| # Editing your Grid Parameters |

The Grid Parameters section allows you customize the terms fo elements and constructs, the default rating scale, and the rating scale meta-values and types available.

## Terms for elements and constructs

The entities relevant to your purpose are generally called elements of experience, but they will also have a more specific type such as "friends," "houses," or "possible actions," and it more natural to use these in your conversation with WebGrid.

The text boxes at the top of the section enable you to enter a more specific term for an element, together with the plural form, enabling WebGrid to incorporate the terms in the dialog it generates.

Similarly, the dimensions along which you distinguish elements of experience are generally called constructs, but there is often a more specific term that would be more appropriate, such as "quality," "characteristic" or "property."

The second set of text boxes enable you to enter a more specific term for a construct, together with the plural form enabling WebGrid to incorporate the terms in the dialog it generates.

## Default rating scale

Classical grid elicitation uses a fixed multi-point rating scale to enable you place your elements along the dimensions of your constructs.

WebGrid supports this by enabling you to specify a default rating scale, such as 1 to 5, 1 to 7, 1 to 9, and so on. It supports any rating scale with a minimum of -100 or above and a maximum of 100 or below.

WebGrid also supports constructs having different rating scales in the same grid, and a range other than the default can be chosen when a construct is defined.

## Meta Values

A simple numeric rating scale is adequate for many applications but sometimes it is appropriate to support meta values that provide additional information about the placement of a particular element along a particular dimension.

Ratings commence by being open in that no value has been entered and this is indicated by "?" but this 'value' cannot be entered once a specific value has been given unless the "Open (?)" checkbox is checked.

If the "Unknown (!)" checkbox is checked then a rating can be entered as unknown, and indicated in the analyses by "!".

If the "Any (*)" checkbox is checked then a rating can be entered as having any value, and indicated in the analyses by "*".

If the "None (^)" checkbox is checked then a rating can be entered as none of the available values, and indicated in the analyses by "^".

If the "Inapplicable (~)" checkbox is checked then a meta rating can be entered to indicate that the construct is inapplicable to the element, and indicated in the analyses by "~".

## Data Types

Classical grid use numeric rating scales to place elements along the dimensions of your constructs.

However, in some applications it has been found important to offer more possibilities.

WebGrid supports the use of conventional ratings, category labels, integers and floating-point numbers in grids.

The check boxes determine which of these possibilities will be made available.

If no boxes are checked WebGrid defaults to a classical repertory/conceptual grid with a fixed rating scale.

If any of the "Data Types" check boxes are checked then some advanced capabilities are also provided:

- the rating scale may be changed for each construct;
- rating ranges may be asigned categorical labels;
- elements and constructs may be weighted
- constructs may be named;
- constructs may be specified as outputs to be anticipated;
- constructs may be assigned a priority level.