This course will help you to get started using EthoVision. We will train you how to enter your experimental design into EthoVision, how to set it up to use any form of maze or enclosure and how to set it up to carry out the tracking. Furthermore we will train you to visualize and analyze your data. The course will use examples from the most commonly used mazes and tests, and if you notify us in advance we can make sure that the tests you carry out will be specifically dealt with.

This refresher training is suitable for two groups of people:

• New users of EthoVision.
• Users of EthoVision who have used the software before, but would like to refresh their skills.

You should have experience of working in a Windows environment and know the basic Windows features. For experienced users of our software we offer a range of other training courses.

The duration of this course is 1 day.

Contents:

1. How to enter an experimental design into EthoVision?
During this part of the course you learn how to work with independent variables in EthoVision, how to pre-define an experimental protocol and also how to define the behaviors that you will score by keyboard presses. This part includes extensive practical exercises.

2. How to make arenas and zones
You will learn how to define the area where tracking is carried out (the arena), how to calibrate the arena, how to make zones for analysis and how to make special zones (such as those used to automatically stop an experiment and hidden zones). Practical aspects such as optimal lighting can also be dealt with. This part includes extensive practical exercises.

3. Running a trial
You will learn how to make the settings to detect your animals correctly and how to use all the features to automate the trails. Live tracking and data acquisition from media files are discussed.

4. Visualize and analyze your data
You will learn how to make plots of your data, how to edit the tracks and how to make a nested data selection. The various statistical parameters are explained as well as the data filtering options. We also teach you how you can export data for use in other software packages like SPSS or Excel.

During the practical exercises we use realistic examples, as much as possible coming from your own research area. If you have special requirements regarding the contents of the training, please contact us in advance.