EconPort - FAQs Regarding EconPort Experiments

Below are the questions and answers belonging to the Experiment Configuration and Management FAQ category.

If you have a question that is not covered by this FAQ, please email us and let us know what it is.

Questions

1.   What is a configuration?
2.   Where are configurations?
3.   I want to run an experiment, but I don't want the results stored on EconPort, what can I do?
4.   Do the people participating in an experiment need accounts on EconPort?
5.   Can anyone create an experiment?

Answers

1. What is a configuration?
A configuration is a saved set of parameters for a experimental economics software application on EconPort. In a sense, a configuration defines an experiment. For example, a configuration for a One Sided Auction experiment would have parameters for the number of bidders and the number of auction periods, to name a few.

2. Where are configurations?
All configurations are saved in the My Configurations section of the website. The My Configurations section of the website is accessible after an experimenter has logged in. Configurations in the My Configurations section are private and accessible only to the experimenter. Saving the configurations allows the same configuration to be reused for multiple experiments. This saves time for users who routinely run experiments with the same setup.

3. I want to run an experiment, but I don't want the results stored on EconPort, what can I do?
The default behavior is for the results to be privately stored on EconPort so that only you have access to the results when you log into EconPort. However, if you do not wish for your data to be stored in this manner, then you just delete your completed experiment from EconPort, and your results are erased from the EconPort server.

4. Do the people participating in an experiment need accounts on EconPort?
No. Only the person setting up and running the experiment needs an account on EconPort. Experiment participants only need to know the "access code" of an experiment in order to join and participate in an experiment.

5. Can anyone create an experiment?
Yes, provided you first create an EconPort account. You are required to create an account so that your experiment information is private and available only to you.