Standard Report: Single Triangle Test Results

Standard Report: Single Triangle Test Results

Overview

The Standard Report for Single Triangle test data can provide the following analysis:
  1. Sensory discrimination (exact) analysis. This analysis is a statistical non-inferiority test (which in this case is a binomial test of the lower tail) and it aligns with the ASTM standard E3009-23a. You can choose between discrimination, equivalence, and equivalence for reps analysis.

  2. Discrimination analysis (a Difference and/or a Similarity test). This analysis follows the formulas published in the Sensory evaluation techniques by Meilgaard et al. This analysis has been included in Compusense since this test type was originally implemented in Compusense.

If a Triangle related comment question was asked you will also see a list of comments for Correct and Incorrect responses.


Generate the Report

There are four steps in the Create report area:

1. Select report type : Select Standard Report. If necessary, filter the data before generating the report.


2. Select options : Choose whether you wish to run the Sensory discrimination (exact) analysis or Discrimination analysis. 
  1. If you choose the Sensory discrimination (exact) analysis, select to run a Difference test and/or Equivalence test. You will also notice the Equivalence test for replications option, but since your test is a single Triangle, even if you select this option, the equivalence analysis for reps is not applicable and therefore will not be included in the report. 

    Enter the Alpha you wish to use for the test(s). The default is 0.05.

    Difference thresholds:
    Update the d' (d prime) by typing directly in the box. The default is 0. You will notice that the Pd and Pc values will automatically recalculate.

    If you update the Pd (the default is 0), then the d' and Pc values will automatically recalculate. Likewise, if you update the Pc value (the default is 0.3333), the d' and Pd values will automatically recalculate.

    Reminder that even if you select the Equivalence test for replications option, the equivalence analysis for reps is not applicable in single Triangles and therefore will not be included in the report. 

    Equivalence thresholds:
    Update the d' (d prime) by typing directly in the box. The default is 1.25. You will notice that the Pd and Pc values will automatically recalculate.

    If you update the Pd (the default is 0.19), then the d' and Pc values will automatically recalculate. Likewise, if you update the Pc value (the default is 0.46), the d' and Pd values will automatically recalculate.

  2. If you choose the Discrimination analysis, select to run a Difference test and/or a Similarity test. The Alpha value for the Difference test can be updated as necessary, and so can Alpha and Beta levels for the Similarity test be updated as necessary.

3. Select questions : Select which questions you wish to include in the report.

4. Select export type : Choose the export type that best suits your reporting needs.


Triangle Standard Report Details

What is included in the report will depend on what you selected before generating the report, as described in the previous section of this workflow.

Report and Sample Details


The Standard report for Triangle question data includes the following information about the report itself and about the samples:
  1. Test Name : The name you specified during the test setup in the Overview tab.

  2. Number of Evaluations : The number of evaluations in the test. This will include Complete and Partial Results. Use the Filters feature to control what is included in analysis.

  3. Test Completion Date : The date when your test was set to Complete in the Run test tab. 

  4. Samples Table: This table provides a summary of all your sample information as specified during the test setup in the Overview tab.


Sensory Discrimination (Exact) Analysis

Difference Test




  1. Above the table, the following information is displayed:

    1. The threshold values specified by the user before generating the report.

    2. Statement on how conclusions are made based on the selected alpha. The confidence % is the only value that will change in this statement depending on the Alpha value specified before the report was generated.

  2. The table displays the following details:
    1. p-value: The p-value for the triangle test.

    2. Responses Required: The minimum number of correct responses necessary to reach the conclusion of Different.

    3. Conclusion: A conclusion is made based on whether the difference between samples is significantly larger than the difference threshold.

    4. Triangle test number: This workflow focuses on a single triangle, which will always only have Triad 1 in the report.

      Back to back Triangle test data on 2 samples, on the other hand, will display separate rows for each triad.

      Back to back Triangle test data on 4+ samples, will generate separate set of tables for each triad.


