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INTERNET-BASED INTERVIEWS 241
‘neutral’, ‘do not want to respond’, ‘neither
agree nor disagree’) could distort the results.
Indeed, the points made in connection with
Internet surveys and questionnaires apply equally
to Internet experiments, and readers are advised
to review these.
Reips (2000b) points out that it is a
misconception to regard an Internet-based
experiment as the same as a laboratory
experiment, as
Internet participants could choose to leave the
experiment at any time
they can conduct the experiment at any time
and in their own settings
they are often conducted with larger samples
than conventional experiments
they rely on technical matters, network
connections, and the computer competence
of the participants
they are more public than most conventional
experiments.
On the other hand, he also cautions against
regarding the Internet-based experiment as completely
different from the laboratory experiment,
as
many laboratory experiments also rely on
computers
fundamental ideas are the same for laboratory
and Internet-based surveys
similar results have been produced by both
means.
Reips (200b) suggests several issues in
conducting Internet-based experiments:
Consider a web-based software tool to develop
the experimental materials.
Pilot the experiment on different platforms
for clarity of instructions and availability on
different platforms.
Decide the level of sophistication of HMTL
scripting and whether to use HTML or non-
HTML.
Check the experiments for configuration errors
and variance on different computers.
Place the experiment on several web sites and
services.
Run the experiment online and offline to make
comparisons.
Use the ‘warm-up’ and ‘high hurdle’ techniques,
asking filter questions (e.g. about the
seriousness of the participant, their background
and expertise, language skills).
Use dropout to ascertain whether there is
motivational confounding.
Check for obvious naming of files and
conditions (to reduce the possibility of
unwanted access to files).
Consider using passwords and procedures (e.g.
consistency checks) to reduce the possibility of
multiple submissions.
Keep an experimental log of data for any
subsequent analysis and verification of results.
Analyse and report dropout.
Keep the experimental details on the Internet,
to give a positive impression of the experiment.
At the time of writing, the Internet-based
experiment is currently more a child of psychology
than of education. However, given the rise
of evidence-based practice in education, and
the advocacy of randomized controlled trials in
education, this form of experimentation is set to
become more widely used in education.
Details of the development of Internet-based
experimental software can be found at:
http://www.genpsylab.unizch/wextor/
index.html
http://psych.hanover.edu.APS/
exponnet.html
http://www.genpsy.unizch/Ulf.Lab/
webexplist.html.
Internet-based interviews
The opportunity that Internet interviews present
for interviewing respondents is immense. For
example, online interviews which are entirely realtime
and synchronous through chat rooms, can be
anonymous for both parties if so desired, and the
opportunity to contact respondents at mutually
convenient times is enhanced. For example, at the
Chapter 10