An online sequential training package to teach citation formatting: Within and across participant analyses
A one-page checklist plus optional online modules and email feedback teaches APA citation mastery to most grad students without live instruction.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Guinness et al. (2024) tested a three-step online package to teach APA citation to 13 behavior-analysis grad students.
Step 1 was a one-page checklist. Step 2 added short online modules. Step 3 added email feedback.
They tracked each student in order, adding steps only if the student did not hit 100 % accuracy on a quiz.
What they found
Seven of the 13 students mastered APA format after only the checklist.
The other six needed the modules, and just two of those needed the email feedback.
Every student reached 100 % accuracy, most with the lightest touch.
How this fits with other research
Ruppel et al. (2023) and Ausenhus et al. (2019) also used remote BST, but they kept live feedback for all staff. Guinness shows you can drop the live part for many learners.
Sureshkumar et al. (2024) proves telehealth works for kids’ safety skills; Guinness shows it works just as well for grad students’ writing skills.
Downing et al. (1976) used a self-paced book to teach concepts; Guinness swaps the book for a checklist and adds modules only when needed. The idea—start small, add help only if needed—stays the same.
Why it matters
You can now train staff or students on any discrete skill without scheduling live meetings. Send the checklist first. If scores are low, add the short videos. If still low, add quick email feedback. This saves you time and keeps training lean.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
AbstractWhen teaching complex skills in higher education settings, different individuals may require different levels of instruction to achieve mastery. The current study replicated and extended Parry‐Cruwys et al. (2022) by evaluating the effects of an online sequential training package on accuracy of APA citations with graduate students in behavior analysis. The intervention consisted of (a) a checklist of APA citation criteria, (b) online modules based on principles of behavioral instruction, and (c) email feedback. All components were delivered remotely through course management software and introduced sequentially such that participants experienced only the intervention necessary to meet the mastery criterion. Of 13 participants, seven required the checklist only, two required the checklist and online modules, and four required the checklist, modules, and feedback. An across participant acquisition analysis revealed additional response patterns that could inform the refinement of future training materials. This evaluation demonstrates an efficient mechanism for assessing skill acquisition at the level of the individual learner in the context of higher education.
Behavioral Interventions, 2024 · doi:10.1002/bin.1988