether there are differences between the memories of people diagnosed as dyslexic and "non-dyslexic" people.
If subjects are randomly assigned to groups, as in "true experiments," then effects observed in the groups will be statistically independent among groups, thereby making it easier to interpret the specific effects of different treatments and controls.
A special category of treatments is "no-treatment." Groups given no-treatments are generally called "control groups." Consequently, the major categories of experimental groups are Treatment Groups and Control Groups. In an important sense, "no treatment" is also an event because something is always going on between measurements. To demarcate the time period involved, a "Null Event" is inserted in the Control Group at the location corresponding to the location of the treatment in the Treatment Group.
In some research fields, "treatments" are called "interventions" and in others, they are called "Stimuli." Consequently, groups in which an intervention or a stimulus is presented are called "intervention groups" and "stimulus groups," respectively.
Random Assignment of Subjects to Groups at Run-time
See Random Assignment to Groups.
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How to Create Groups
Groups are used mostly in experimental research, although "Panels" are frequently used in surveys and other research methods. There are basically two kinds of groups in experiments, Treatment Groups and Control Groups.
To add a group to a protocol that already exists, log on and go to the personal or public library that contains it. Click on the title of the protocol. In the User Action Menu, click on Edit. This takes you to the main page of the Composer called the "Edit Protocol Page."
Click on the Groups tab. In that window, click on Create (New Group).
This inserts a new group in the list of groups in that window. Its temporary label is "New Group." Click on this label and change it to the name that you wish to use. If you look under the "Sequencing Tab," you will see your new group listed in the Execution List of this window. If you open it by clicking on the drop down icon, you will see that there are no new events attached to that group as yet.
You should fill in the columns immediately to the right of the Group Label in the Groups Window, including a description of the group you just created.
Sometimes the properties of groups differ only slightly and so it can be a great time-saver to add a copy of an existing group and modify it to fit. To make a copy of a group, click on the group that you wish to copy in the "Make & Edit Group Window," click on Edit, and then on Duplicate.
To remove a group from the current list of groups, click on the group to be removed in the "Make & Edit Window," click on Edit and then on Delete.
Generally, sessions for groups will begin at the same time, so that the order of the groups in Execution List Window does not matter. However, if you want groups to start at different dates and/or times, you can order them the way you wish in the Execution List Window using the Move menu and using the Support Event "Scheduling" to specify dates and times.
Random Assignment of Subjects to Groups at Run-time
See Random Assignment to Groups.
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Saving As You Go
It is a good practice to give your new protocol a title and save it immediately after choosing and opening a startup protocol (either blank or from a ProtoGenie library) and save it after every major step. Also, after every major work session, it is a good practice to make and save a copy of it as a backup protocol in case you make radical changes and then find that they were not what you thought you wanted.
Saving protocols should be distinguished from saving the Results (data) of the execution of protocols. At the completion of an execution of a protocol, you should click on SAVE in the top menu.
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CREATING EVENTS
A critical part of designing experiments and other studies is the specification of what is supposed to happen, including interventions (treatments/Stimuli), measurements, and controls. This section provides instructions for adding these events.
Remember the ProtoGenie motto:
"Share unto others as you would have them share unto you."
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How to Create Events
There are three types of EVENTS that you can create from scratch for use in a protocol. They are measurement events, treatment (intervention) events, and control (procedural) events.
Note: There is one unique kind of Event, which is a combined Treatment and Measurement Event. This simply means that the Treatment (such as a picture) appears on the same page as the Measurement. It is called a "Same-Page Stimulus & Measurement event. For details on this special kind of event, click here.
To create an event, log on and go to the personal or public library that contains it. Click on the title of the protocol. In the User Action Menu, click on Edit. This takes you to the main page of the Composer called the Edit Protocol Page.
Click on the Events Tab and then on Create at the top left of the Event Specification Table. From the dropdown list, select a category of events (Measurement, Treatment, or Control) and then within that category, select a Type from that category. For example, select "Measurement" as the category and "Multiple Choice" as the type of measurement.
This new event will appear in the "Event Specification Table." For the example of the measurement event, the new event would be called "New Measurement Event." In the first column of this row, there will be an "M" in a circle indicating that this event is a Measurement. To its right and under Event Type it will say "Multiple Choice."
In the column labeled "Variable," enter a name that will be used by the database (all one word). In the column labeled Keywords, enter words that refer to this event. In the column labeled "Event Description," enter a description of the event.
