User`s guide

E-Prime User’s Guide
Chapter 2: Using E-Studio
Page 13
2.2.2 Step 1.2: Create a folder for the experiment and
load E-Studio
We recommend developing the experiments in the standard directory “My Experiments” on the
root directory. We suggest that the experiment be placed in a folder named for the experimental
series (e.g., C:\MyExperiments\LexicalDecision) and that the experiment name include a number
for the version of the experiment (e.g., LexicalDecision001).
2.2.3 Step 1.3: Specify the core experimental design
Be able to specify the design of the experiment and list all of the conditions, stimuli, and expected
responses. The abstract of the lexical decision experiment includes the following details about
the design; The independent variable is whether a letter string is a word or a non-word… The
stimuli will be text strings of words and non-words… Subjects are to respond as quickly as
possible as to whether the stimulus was a word or a non-word by pressing the “1” or “2” keys
respectively. Note, the bolding in the abstract highlights key terms that will directly influence the
names or settings in the E-Prime experiment specification. The design of the lexical decision
experiment can be implemented in a table, such as the following:
Condition Stimulus Correct Response
Word cat 1
NonWord jop 2
It is good to start out with the basic design, implement it and then elaborate on it. In this case, we
start with one independent variable (Condition) having two levels or cells (Word, Non-Word). For
each cell, the table contains a separate line. We need to specify the stimulus that determines
what the subject sees in that condition and the correct response to the stimulus, which
determines how the response is scored. Later, we can add more independent variables (e.g.,
word frequency and priming), stimuli, and associated responses.
In E-Prime, the design is specified using List objects. For example, the specification above
would result in a List object with the following form:
2.2.4 Step 1.4: Specify the core experimental
procedure
The core experimental procedure is a minimal, repetitive portion of an experiment in which
different conditions are selected, stimuli are presented, and the subject responds. The core
procedure typically defines the sequence of trials the subject experiences. It is useful to make a
diagram of the sequence of events. This involves two things: specifying the sequence of events
and connecting the design to the events.