Millisecond Forums

Making Instructions

https://forums.millisecond.com/Topic28121.aspx

By uni-student92084 - 1/13/2020

Hey guys,
I'm making instructions and I was wondering whether it's better to write them as a  "page" or  as an "item"?

An IAT script that I am referencing is putting the instructions under an /item but the "Inqusit help" function says the text for instructions  should be in "page".

I'm leaning towards using an item because it looked like I couldn't implement the page attribute into a text attribute. 

What I mean by page:
<page FirstInstrucr>
^^ Instruction 
^^ Instruction
^^ Instruction
</page>

Item:
<item instructions>
/ 1 = "Put your left finger on the 'E' response key for items that belong to the category '<%expressions.leftTarget%>'.
Put your right finger on the 'I' response key for items that belong to the category '<%expressions.rightTarget%>'.
~nItems will appear one-by-one in the middle of the screen.
~nIf you make an error, a red X will appear - to continue, press the other response key.
~nGo as fast as you can while making as few errors as possible."

/ 2 = "Put your left finger on the 'E' response key for items that belong to the category '<%item.attributeAlabel.item(1)%>'.
Put your right finger on the 'I' response key for items that belong to the category '<%item.attributeBlabel.item(1)%>'.
~nIf you make an error, a red X will appear - to continue, press the other response key.
~nGo as fast as you can while making as few errors as possible."

By Dave - 1/13/2020

Kksham052 - 1/13/2020
Hey guys,
I'm making instructions and I was wondering whether it's better to write them as a  "page" or  as an "item"?

An IAT script that I am referencing is putting the instructions under an /item but the "Inqusit help" function says the text for instructions  should be in "page".

I'm leaning towards using an item because it looked like I couldn't implement the page attribute into a text attribute. 

What I mean by page:
<page FirstInstrucr>
^^ Instruction 
^^ Instruction
^^ Instruction
</page>

Item:
<item instructions>
/ 1 = "Put your left finger on the 'E' response key for items that belong to the category '<%expressions.leftTarget%>'.
Put your right finger on the 'I' response key for items that belong to the category '<%expressions.rightTarget%>'.
~nItems will appear one-by-one in the middle of the screen.
~nIf you make an error, a red X will appear - to continue, press the other response key.
~nGo as fast as you can while making as few errors as possible."

/ 2 = "Put your left finger on the 'E' response key for items that belong to the category '<%item.attributeAlabel.item(1)%>'.
Put your right finger on the 'I' response key for items that belong to the category '<%item.attributeBlabel.item(1)%>'.
~nIf you make an error, a red X will appear - to continue, press the other response key.
~nGo as fast as you can while making as few errors as possible."


Neither is better per se, it depends on what you want to do. Use <item> along with <text> elements if you want your instructions displayed by standard <trial> elements run by the <block>(s). When using <page> elements, display them via the <block>s' and/or <expt>s' /pre- and /postinstructions attributes.
By uni-student92084 - 1/14/2020

Dave - 1/14/2020
Kksham052 - 1/13/2020
Hey guys,
I'm making instructions and I was wondering whether it's better to write them as a  "page" or  as an "item"?

An IAT script that I am referencing is putting the instructions under an /item but the "Inqusit help" function says the text for instructions  should be in "page".

I'm leaning towards using an item because it looked like I couldn't implement the page attribute into a text attribute. 

What I mean by page:
<page FirstInstrucr>
^^ Instruction 
^^ Instruction
^^ Instruction
</page>

Item:
<item instructions>
/ 1 = "Put your left finger on the 'E' response key for items that belong to the category '<%expressions.leftTarget%>'.
Put your right finger on the 'I' response key for items that belong to the category '<%expressions.rightTarget%>'.
~nItems will appear one-by-one in the middle of the screen.
~nIf you make an error, a red X will appear - to continue, press the other response key.
~nGo as fast as you can while making as few errors as possible."

/ 2 = "Put your left finger on the 'E' response key for items that belong to the category '<%item.attributeAlabel.item(1)%>'.
Put your right finger on the 'I' response key for items that belong to the category '<%item.attributeBlabel.item(1)%>'.
~nIf you make an error, a red X will appear - to continue, press the other response key.
~nGo as fast as you can while making as few errors as possible."


Neither is better per se, it depends on what you want to do. Use <item> along with <text> elements if you want your instructions displayed by standard <trial> elements run by the <block>(s). When using <page> elements, display them via the <block>s' and/or <expt>s' /pre- and /postinstructions attributes.