To remove an event, click on Edit and Delete.
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How to Make New Events From Old
In the spirit of recycling software and time-saving, ProtoGenie provides a powerful feature enables users to create identical copies of existing events that can be customized to specifications.
To duplicate an event, log on, select the protocol containing the event you wish to duplicate from a library or search list of protocols, click on the title of the protocol, and select Edit from the menu of user actions. This brings up the Edit Protocol Page of the ProtoGenie composer/editor.
Click on the Events tab. Select the event that you wish to duplicate. Click on the Edit menu above the Events Specification Table and click Duplicate. Having created a replica of the event, you will then edit the description of the event to fit your needs.
Generally, customizing an event to fit your needs simply means changing descriptive text in the Events Specification Table. The exception is when the event you need requires a different TYPE (instrument) in the event. For example, instead of a multiple choice question, you may need a ranking instrument. You can do this, by selecting the event in the Events Specification Table, clicking on Edit and then on Convert Instrument. There, you can select the event category and type of event that you wish. Note that instead of going through the process of duplicating an event and then changing the category and type of that event, you might elect to create a new event from scratch.
Also, keep in mind that if events in different places and groups are identical, there is no need to make duplicate copies of them. Instead you can simply insert the name for them into the Execution List of the Sequencing Page as many times as you need and they will be executed in the order in which they appear.
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How To Duplicate Events for Entire Groups
Not only can individual events be duplicated, whole groups including every event in them can be duplicated such that the events in the groups are events that can be customized to fit the groups in question. This can be a great time-saver when there are large numbers of events across groups that are the same in some parts, but different in other parts, such that time can be saved by not having to do every part from scratch.
To make a new set of events for an existing group, click on the Groups tab of the Edit Protocol Page. In the Group Specification Table, select the group that you wish to duplicate. Click on the Edit menu and select Duplicate.
Now, a duplicate of the original group appears in the Group Specification Window under the label "Duplicate of 'Group Name'." Rename the group and make changes where necessary in the listing for the new group in the Group Specification Window.
Using this procedure produces duplicate events in the Events Window and the Event Names window of the Sequencing Window. These events are given the temporary names "Duplicate of [name of original]" These variables can be customized the same way that duplicated individual events can be customized.
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How to Duplicate Entire Lists of Events
Another time-saving strategy is made possible by the ability to duplicate entire execution lists of events and put them in a new group. Remember that the list of events in the Execution List Window are not events per se, they are pointers to events and cannot be modified without modifying the events to which they point. However, considerable time can be saved by duplicating events that are similar but not the same as the ones that are not exactly right, entering their names into the execution list and deleting the event names that are not right.
To copy an entire group, click on the Sequencing tab of the Edit Protocols Page. Click on the group that you wish to copy. Click on the Actions menu and select Copy. Now, a new group will appear in the Execution List. It will simply be called "New Group." Looking inside the group by that name in the Execution List of the Sequencing Page, you will see the same list of events by the same names as in the original group. These are not actual events and as such they do not appear in the Event Names Window or the Events window. They are simply names of events that cannot be changed unless the events for which they were named were changed - in which case, every instance of the names in the Execution List also would be changed.
To change the name of the new group, click on the Groups tab. In the Group Specification Table, change the name from "New Group" to the name of your choice.
While the names in the execution list cannot be changed, they can be deleted and names can be inserted. To illustrate, lets suppose that you are created the Control Group in the Execution List by duplicating the list of event names in the Treatment Group. Since there is no treatment in a control group, the name of the treatment event in the new group can be deleted and replaced by the name of a new event called a "Null Event."
To make a null event, click on the Events tab and above the Event Specification Table click on Create. Select Treatment and under that "Unspecified Treatment." Now, change the event label in the Event Specification Table from "Unspecified Treatment" to "Null Event." Return to the Sequencing page and select the Control Group. In the Event Names Window, click on "Null Event" and then on the right arrow called "Enter Event Name."
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What are Measurement Events?
In surveys a measurement event is an action taken to determine attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, skills, memory, dispositions, and feelings. In experiments a measurement event is an action taken to determine whether something happened or changed in an experiment in response to a treatment (intervention or stimulus).
