About GSEQ and SDIS

The Generalized Sequential Querier is a computer program for analyzing sequential observational data. It computes a variety of simple and contingency table statistics. Simple statistics include frequencies, rates, durations, and proportions (percentages).

Table (i.e., contingency) statistics include joint frequencies, adjusted residuals, chi-squares and, for 2×2 tables, odds ratios and Yule’s Q. Lags and data modification procedures allow for time-window sequential analysis. Statistics can be computed for various lags, and separately for each session or pooled over sessions, levels of a factor, or both.

The Sequential Data Interchange Standard is a language for describing sequential data as obtained thru direct observation of individuals, interacting dyads, or groups. GSEQ includes a compiler for SDIS-formatted data files that converts them into MDS files (modified SDS files), which are then analyzed with the various analytic procedures included in GSEQ.

Data can be entered manually into SDIS files, or converted from other data formats such as those used in Mangold’s INTERACT and Noldus’ The Observer videoanalysis software using our standalone utilities ActSds and ObsTxtSds (the Observer Version 6 and later)—although often a Python script or simply using Excel into SDIS format works as well.

Data modification: GSEQ’s data modification capabilities expand analytic possibilities. New codes can be created form existing ones using standard logical operations (e.g., and, or, not) or by recoding, lumping, and chaining. The window command is especially useful. It lets you define new codes (windows) that are tied to onsets and/or offsets of existing codes and, in particular, perform time-window sequential analyses.

Exportation: A major use of GSEQ is to produce statistics for export that are then analyzed by standard statistical packages such as SPSS or R or by standard spreadsheet programs such as Excel. More generally, GSEQ’s output consists of simple tab-delimited text files that can be read into and manipulated by any spreadsheet program.

Data plotting and interobserver agreement: GSEQ also includes helpful data plotting routines and procedures for assessing interobserver agreement with event-based and time-based kappas.

Program and Book

GSEQ 5, the current version, runs under Windows and on other operating systems that run Windows simulation software (for previous versions, see History). The best documentation for GSEQ is the extensive Help file that come with the program. Also useful is our book, Sequential Analysis and Behavior Observation for the Behavioral Sciences, described here (right or below).

SDIS was first defined in:

Bakeman, R., & Quera, V. (1992). SDIS: A sequential data interchange standard. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, 24, 554–559.  https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03203604

The initial DOS versions of GSEQ were described in:

Bakeman, R., & Quera, V. (1995). Analyzing Interaction: Sequential Analysis with SDIS and GSEQ. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 0-521-44451-9 (hdcv), 0-521-44901-4 (ppbk) [out of print; may be hard to find]