If I wanted to have instructions after each trial, would it be wise to use <item>?
For example, there will be a set of instructions, then once the participant has clicked I or E, there will be a page telling them if they are wrong or right. Then after this page, there will be another set of instructions. I'm guessing  I should use <item> as I am going with the trials. 
By Dave - 1/14/2020

Kksham052 - 1/14/2020
Dave - 1/14/2020
Kksham052 - 1/13/2020
Hey guys,
I'm making instructions and I was wondering whether it's better to write them as a  "page" or  as an "item"?

An IAT script that I am referencing is putting the instructions under an /item but the "Inqusit help" function says the text for instructions  should be in "page".

I'm leaning towards using an item because it looked like I couldn't implement the page attribute into a text attribute. 

What I mean by page:
<page FirstInstrucr>
^^ Instruction 
^^ Instruction
^^ Instruction
</page>

Item:
<item instructions>
/ 1 = "Put your left finger on the 'E' response key for items that belong to the category '<%expressions.leftTarget%>'.
Put your right finger on the 'I' response key for items that belong to the category '<%expressions.rightTarget%>'.
~nItems will appear one-by-one in the middle of the screen.
~nIf you make an error, a red X will appear - to continue, press the other response key.
~nGo as fast as you can while making as few errors as possible."

/ 2 = "Put your left finger on the 'E' response key for items that belong to the category '<%item.attributeAlabel.item(1)%>'.
Put your right finger on the 'I' response key for items that belong to the category '<%item.attributeBlabel.item(1)%>'.
~nIf you make an error, a red X will appear - to continue, press the other response key.
~nGo as fast as you can while making as few errors as possible."


Neither is better per se, it depends on what you want to do. Use <item> along with <text> elements if you want your instructions displayed by standard <trial> elements run by the <block>(s). When using <page> elements, display them via the <block>s' and/or <expt>s' /pre- and /postinstructions attributes.

If I wanted to have instructions after each trial, would it be wise to use <item>?
For example, there will be a set of instructions, then once the participant has clicked I or E, there will be a page telling them if they are wrong or right. Then after this page, there will be another set of instructions. I'm guessing  I should use <item> as I am going with the trials. 

Yes, in the scenario you outlined -- feedback & additional instructions after each trial -- you should go with <text>/<item> elements, displayed by one or several dedicated feedback <trial> elements. <page> elements are not suitable in this situation, they're confined to being used either before (/preinstructions) or after (/postinstructions) all the trials in a <block>.
By uni-student92084 - 1/14/2020

Dave - 1/14/2020
Kksham052 - 1/14/2020
Dave - 1/14/2020
Kksham052 - 1/13/2020
Hey guys,
I'm making instructions and I was wondering whether it's better to write them as a  "page" or  as an "item"?

An IAT script that I am referencing is putting the instructions under an /item but the "Inqusit help" function says the text for instructions  should be in "page".

I'm leaning towards using an item because it looked like I couldn't implement the page attribute into a text attribute. 

What I mean by page:
<page FirstInstrucr>
^^ Instruction 
^^ Instruction
^^ Instruction
</page>

Item:
<item instructions>
/ 1 = "Put your left finger on the 'E' response key for items that belong to the category '<%expressions.leftTarget%>'.
Put your right finger on the 'I' response key for items that belong to the category '<%expressions.rightTarget%>'.
~nItems will appear one-by-one in the middle of the screen.
~nIf you make an error, a red X will appear - to continue, press the other response key.
~nGo as fast as you can while making as few errors as possible."

/ 2 = "Put your left finger on the 'E' response key for items that belong to the category '<%item.attributeAlabel.item(1)%>'.
Put your right finger on the 'I' response key for items that belong to the category '<%item.attributeBlabel.item(1)%>'.
~nIf you make an error, a red X will appear - to continue, press the other response key.
~nGo as fast as you can while making as few errors as possible."


Neither is better per se, it depends on what you want to do. Use <item> along with <text> elements if you want your instructions displayed by standard <trial> elements run by the <block>(s). When using <page> elements, display them via the <block>s' and/or <expt>s' /pre- and /postinstructions attributes.

If I wanted to have instructions after each trial, would it be wise to use <item>?
For example, there will be a set of instructions, then once the participant has clicked I or E, there will be a page telling them if they are wrong or right. Then after this page, there will be another set of instructions. I'm guessing  I should use <item> as I am going with the trials. 

Yes, in the scenario you outlined -- feedback & additional instructions after each trial -- you should go with <text>/<item> elements, displayed by one or several dedicated feedback <trial> elements. <page> elements are not suitable in this situation, they're confined to being used either before (/preinstructions) or after (/postinstructions) all the trials in a <block>.

Thank you Dave!