Measurements generally involve things you want to learn about in your study and are usually referred to as "dependent variables" or "response variables" because they depend on or are responses to other factors that you want to explore, evaluate, or use to produce a change. Examples of dependent variables are "jury verdicts," "reading performance," and "reaction time." Variables must be "operationalized," meaning that one must specify exactly how they are measured. For example, a question might be asked or a blood pressure might be taken. These actions are measurement events.
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Types of Measurement Events
Measurement Types are sometimes referred to as measurement "instruments" because they measure knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs in a survey, observations in observational research, or the effects of a treatment in an experiment or clinical trial. There are twelve types of measurements available in ProtoGenie, as follows:
1. Checkbox
2. Drop-down Menu
3. Fill in the blanks
4. List Box
5. Matching
6. Multiple Choice
7. Ranking
8. Rating Scale
9. Short Answer
10. Slider Bar
11. True-False
12. Unspecified Measurement
Note: There is one unique kind of Event, which is called a "Same-Page Stimulus & Measurement Event." This simply means that the treatment stimulus (such as a picture or text) appears on the same page as the Measurement. For details regarding this special kind of event, click here.
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How to Create Measurement Events
There are three ways to create a measurement event. The first is to make it from scratch. The second is to duplicate an existing event and customize it to fit. See Duplicating Events. The third way does not actually create an event. When measurements are identical, an event can simply be copied from the Event Names Window of the Sequencing Page to the groups where they will be executed in the order that they appear.
To create a measurement event from scratch," click on the Create menu at the top left of the "Event Specification Table" and then "Measurement." To illustrate, select "Multiple Choice" as the type of measurement event.
Now there should be a new event (row) in the "Event Specification Table." In the first column for this row, there should be an "M" in a circle indicating that this event is a Measurement. To its right and under "Event Type" it should say "Multiple Choice." Under Event Label, it should say "New Multiple Choice Measurement." To illustrate the procedure, change this label to "Subject Mood."
In the column labeled "Variable," enter "subjectmood" (all one word). In the column labeled "Keywords," enter "mood, depression, well-being." In the column labeled "Event Description," enter "This event asks subjects whether they are feeling depressed.
Scroll down to the Instrument Construction Area under the heading "Subject Mood." In the box labeled "Number of check boxes to Show to respondent," set the number to "2" (for "YES" and "NO."). Immediately below this, set the "Number of responses the respondent is allowed to check" to "1."
In the text box, enter:
"Are you feeling depressed?"
Immediately below the question, there are two boxes for responses. In the first field, type the word "YES." In the second field, type the word "NO."
This might be followed up by a measurement that seeks to determine how much the subject feels depressed. This could be done by creating another measurement event and selecting a rating scale or sliderbar to measure the extent of depression.
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Testing As You Go
As in all programming, it very important to test your work as you go.
This will ensure that each event will execute the way that you want. Frequently, you will decide to change the format or even the choice of instruments used. Also, when you test the protocol frequently as you compose it you will ensure that events execute in the order that you wish.
There are two ways to test as you go. The first is to run only the event that you just constructed. This is the "Preview Event" option at the top of the Instrument Construction Area in the "Events" Page of the Composer. The second option executes the protocol from beginning to end (where you left off) and returns to where you were in the Composer. This is the regular Execute (run) option in the top menu bar of every page in the Composer.
When you are creating an event, you will generally want to test only the current event to see if it does what you want. However, there will be times when you want to see the progression of the protocol from one event to another, in which case, you should use the Execute option.
Naturally, after you have completed a protocol, you will need to run it repeatedly to make sure that it is working as it should. At any intermediate point in development, it can take a long time to run the whole protocol, so you will frequently use the "Preview Event" option.
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What are Treatment Events?
A treatment event is an action taken to manipulate something in your experiment to study its effects on your dependent variable. For example, you might be interested in studying the effects of drinking coffee on reading performance. Treatment variables are called "treatments," "interventions," "change variables," and "stimuli," depending on the nature and setting of the study. The statistical term for these variables is generally "Independent variables," although this may be deceiving since variables are seldom independent of other influences. Treatment variables can be categorical in measurement as in "gender" or continuous, as in "letter contrast." In statistical analysis, categories are generally called "levels," and these are often treated as separate treatments. For example, one might investigate and compare the effects of blue, green, gray, and no filters on reading speed. The planned manipulation of an independent variable is a treatment event.
