Recommendations for Using PowerPoint 2016/2020 to Create Individualized Matching to Sample Sessions on the iPad

Cariveau et al. (2021) wrote a how-to guide. They show you which PowerPoint 2016/2020 settings to tap so an iPad can run matching-to-sample tasks without extra apps.

The steps fix common glitches: slides that freeze, pictures that shrink, or answers that move when kids touch the screen.

The settings work. The paper gives exact menu clicks and file types that keep the task looking the same on iPad as on a laptop.

No data were collected; this is a tech recipe, not an experiment.

Aydin et al. (2022) also found a free tool useful. They showed PlotDigitizer pulls numbers from single-case graphs with near-perfect accuracy. Both papers tell analysts: you can stay accurate without pricey software.

Lanovaz et al. (2020) give another free fix. Their simulations say you only need two of three tiers to show clear change in a multiple-baseline design. Together, these three papers form a low-cost toolkit: run tasks on iPads, extract data free, and judge effects with looser but still valid rules.

PL (2025) pushes the same low-cost theme further, urging relational databases instead of Excel. The message across all four papers is clear: use cheap, clever tech and still meet research standards.

If you run matching-to-sample assessments in clinics or homes, these PowerPoint tweaks let you hand the client an iPad you already own. No new app fees, no Wi-Fi worries, and the kid can’t accidentally exit the task. Pair it with PlotDigitizer for quick data checks and Lanovaz’s tier rule for faster visual analysis. You save money and time while keeping procedural fidelity high.