Psy 712                                  Lab 2_2: Introduction to Event Handler

 

Introduction to Event Handler

Event Handler is a program that will help you create webpages for administering questionnaires and test over the Internet.  It is possible (but not advisable) to do on-line research using only Event Handler.  This is a bad idea for two reasons.  First, I don’t know of any other company or university who uses Event Handler, and so if the only way you know how to collect data is by using Event Handler, you won’t be able to do on-line research anywhere but here, and you won’t know what to do if UNLV stops supporting Event Handler.  Second, Event Handler does not have any way for you to have a consent form or a debriefing form, and so you really do need to use other programs to include those.

 

Getting an Account

I have obtained Event Handler accounts for you, for this class.  However, if you want your own account, do the following:

  1. Go to the UNLV main page
  2. Under Quick Find, select Web Services
  3. Click on “Learn about adding special features to your web pages”
  4. Scroll down until you see Event Handler.  Click on it.  This will take you to the Event Handler Login Screen.  Bookmark this screen (or add it to your Favorites).
  5. As it says in the second section, send an email to websvcs@nscee.edu, requesting an account.

 

If you are designing a real study, you should get your own Event Handler account.  Otherwise you will be very upset when the temporary Psy 712 accounts are deleted at the end of term.

 

Signing on

  1. Go to the Event Handler Webpage at http://web.unlv.edu/eventhandler.html
  2. Click Login Now
  3. Enter your User ID and password.  I will hand these out to you.  Please note, ID’s and passwords are both case-sensitive.

 

Set your User Settings

The first time you sign on, you need to set your User Settings.  These are shown on the screen when you first sign on. 

  1. Change your password to something you can remember.
  2. Click the box for Enable Use of Events
  3. Provide a title for your events.  I called mine “Kim’s 481 Events”
  4. Provide an email address.  This is the email address that will be used if you ask Event Handler to email you when people complete your measure.
  5. Read through the other options quickly, and see if there is anything else you really want to change.
  6. Scroll down to the bottom, and click on Set User Settings.

 

Creating a Questionnaire or Test

  1. Click on the Event Administration Menu
  2. Click on Create/Delete Event
  3. Enter a Title.  For example, I used “Cat Lovers Questionnaire”  You can change this in the future.
  4. Enter a Filename.  For example, I used “catlover”.  You cannot change the filename in the future.
  5. Click Create New Event.
  6. Click where it says to Click here, to modify your new event.  If you want to modify an existing event, click on the Event Administration menu, click on Event Settings from the drop down menu, and select your event from among the current, coming, and previous events, then click Modify Event.
  7. Scroll down to where it says “Event Settings and Variables”
  8. There are A LOT of options for how you set up your event.  Here’s the minimum you need to do.
  9. Under Event Settings, say that the Event Type is a Survey.
  10. Under Event Settings, provide an email address
  11. Under Time and Date Settings, provide a start date.  Without a start date, no one can complete your questionnaire or test.  If you want people to be able to complete it right now (which is a good idea, because then you can complete it and see if it works) make the Start Date sometime in the past.
  12. Under Questions and Answers (at the very bottom), set the number of questions you want in total, and the number of questions per page.  For example, if you had 50 questions, you could put them all on one page, or you could split them up between 2 or more pages.  To split them up onto 2 pages, put 25 questions per page.
  13. Click Set Event Variables.
  14. Click where it says to “Click here to return to your variables screen” in order to enter the actual questions.  Alternatively, you could use the Event Administration menu, Event Settings, Modify Event, if you wanted to add more questions later.
  15. Scroll down to the very bottom, and enter your questions.
  16. For each question, be sure to select the appropriate type of response option.  If you are not sure what some of them are, try them out and see what they do.  You can come back and change this later.
  17. For Multiple Choice items, use "Select one" as the first response option. This way, you won't mistake lack of a response for choosing the first option on your list.
  18. If there are any variables that participants absolutely MUST enter, such as name and student number, indicated this by clicking on the Answer Required box.  In general, you should NOT make ANY questions required, unless you absolutely must (for instance, in order to give credit to participants).
  19. Click Set Event Variables.
  20. Click where it says to “Click here to return to your variables screen.”

 

Looking at Your Measure

  1. Get to the Modify Event screen for your questionnaire.  If you just clicked here to return to your variables screen, you’re there already.  Otherwise, Click on Event Administration, Event Settings, select your event, and click on Modify Event.
  2. Click View Event (Admin View). This will show you what your test or questionnaire will look like to other people.
  3. If you don’t like how something looks – such as you don’t like the response format, or you have spelling errors – go back to the Modify Event screen and change it.
  4. When you have finished looking at your event, close the window.  Every time you click “View Event” a new window will be opened.  You should close these after looking at them, so you don’t get confused between the current version of your measure and old versions.

 

Later on, you will want to do two more things:

Under Static pages, set the Correct Redirect URL and Incorrect Redirect URL.  These are the pages that you want to user to be directed to once they have completed your measure.  I send my subjects to a thank you and debriefing page.

 

Under Email Settings, select Email Entrant, and enter the Subject and Message Body for the email.  This is an email that is sent to subjects when they have completed your measure.  I use this to send my subjects an email that proves that they participated in the study.  For two-part studies, where the subject has to come back another day to complete the study, I also include a reminder about where to go to find the second part of the study.

 

What to Hand In

Create a 7-item questionnaire that uses both multiple choice, text fields, and radio buttons.  The first two items will ask for the participant’s name and student number: responses will be required, and text fields will be used. The remaining 5 items will ask questions on whatever topic you like, and should include both multiple choice and radio buttons.  Answers should NOT be required.  When you have completed your questionnaire, print it and hand it in.