Same-Page Stimulus and Measurement Presentation Options
There are two special page formats for presenting visual treatment (stimuli) events and one generic format for more complex multiple-event screens. The first special format is called "Image Stimuli" and the second is called "Text Stimuli." Both are contained in the list of treatment types under Treatments under the Create menu in the Events window of the Edit Protocol Page of the PG Composer. These presentation options provide an easy way to present a stimulus and a measurement on the same page. For details, see, click here.
For a more general way to present multiple-events on the same page, see PG Executable Forms.
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How to Create Treatment Events
To create a treatment event," click on the Create menu at the top left of the "Event Specification Table" and then "Treatment." To illustrate, select "Intervention Administrated by the subject" as the type of treatment event.
Now there should be a new event (row) in the "Event Specification Table." In the first column for this row, there should be an "T" in a circle indicating that this event is a Treatment. To its right and under "Event Type" it should say "Intervention Administrated by the subject." Under Event Label, it should say "New Intervention Administrated by the subject Treatment." To illustrate the procedure, change this label to "Medication Treatment."
In the column labeled "Variable," enter "medicationtreatment" (all one word). In the column labeled "Keywords," enter "treatment, medications." In the column labeled "Event Description," enter "The event involves the self-administration of the medication being tested in this study."
Scroll down to the "Instrument Construction Area" under the heading "Medication Treatment." Fill in the text boxes to define the treatment.
To use the "Image Stimuli" treatment event or the "Text Stimuli" treatment event to present a treatment and measurement on the same page, click here.
To create more complex multiple-event screens known as "PG Executable Forms," see Serial Versus Same-Page Formats For Event Presentations and PG Executable Forms.
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Same-Page Stimulus & Measurement Presentation Options
There are two special page formats for presenting visual treatment (stimuli) events. The first is called "Image Stimuli" and the second is called "Text Stimuli." These presentation options provide an easy way to present a stimulus (image or text) and a measurement on the same page.
Image Stimuli Presentation Options
Options available with this special event include the following:
1. Present Stimulus (picture) with an accompanying block of text - such as a description of or comment about something in the image.
2. Present stimulus (picture) with a measurement event, such as a multiple choice question.
3. Enable automatic next page and set desired time interval.
4. Enable (manual) user activated NEXT. With this option selected, you can elect to have the interval between start and finished timed. (Set timer).
For instructions, see How to Create Same-Page Stimulus & Measurement Events
Text Stimuli Presentation Option
This event works essentially the same way as the Image Stimuli event except instead of an image one can use a letter, number, or string of text using standard text operations. This obviates the need to convert text stimuli into image formats.
Complex Multiple-Event Same-Page Screens (PG Executable Forms)
To create more complex multiple-event screens known as "PG Executable Forms," see Serial Versus Same-Page Formats For Event Presentations and PG Executable Forms.
Related Topics
Serial Versus Same-Page Formats For Event Presentations
How to Create Same-Page Stimulus & Measurement Presentation Options
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How to Create Same-Page Stimulus & Measurement Events
Creating an "Image Stimuli" Same-Page Event
1. Use an existing JPEG (or other standard image format) image or create one. Publish it on your host server and get the URL address for that file.
2. Enter the Composer/Editor by clicking on the Edit or Edit Copy link in the User Actions Menu. This will bring up the Edit Protocol Page containing the Three tabs, Make & Edit Group, Events, and Sequencing. Click on the Events tab. This brings up the Events Specification Table containing the columns, Event Label, Event Type, Variable, Event Description, and Key Words.
3. Click on CREATE. Click on Treatments in the drop-down list. In the drop-down list of treatment options, select "Same-Page Stimulus & Measurement." A new row will appear in your Events Specification Table. Under Event Type, you will see "Same-Page Stimulus & Measurement." Give this event a name under Event Label (such as "Picture A) and fill out the other fields, such as Event Description.
4. Click on the name of your new event (Picture A) and look down below your Events Specification Table and you will see a field labeled "Type the url of your picture here." Type in that url.
5. If you want to present a block of text with the picture, type the text you intend in the field labeled "Type text to accompany picture."
6. If you want to present a measurement on the same page as your picture, click the drop-down box labeled "Present Measurement." This will present a list of measurement options beginning with "No measurement" and then the standard list of measurement options, such as "Multiple Choice." Click on your choice of measurements and you will be presented a screen containing the setup for that measurement.