Equivalence Test



  1. Above the table, the following information is displayed:

    1. The threshold values specified by the user before generating the report.

    2. Statement on how conclusions are made based on the selected alpha. The confidence % is the only value that will change in this statement depending on the Alpha value specified before the report was generated.

  2. The table displays the following details:
    1. p-value: The p-value for each triangle test.

    2. Responses Required: The maximum number of correct responses permitted to reach the conclusion of Equivalent.

    3. Conclusion: A conclusion is made based on whether the difference between samples is significantly larger than the equivalence threshold.

    4. Triangle test number: This workflow focuses on a single triangle, which will always only have Triad 1 in the report.

      Back to back Triangle test data on 2 samples, on the other hand, will display separate rows for each triad. In these tests you may also choose to run the Equivalence via sensory discrimination (exact) equivalence test for replications analysis.

      Back to back Triangle test data on 4+ samples, will generate separate set of tables for each triad.


Supporting tables

Proportion Correct:

  1. N: Total number of evaluations included in the report.

  2. Correct: Count of correct responses (where the odd sample was identified correctly).

  3. Incorrect: Count of incorrect responses (where the odd sample was not identified correctly).

  4. Estimate Pc: Estimated proportion correct.

    Formula: Pc = c / n

    Where:
    c = number of correct responses.

    n = total number of evaluations.

  5. SE: Standard error of the estimate of the proportion of momentary discriminators.

  6. LCL: Lower confidence limit at the Alpha specified before generating the report.

  7. UCL: Upper confidence limit.

  8. Triangle test number: This workflow focuses on a single triangle, which will always only have Triad 1 in the report.

    Back to back Triangle test data on 2 samples, on the other hand, will display separate rows for each triad. In these tests you may also choose to run the Equivalence via sensory discrimination (exact) equivalence test for replications analysis.

    Back to back Triangle test data on 4+ samples, will generate separate set of tables for each triad.



Proportion of momentary discriminators (Pd):



  1. Estimate Pd: Estimated proportion of distinguishers.

  2. LCL: Lower confidence limit at the Alpha specified before generating the report.

  3. UCL: Upper confidence limit.

  4. Triangle test number: This workflow focuses on a single triangle, which will always only have Triad 1 in the report.

    Back to back Triangle test data on 2 samples, on the other hand, will display separate rows for each triad. In these tests you may also choose to run the Equivalence via sensory discrimination (exact) equivalence test for replications analysis.

    Back to back Triangle test data on 4+ samples, will generate separate set of tables for each triad.


d prime:


  1. d' (read d prime): The measure of the extent of the overlap of panelist perception. It is the distance between the means of the two distributions measured in terms of their standard deviation.

    The larger the d’ value, the samples are more different. Where the d' value is 0 it means that the samples are indistinguishable. A d’ of 1 or less might be considered small and a d’ of 2 or more might be considered large, but it depends on various factors.

    This calculation is always done treating each response as independent, as if the test is unreplicated. For example, d' on a back-to-back test with 50 assessors who provide 2 responses, calculation is done as if there are 100 assessors who provide 1 response each.

  2. LCL: Lower confidence limit at the Alpha specified before generating the report.

  3. UCL: Upper confidence limit.

  4. Triangle test number: This workflow focuses on a single triangle, which will always only have Triad 1 in the report.

    Back to back Triangle test data on 2 samples, on the other hand, will display separate rows for each triad. In these tests you may also choose to run the Equivalence via sensory discrimination (exact) equivalence test for replications analysis.

    Back to back Triangle test data on 4+ samples, will generate separate set of tables for each triad.


Discrimination Analysis

If included in the report, the tables described below are generated based on the standards for Triangle testing that existed prior to the implementation of the new ASTM standards.

