Flash Programming for the Social & Behavioral Sciences
A Simple Guide to Sophisticated Online Surveys and Experiments
- Yana Weinstein - Washington University in St. Louis, USA
Adobe Flash is one of the most popular languages for animated web content, and recently social and behavioural scientists have started to take advantage of it to collect data online. This book is a unique, step-by-step guide to using Adobe Flash to develop experiments and other research tools. Each chapter presents a set of techniques required for one aspect of programming an experiment, with students following instructions in italics and working through the code included in the text. Most chapters end with an exercise to put the newly learned techniques into practice. No previous knowledge of programming is required, though general computer literacy is assumed. Basic programming principles are introduced throughout the book in the context of solutions to specific research problems.
“This text fills a need for accessible guides related to programming language and using Flash. Additionally, the examples and screenshots would act as a helpful reference for social science researchers.”
"The text is well organized, easy to follow, and provides a nice summation at the end of every chapter that highlights what the student should have learned.”
“The accessible accessible language, figures, and instructions are the key strengths of this text. The goals for each chapter (and the book as a whole) are clear and well-organized. The additional resources provided at the end are also helpful. This book is addressing a need in psychology research and anticipating the skills that many students will be called upon to use in their research.”
“Good attention to detail and care was taken to ensure that the code snippets are accurate. It reflects both current programming and current thinking in research design for the social sciences.”
