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    Behav Res Methods. 2006 Feb;38(1):165-9.

    Comparing observational software with paper and pencil for time-sampled data: a field test of Interval Manager (INTMAN).

    Tapp J, Ticha R, Kryzer E, Gustafson M, Gunnar MR, Symons FJ.

    Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Peabody Box 74, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. jon.tapp@vanderbilt.edu

    In this article, we describe the Interval Manager (INTMAN) software system for collecting time-sampled observational data and present a preliminary application comparing the program with a traditional paper-and-pencil method. INTMAN is a computer-assisted alternative to traditional paper-and-pencil methods for collecting fixed interval time-sampled observational data. The INTMAN data collection software runs on Pocket PC handheld computers and includes a desktop application for Microsoft Windows that is used for data analysis. Standard analysis options include modified frequencies, percent of intervals, conditional probabilities, and kappa agreement matrices and values. INTMAN and a standardized paper-and-pencil method were compared under identical conditions on five dimensions: setup time, duration of data entry, duration of interobserver agreement calculations, accuracy, and cost. Overall, the computer-assisted program was a more efficient and accurate data collection system for time-sampled data than the traditional method.

    PMID: 16817527 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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