Example Workflow

On this page we show you an Example Workflow of BEHDS based on fictional questionnaires and data. This Example is also included in the download.

Initial Setup

Download BEHDS from here.

After downloading and extracting BEHDS, you should have the following folder structure:

  • BEHDS 1.0.0/
    • code/
    • projectdata/
    • rawdata/
    • resources/
    • templates/
    • behds.R

Step 1: Preparing Project Data

First, create a project folder within the projectdata/ directory and name it according to your project. For this guide, we will name the project folder Example.

Next, copy template.xlsx, template_info.xlsx and template_id.xlsx (optional) from the templates/ folder into your project folder. Rename these files to Example.xlsx, Example_info.xlsx and Example_id.xlsx, respectively.

Example_Folder Template_Folder

Once the files are renamed, open all of them in Excel. You will need to input data specific to your project.

In this example, the project uses the questionnaires “Silly” and “SPSS.” Additionally, demographic data, such as age, sex, handshakes, socks, dance, superpower, and group, were collected outside the questionnaires. Be sure to carefully read the headers in the template and fill in the information accordingly.

For example:

  • Define units such as “Years” for “Age.”

  • Specify open-ended questions and scales when necessary.

Step 2: Organizing Raw Data

Next, create a folder named Example inside the rawdata/ directory. In this folder, you will store your raw data files. It’s best to maintain a consistent naming convention for easier management.

In this example, we have four files. The naming conventions are flexible, but consistency helps avoid errors. The files will include demographic data and information from multiple sessions.

Rawdata_Example

For our example, we did a prescreening, where we assessed demographic data. We changed the first row to id and put in the id of the participants. The second row is called ses and we put in the session. Since we did a prescreening, we give it 0.

  • Example_ses-0.xlsx for demographic data.

    Rawdata_Example_ses0

We also have the data of three online surveys for each of the three sessions. Therefore we put in the ses column the number of the session.

  • Example_ses-1.xlsx for session 1 data.

Rawdata_Example_ses1

Note: You can create multiple files containing all your data; it does not all have to be in one file. Ensure the “id” and “ses” columns are correct in each file.

Step 3: Structuring Raw Data Files

Each raw data file needs to follow a specific structure. Here’s how to format the columns:

  1. ID Column: The first column should be named “id.” It should contain the participant ID, which must remain consistent across all files to ensure proper data merging.
  2. Session Column: The second column should be named “ses.” This indicates the session or measurement time point (e.g., 1, 2, 3). If there’s only one session, enter “1.”

Ensure that you fill out each column correctly, as errors in this step can lead to issues later during data analysis.

Step 4: Using Pre-existing Questionnaires

Now, check the resources/ folder to see if your questionnaire already exists. If it does not, create a new questionnaire file.

Resources_folder

Resources_SILLY

Step 5: Creating a New Questionnaire

If your questionnaire does not exist (e.g., “SPSS”), you will need to create one:

  • Copy questionnaire_template.xlsx from the templates/ folder into your projectdata/ folder.
  • Rename it to match your questionnaire, such as SPSS.xlsx.
  • Open the file and fill in the required information based on the questionnaire. Follow the column headers’ instructions carefully.

If done correctly, your file should look similar to this:

Resources_SPSS

Final Data Structure

Once all the files are created and filled out, your data structure should look like this:

  • projectdata/
    • Example/
      • Example.xlsx
      • Example_info.xlsx
      • SPSS.xlsx
  • rawdata/
    • Example/
      • Example_ses-0.xlsx
      • Example_ses-1.xlsx
      • Example_ses-2.xlsx
      • …
  • resources/
    • SPSS.xlsx
    • …

Step 6: Running BEHDS.R

Now, you’re ready to run the program.

  1. Open behds.R in RStudio. The file is located in the root folder, BEHDS 1.0.0.
  2. On the second line of the script, enter your project name:
    • proj = "Example"
  3. Press the Source button in the upper-right corner of the RStudio code window.
  4. Wait for the process to complete. This may take some time.
  5. Once finished, you will find the BIDS-compliant structure in bids/Example/rawdata.
  6. The feedback file Example.html will be available in bids/Example/derivatives alongside the completed .csv files.

RStudio_source