Documentation
Preface
DICE combines the control of experimental research with more realistic stimuli that are inspired by social media platforms. The DICE app (which is based on the powerful oTree framework Chen, Schonger, and Wickens 2016) enables you to create realistic social media feeds with customizable content while supporting between-subjects experimental designs. It provides precise dwell time tracking for engagement measurement and integrates seamlessly with popular survey platforms like Qualtrics. For participant recruitment, DICE works smoothly with Prolific, and all collected data is available in convenient formats for analysis.
Quickstart
Getting started with the DICE app is straightforward. Visit dice-app.org to access the web interface. You’ll need to create your stimulus configuration in a CSV file, for which we provide a template. After uploading your CSV to a public repository like GitHub, you can use DICE’s web interface to configure and launch your study. The platform handles participant management and data collection automatically.
Documentation Overview
Our documentation follows the natural workflow of creating and running a DICE experiment:
The Stimuli chapter forms the foundation, showing you how to create and configure your social media feed content using a CSV file. This structured approach ensures precise control over your experimental manipulations while maintaining the authentic feel of social media.
Once your stimuli are ready, the Launch a Study chapter guides you through the DICE web interface at dice-app.org. You’ll learn how to configure your experiment, integrate with survey platforms like Qualtrics, and manage participant recruitment through Prolific.
The Data chapter then explains how to work with the data DICE collects, including dwell time measurements and user interactions. You’ll learn about data structure, processing, and how to combine DICE data with your survey responses.
We’ve included two detailed Case Studies that demonstrate DICE’s capabilities in real research scenarios: one investigating ad recall and position effects, and another examining brand safety in social media advertising. For researchers interested in advanced implementations, the Deployment chapter provides guidance for hosting DICE on your own servers.
Getting Help
If you need assistance with DICE, you have several options available:
- Explore the documentation chapters
- Review the case studies for practical examples
- Visit our GitHub repository for additional resources
- Contact the DICE team for technical support