Conducting linguistic experiments online with OpenSesame and OSWeb

In this Methods Showcase, we outline a workflow for running behavioral experiments online, with a focus on linguistic experiments. The workflow that we describe here relies on three tools: OpenSesame/ OSWeb (open source) provides a user-friendly graphical interface for developing experiments; JATOS (open source) is server software for hosting experiments; and Prolific (commercial) is a platform for recruiting participants. These three tools integrate well with each other, and together they provide a workflow that requires little technical expertise. We discuss several challenges that are associated with running online experiments, including temporal precision, the ability to implement counterbalancing, and data quality. We conclude that these problems are real but surmountable, and that in many cases online experiments are a viable alternative to laboratory-based experiments.