Difference Test



  1. Chance : The probability of panelists correctly selecting the odd sample by chance.

  2. N : The number of evaluations included in the report. This will include Complete and Partial Results.

  3. Correct: The count of correct responses.

  4. Incorrect: The count of incorrect responses.

  5. Responses Required: The minimum number of correct responses required to reach the significant difference.

  6. d' (read d prime) : The measure of the extent of the overlap of panelist perception. It is the distance between the means of the two distributions in terms of their standard deviation. The larger the d' value, the larger the difference between samples.

  7. p-value : The probability of obtaining the observed test statistic or one that is more extreme under the null hypothesis.

  8. Decision of Significance : A statement of whether or not the samples are significantly different based on the Alpha selected when creating the report.

  9. Triangle test number: This workflow focuses on a single triangle, which will always only have Triad 1 in the report.

    Back to back Triangle test data on 2 samples, on the other hand, will display separate rows for each triad.

    Back to back Triangle test data on 4+ samples, will generate separate set of tables for each triad.



Similarity Test



  1. N: The number of evaluations included in the report. This will include Complete and Partial results.

  2. Correct : The count of Correct responses.

  3. Responses Required : The number of correct responses required to reach a conclusion of Similar.

  4. Conclusion: A statement of Similar or Not Similar. Samples are Similar when the number of correct responses is smaller than the responses required. Samples are Not Similar when the number of responses is equal to or greater than the responses required.

  5. Pc: Estimated Proportion correct.

  6. Pd: Estimated Proportion of distinguishers.

  7. Std error (Pd) : Standard error of the estimate of the proportion of (momentary) discriminators.

  8. Pmin, Lower confidence limit ( α=x) : Formula: Pmin = Pd + Zalpha * Std error (Pd). The default Alpha value is 0.10, this value can be changed when creating the report.

  9. Pmax, Upper confidence limit (α=x) : Formula: Pmax=Pd + Zbeta * Std error (Pd). The default Beta value is 0.10, this value can be changed when creating the report.

  10. Triangle test number: This workflow focuses on a single triangle, which will always only have Triad 1 in the report.

    Back to back Triangle test data on 2 samples, on the other hand, will display separate rows for each triad.

    Back to back Triangle test data on 4+ samples, will generate separate set of tables for each triad.



Additional Triangle Analysis

If your test included a follow up Triangle related Comment or a Triangle related Choose question, your Standard report will provide you with Triangle related Comments or Triangle related Choose data, depending on what question type you added into your test. Let's review what each follow up question provides in the Standard report.





If your Triangle test includes a Triangle related comment question, panelists' comments will appear in one of two tables; Correct response related comments or Incorrect response related comments.



Graphs


The data from a single and back to back Triangle can also be graphed. To generate the graph:
  1. In the Results area, click the Graphs tab.

  2. In the left sliding pane, select the Triangle question.

  3. Update any of the parameters needed in the right sliding pane. Don't forget to scroll down to see all the different settings on the right.

  4. Export the graph, or take a screenshot to include it in your reports.


PowerPoint Report

Compusense offers two types of PowerPoint Reports to provide visual representation of the panelists' responses, and the statistical conclusion:
  1. Custom built PowerPoint Report. Generate a custom built PowerPoint Report with your own logo, including the information and analysis you need, and in the order you need it.


  2. Build in PowerPoint Report. Generate a built in PowerPoint Report on your Triangle data to get visual representation of your data using difference test.


Generate a built in PowerPoint Report on your Triangle data to get a visual representation of the panelists' responses, and the statistical conclusion.

Idea
If you would like to generate PowerPoint Reports with your corporate colours in them, please contact our Support Team and they will assist you with the next steps.


Data


You can use the Data tab within your test, in the Results area, for a quick and easy insight into panelist performance within a single test (rather than across multiple tests as described below). The example screenshot above was taken in a single Triangle test.



Panelist Performance Report


Run a Panelist Performance report in the Panelists library to see how your panelists have performed over multiple Triangle tests over time, allowing you to discover patterns or non-differentiators. The workflow for the report will be available soon