Frequency
Frequency counts how many times a target behavior occurs during a designated period of time.
Duration
Duration describes the length of time the target behavior occurs.
Rate
To calculate rate, count the number of times the behavior occurred in the time observed then divide this number by the length of time the behavior was observed.
Latency
Latency refers to the amount of time between an antecedent and when a student begins a specific behavior to understand how long it takes the student to respond.
Intensity
Measuring the dimension of intensity helps us understand the power and severity of the behavior. In a school setting, this is crucial because we need to access the risk to the student, other students in the building, and staff members.
Example
What is a good data recording tool for "out of seat" behavior?
To determine what data recording tool to use, you need to look at what is happening and what you want to track. Do you want to know how long the student stays out of her seat ? (duration recording) or How often is the student out of his seat? (frequency recording) or How long it takes between you redirecting the student back to their seat and when they actually sit down? (latency)