Contents - Index - Previous - Next

ProtoGenie Home Page

How to Create Groups

Groups are used mostly in experimental research, although "Panels" are frequently used in surveys and other research methods.  There are basically two kinds of groups in experiments, Treatment Groups and Control Groups.  

To add a group to a protocol that already exists, log on and go to the personal or public library that contains it.  Click on the title of the protocol.  In the User Action Menu, click on Edit.  This takes you to the main page of the Composer called the "Edit Protocol Page."

Click on the Groups tab.  In that window, click on Create (New Group).




This inserts a new group in the list of groups in that window.  Its temporary label is "New Group."  Click on this label and change it to the name that you wish to use.  If you look under the "Sequencing Tab," you will see your new group listed in the Execution List of this window.  If you open it by clicking on the drop down icon, you will see that there are no new events attached to that group as yet.

You should fill in the columns immediately to the right of the Group Label in the Groups Window, including a description of the group you just created.
 
Sometimes the properties of groups differ only slightly and so it can be a great time-saver to add a copy of an existing group and modify it to fit.  To make a copy of a group, click on the group that you wish to copy in the "Make & Edit Group Window," click on Edit, and then on Duplicate.

To remove a group from the current list of groups, click on the group to be removed in the "Make & Edit Window," click on Edit and then on Delete.

Generally, sessions for groups will begin at the same time, so that the order of the groups in Execution List Window does not matter. However, if you want groups to start at different dates and/or times, you can order them the way you wish in the Execution List Window using the Move menu and using the Support Event "Scheduling" to specify dates and times.

Random Assignment of Subjects to Groups at Run-time 
See Random Assignment to Groups.