Using CHAINS, a QuickBASIC 4.5 Program, to Teach Single-Subject Experimentation with Humans

Abstract

Students enrolled in a single-subject design course studied the repeated acquisition of response sequences by using CHAINS, a QuickBASIC 4.5 program, which runs in DOS or Windows. For about 2 months, students examined the learning of such sequences as a function of various treatments. Each week students graphed their data, discussed their research, modified their experiments, and then wrote American Psychological Association-style manuscripts. Students positively evaluated CHAINS and the instructional process. Suggestions for future instruction include distributing students' manuscripts the following semester so new students can replicate earlier work and using the alternating treatments design, which quickly permits comparing treatments.