7. Click on Preview to see if you have the screen presentation as you want it.
8. If you have more than one of these Same-Page Stimulus-Measurement events, repeat the procedure above.
9. When you are ready to sequence your events for execution, click on the Sequencing Tab. Select the group if applicable. Select an event in the events list at the left of the screen and click the right arrow to make the event name appear in the sequence list (under the designated group). Click on MOVE and use the UP and DOWN arrows to rearrange the sequence if necessary.
Creating a Text Stimuli Same-Page Event
The Text Stimuli option works essentially the same way as the Image Stimuli option (see above) except instead of inserting an image one can use a letter, number, or string of text using standard text operations. This obviates the need to convert text stimuli into image formats.
Creating More Complex Multiple-Event Screens
To create more complex multiple-event screens known as "PG Executable Forms," see Serial Versus Same-Page Formats For Event Presentations and PG Executable Forms.
Related Topics
Serial Versus Same-Page Formats For Event Presentations
Same-Page Stimulus & Measurement Events?
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What Are Null Events (Time-Slot holders)?
Generally speaking, a null event replaces the treatment event in a control group. Unlike a treatment, measurement, or support event, nothing happens when the program is executed and a Null Event is encountered. The purpose of inserting null events in protocols is to fill the time intervals in which other groups are presenting treatments (and sometimes measurements and support events). This aligns the events in one group with events in another thereby assuring that measurements and treatments are presented at the appropriate time in each group. This helps control for effects of history.
In some studies, instead of a null event, the event could be a placebo or other treatment. In this sense, a null event can be thought of as a "time-slot holder." If it is not important that treatment, measurement, or control events in one group are "aligned" (taken at the same time as their counterparts in other groups), then null events may not needed.
How to Create a Null Event
Since null events are generally associated with a treatment (or more accurately the absence of a treatment), we can create a null event as follows:
Click on the Events tab and above the Event Specification Table click on Create. Select "Treatment" and under that "Unspecified Treatment." Now, change the event label in the Event Specification Table from "Unspecified Treatment" to "Null Event." Fill out the event specification table for that event, scroll down to the Instrument Construction Area and simply describe this event as a substitute for a treatment event.
Immediately, or at a point in which you have created a number of events, you will enter the name of the null event in the control group into the Execution List Window. To do this, select the Control Group and select the null event in the Event Names Window. Then, click on the right arrow labeled "Enter Event Name."
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What are "Support Events?"
The "tactical" or "operational" part of research protocols (by which we mean treatments and measurements) is vital in a study protocol, but much of what has to be done in the conduct of a study involves support and management - and these tasks have to be carefully spelled out too.
Unlike treatment or measurement events in a protocol, "Support Events" are events strategically placed to make ready, facilitate, guide, or otherwise manage a study.
There are nine major types of "Support Events." They are:
Guidance Events
Branching Point
Calendarize Events
Event Iteration Events
Event Array
Study Context
Unspecified Support Events
Randomized Event
Goodbye Event
In the general case, Support Events are the same for all groups. Logically, if Support Events were different across groups, then they might act as "interventions" (treatments) and thereby confound the results of the experiment. However, there are times when support events will vary from group to group.
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How to Create Support Events
To create a support event," click on the Create menu at the top left of the "Event Specification Table" in the Make & Edit Page of the composer/editor. Click "Support" and then select a type of Support, such as "Guidance."
Now there should be a new event (row) in the "Event Specification Table." In the first column for this row, there should be an "S" in a circle indicating that this event is a Support Event. To its right and under "Event Type" it should say "Guidance Event." Under Event Label, it should say "New Guidance Support Event." To change this label, select it and enter the name that you want to call this event. Fill in the other columns of the table, including a description of the event.
Scroll down to the Instrument Construction Area and follow the guidelines associated with the type of support event involved.
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Guidance Events
A Guidance Event is one of nine types of Support Event (Guidance Events, Branching Point Event, Calendarize Event, Event Iterations, Event Array, Study Context Events, Unspecified Support Events, Randomized Event, and Goodbye Event.
Broadly speaking, the Support Event type called Guidance Events amounts to the investigator narrating what is going on and saying what should be done next in a study while it is in progress. This includes alerts, status reports, explanations, prompts, and instructions. Some of these events are as short as a screen that says, "Ten Minute Intermission" or as long as instructions for creating a sample for the study. Some events will occur before data collection begins and some will occur after