02-workflow.Rmd

# The `rethomics` workflow{#workflow -}


**From hypothesis to results**

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![The rethomics workflow](assets/workflow.png)

In rethomics, we envisage behavioural experiments as a workflow:

1. **Design** -- you plan your experiment (I can't really help you with that, but I trust you!).
2. **Record/track** -- you use your acquisition platform to record behavioural variables over time. They define the format of the results.
3. **Write individual information** -- you make a spreadsheet (CSV file) that details the experimental conditions **for each individual**. We call this a **metadata file**. It is a crucial concept in rethomics, so we will dedicate it the [next section](#metadata). You can often write your metadata as you plan your experiment, but sometimes, you want to enrich it with variables that you can only record after your experiment (e.g. lifespan).
4. **Link and Load data**  -- first, we enrich your metadata by "linking" it to the result. This allows you to load all the matching data into **a single`behavr` table** (see [section on `behavr` tables](#behavr)).
5. **Tranform & analyse & visualise** -- you take advantage of `rethomics` and `R` analysis and visualisation  tools.