Researcher Guide

Researcher Guide

Last Updated: 2026-10-09 | For: Experimenters and researchers

Audience: Experimenters and researchers. This page does not assume code access or deployment responsibility.

This is the canonical researcher page. It replaces the old overview, consent/privacy, and citation stub pages.

Start Here

1. export the data you need
2. verify privacy and compliance responsibilities locally
3. record the exact deployment revision and settings context
4. cite the software and learning-model literature used in the study

Researcher Map

• Use Experiment Routes to understand launch context, login routes, and assignment context.
• Use TDF field tables, Stimulus Files, and Trial Types Reference for reproducible content configuration.
• Use Assessment Sessions for fixed schedules, Video Units and Adaptive Logic for adaptive video studies, AutoTutor Sessions for conversational tutoring studies, and Learning Algorithms Reference for adaptive practice interpretation.
• Use Data Privacy, IRB, and FERPA Notes before collecting identifiable or educational-record data.

Prolific studies

Use the Prolific researcher panel to connect your own account, link an owned experiment to a study, inspect participation, approve submissions, enter bonuses, and send authorized reminders. The initial paid submission completes after the first saved session; later study visits use private return links. Test-study preparation is a separate workflow. Review the launch contract in TDF field tables and the controls in Admin Reference.

Data Export

Content owners can download detailed per-trial data in DataShop-compatible format. Instructor Reporting remains the class-focused grading flow.

How to download:

• Main menu -> Data Download
• use Data Output for the full column reference

Key points:

• exports include per-trial timing, correctness, response text, and scheduling metadata
• fields prefixed with CF are MoFaCTS-specific extensions
• instruction-screen rows are lighter than learning/assessment rows
• Data Download is restricted to TDFs owned by the current user
• condition-root exports can include the owned root plus owned condition branches tied to that root

For timing analyses, use Interpreting Trial Timing. Time generally identifies first input on card attempts, while Problem Start Time identifies trial reveal. Start/end latencies are elapsed milliseconds; equal values can indicate a no-input timeout with a substituted first-input timestamp. Preserve both collection and export versions: older records may have timestamps reconstructed during export, and older deployed timers may start after question audio rather than at reveal. Do not treat a unit named Posttest as proof of internal trial type t, or the configured drill value as the complete trial duration.

Consent and Privacy

MoFaCTS is an application platform. Institution-specific consent language, IRB protocol, and legal review remain local responsibilities.

What MoFaCTS provides

Concern	MoFaCTS touchpoint	Documentation
What data is collected	Per-trial logs, responses, timing, correctness, scheduling state	Data Output
Where data is stored	MongoDB in the deployment environment	Remote Install
Access controls	Login authentication and role-based access	Settings-json Reference
Retention/backup operations	Admin-managed environment practices	Admin Reference

What you must handle locally

• IRB application and approval
• informed consent language and procedures
• data sharing agreements
• participant de-identification beyond what the system itself provides

Citation and Attribution

Use all of the following in serious research documentation:

1. record the exact version or commit hash used in the study
2. cite the relevant learning-model literature from Learning Algorithms Reference
3. record the deployment date and settings context
4. use CITATION.cff when you need machine-readable software citation data

Experiment Routes

Use these pages when your study depends on route or launch context:

Behavior	Where documented
Experiment-oriented login and API-key mode	Audio and Speech Settings
Route context and launch targeting checks	Experiment Routes
Adaptive unit orchestration	Video Units and Adaptive Logic
Learning unit behavior and scheduling	Learning Sessions
Assessment/pretest/posttest behavior	Assessment Sessions
Conversational tutoring behavior	AutoTutor Sessions
Trial type definitions	Trial Types Reference
Scheduling and algorithms	Learning Algorithms Reference