Help with OTree Integration

⛑ Community Support
1

Hi everyone,

I am woundering if there is a best practice regarding how to automatically record Prolific IDs when using oTree. The help page has infos regarding different platforms but not oTree.

Thanks a lot in advance :slight_smile:
Jan

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2

Hi Jan!

I also use oTree and until know have been recording the IDs with an initial screen asking participants to manually insert them. However, I also want to switch to the automated version and have been wondering the same.

Although Prolific does not mention oTree in the software integration guide, oTree does mention Prolific (scroll down to the end of this page). I haven’t tried this way yet, but if I do I’ll make sure to share my experience with you.

Veronica

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Hey Veronica.

Thank you!
Very kind of you :slight_smile:

Jan

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4

Hi everyone,

quick update: Yes, the official oTree-documentation mentions an intergration via oTree HR.
I had a first look at it. So far, this seems to be the way to go (it should take care of Prolific IDs, completion links and automated payments).

It seems that oTree 5 is required.

Best,
Jan

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5

thanks for the awesome information.

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Just bumping the post to ask whether you managed to solve the issue with automatic collection of Prolific IDs and if yes, if with oTree HR or without it.

Any insight would be appreciated, I think also from the rest of the Community which uses oTree!

Thank you :slight_smile:
Veronica

1 Like
7

Hi Veronica,

yes, I used oTreeHR and everything went well :-).

A few changes need to be done in the oTree-code. I think they are fairly straight forward and they are explained on oTreeHR. (For this point, I had help from a programer, it was faster this way).

  • You need to copy the oTree-Session-code into oTreeHR.
  • After this, you need to copy the study Link form oTreeHR to Prolific. And to copy the study-completion-link from Prolific to oTreeHR.

I hope that helps. I hope I am not forgetting anything.

Best,
Jan

3 Likes
8

Hi All,

I’m using prolific without oTreeHR. I could record the prolific ids without an issue using the instructions. My question is, when we create a session in oTree, we have to specify the number of subjects. So when subjects open the link from prolific but do not complete the study (return submission), their incomplete data is recorded and oTree takes out available positions since they have started. Is it possible to overcome this?

If subjects reopen the link, would it be recorded as another participant or would they start from where they left? (I set prolific id as participant label)

Thanks
Bhagya

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Hello @Bhagya_Gunawardena, welcome to the Forum!!

My question is, when we create a session in oTree, we have to specify the number of subjects. So when subjects open the link from prolific but do not complete the study (return submission), their incomplete data is recorded and oTree takes out available positions since they have started. Is it possible to overcome this?

What I usually do to overcome this problem is setting a bigger number of places than that actually needed for the experiment. So, the number of places on my oTree session is different (and substantially higher) from that on my Prolific study.

If subjects reopen the link, would it be recorded as another participant or would they start from where they left? (I set prolific id as participant label)

I guess is the second one, but I have to check this. Maybe others have a more accurate response on this.

Hope it helps!
Veronica

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Thank you Veronica,

This sure is helpful!

11

Hi,

I am planning to use otree HR for a Prolific study that takes the form of an individual survey. I made a test session with 3 participants, pasted the session code into otree HR, and then pasted the study link generated by otree HR into Prolific. I previewed the study on Prolific, and my otree site recorded the choices I made under the session’s first participant code.

In Prolific’s preview, I can’t complete the survey as participant 2 or 3. I assume this is because the preview only works for a single run-through of the survey. But I’d like to confirm the correct way to configure the sessions I paste into otree HR. If I want N participants to each individually complete a study, should I make one session with N participants, one session with >N participants, or should I be using a room in some way?

Also, if people open the link and then close it and return later, can anyone confirm what happens? Do they resume the survey where they stopped under the same participant code?

Thanks,
Kim

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@Community_Leaders does anyone have experience with OTree? :slight_smile:

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Hello @ksarnoff! My 2 cents on the topic.

should I make one session with N participants, one session with >N participants, or should I be using a room in some way?

I haven’t used oTree HR so far but I guess that what I usually do would work also in your case. What I do is to set a bigger number of places in the oTree session than the number of participants you recruit through Prolific. This is enough to prevent your study from being ‘blocked’ when there are no more places left in your session because of incomplete submissions, and not leaving space for other submissions.

Also, if people open the link and then close it and return later, can anyone confirm what happens? Do they resume the survey where they stopped under the same participant code?

I think they will resume the survey where they left it. If I get the chance to take a study as a participant these days I will verify what I say (and come back to correct in case needed).

14

thanks my issue has been fixed.