Using LLMs and ChatGPT in oTree experiments
The oTree community has put together a useful oTree app. It allows participants to chat with ChatGPT through OpenAI's API. The app itself uses prompts so ChatGPT takes on a character or personality for participants to chat with. However, the possibilities and use-cases for experimental research are endless
July 18, 2023
Why you shouldn't trust mediation as process evidence
Mediation is widely used in experimental accounting to obtain process evidence. The primary benefits of mediation are its low cost and easy integration. However, it has a hidden cost that weakens its effectiveness as process evidence. This post explains why it's the least effective method and suggests two better alternatives.
April 11, 2023
How to prevent bots and farms from taking over and ruining your online experiment
In this post, I share simple techniques to filter participants before they take part in your online experiment. These techniques filter bots and participants using automated scripts plus participants who fake their geolocation using VPN/VPS, proxies, and server farms.
December 23, 2022
Replications can help improve relevance of accounting experiments
Both replications and practical relevance are awkward discussion topics for most experimental accounting researchers. Yet, replications offer a concrete way to address concerns we may have about the 'practical relevance' of experimental findings.
May 3, 2022
Are experiments conducted online field experiments or laboratory experiments?
Experiments that recruit from online participants pools such as MTurk and Prolific have become increasingly popular over the past two decades. However, since scholars have referred to such experiments as both laboratory and field experiments, which classification should we use?
August 6, 2021
Why PEQs do not provide the best process evidence
Mediation is widely used in experimental accounting to obtain process evidence. The primary benefits of mediation are its low cost and easy integration. However, it has a hidden cost that weakens its effectiveness as process evidence. This post explains why it's the least effective method and suggests two better alternatives.
April 23, 2021
Why ANOVA and linear regression are the same
Why do some experimentalists in accounting use ANOVA's while other use regressions? What's the difference? This post shows why they are merely different representations of the same thing.
February 26, 2021
Automize testing your experiments with 'bots'
Bots are a powerful yet often overlooked tool that helps experimental researchers test their applications more effectively and efficiently. In this post, Victor van Pelt explains their use and argues that their usefulness may even extend beyond testing.
December 4, 2020
What do participants think of accounting experiments?
Which design features of accounting experiments contribute the most to participant motivation, participant engagement, and perceived similarity to practice? Bart Dierynck and Victor van Pelt are in the process of providing an empirical answer
October 19, 2020
Effect sizes don't matter for experiments. Or do they?
Some accounting researchers argue that effect sizes do not matter in experiments. In this post, I explain why effect sizes do matter and why they can be particularly valuable for experiments in the field of accounting.
September 17, 2020