Comparing self‐directed methods for training staff to create graphs using Graphpad Prism
Either a picture guide or a short video teaches accurate Prism graphs—give trainees the choice and move on.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team taught graduate students to build graphs in GraphPad Prism.
They compared two self-teach packets: a written guide with pictures (EWI) and a short video with voice-over (VMVO).
An alternating-treatments design let each learner try both ways and pick the one they liked.
What they found
Both packets raised graphing accuracy.
More students said they would keep using the written guide, but both tools worked.
How this fits with other research
Cohen-Almeida et al. (2000) used the same quick-switch design to compare asking kids to name preferred items versus showing the real toys. Both formats found the top choice, just like both Prism formats taught the skill.
Gevarter et al. (2014) also flipped between two iPad AAC screens. Two preschoolers learned faster with photo hotspots; one did the same on both. The pattern echoes Berkman: small tech tweaks matter, yet either option can still win.
McCook et al. (2025) showed a five-minute video can lift on-task behavior in kids with autism. Their clip was short, cheap, and effective—backing up VMVO as a low-cost staff trainer too.
Why it matters
You can stop making long live demos. Hand new staff a two-page picture guide or a three-minute screen-capture and they will graph just as well. Let them pick the style, then move on to teaching clients.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
An important skill for behavior analysts is creating graphs that clearly convey outcomes and conform to publication conventions. GraphPad Prism is software designed for creating scientific graphs, but no prior research has empirically evaluated training graphing skills using Prism. Two effective training methods are enhanced written instructions (EWI) and video modeling with voiceover instructions (VMVO), but no single-subject studies have compared the effects of these methods. In this study, we compared the efficacy and social validity of EWI and VMVO for training staff to create graphs using Prism. A single-subject design was employed to compare the effects of the methods on the individual performance of 11 graduate students. EWI and VMVO were both found to be effective, and more participants chose to use EWI.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2019 · doi:10.1002/jaba.522