29.4061, Software: New Tool for Web-based Experiments

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-29-4061. Thu Oct 18 2018. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 29.4061, Software: New Tool for Web-based Experiments

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Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2018 22:28:46
From: Florian Schwarz [florians at ling.upenn.edu]
Subject: New Tool for Web-based Experiments

 
We are very excited to announce the first official release of PennController,
a new tool for web-based experiments using Ibex, developed by Jeremy Zehr in
Florian Schwarz’s lab, along with a website providing documentation, a
tutorial, and example experiments. Details below.

Florian Schwarz & Jeremy Zehr

https://lab.florianschwarz.net/PennController/

- An Ibex library for versatile online experiments
- Instant free hosting on Ibexfarm
- Simple code allowing flexible task structure
- Free, open-source, and extendible
- Full documentation, tutorial and examples
- Compatible with any recruitment platform

Online collection of experimental data is becoming increasingly common in
linguistics and other fields, and allows for rapid collection of large amounts
of data, speeding up behavioral research and pre-testing, e.g., for
acquisition or neuroscience studies. However, experiment implementation
options are largely quite limited in what they can do, or very expensive,
resulting in many researchers creating their own code for custom-solutions. 
 
Ibex is a free, javascript-based platform for running experiments online,
developed by Alex Drummond to conduct common text-based, psycho-linguistic
tasks, including self-paced reading and rating studies. PennController is an
extension library developed by Jeremy Zehr within a project in Florian
Schwarz’s lab. It provides a versatile and user-friendly tool to implement
more complex experimental task paradigms, with a wide range of dynamic and
interactive features (e.g., visual stimuli, flexible, multi-stage trial
structure, response feedback, scripted/ timed events, playing audio and
video). 
 
PennController uses a stream-lined code interface requiring no javascript
skills. It allows you to combine your own task template with a spreadsheet
providing item-specific information. Combined with the free hosting offered by
Ibexfarm and templates that can be directly imported from github, posting
simple experiments online just takes a few simple steps.
 
See the PennController website
(https://lab.florianschwarz.net/PennController/) for full details. For
questions and feedback, use the forum or write to
penncontroller at lab.florianschwarz.net.
 
Reference: 
Zehr, J., & Schwarz, F. (2018). PennController for Internet Based Experiments
(IBEX). https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/MD832
 
Acknowledgments:
This project has been made possible by a grant from Penn’s University Research
Foundation, titled ‘Building a Comprehensive Library for Online Experiments in
IBEX.’
 
Initial development of preliminary versions of many of the tools that are part
of PennController took place as part of work on NSF-grant BCS-1349009 to
Florian Schwarz.


Linguistic Field(s): Cognitive Science
                     General Linguistics
                     Language Acquisition
                     Neurolinguistics
                     Psycholinguistics
                     Sociolinguistics



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