A short, fictional exercise for a supervisor and new technician to discuss together. This does not replace required training, supervision, assessment or an individualized plan.
Start with a definition
In this practice only, an event is one hand raise that starts when the hand lifts above shoulder height and ends when it returns below shoulder height. A raised hand held up is one event, not repeated events.
Work the example
During an eight-minute observation, the hand was raised and lowered four separate times. How many events occurred? What was the average number per minute?
Show the calculation
Count: 4 events. Rate: 4 events ÷ 8 minutes = 0.5 events per minute. Count and rate describe this example only; they do not explain why the behavior occurred.
Check the data
- Did both observers use the same start and end rules?
- Was the whole eight-minute interval observed? Note any missed observation according to the supervisor’s directions.
- What should the trainee do if two events overlap or the definition does not fit what they see? Ask the supervisor rather than inventing a rule.
Use fictional examples; real data belongs in your organization’s approved system.
Return to the supervisor onboarding guide
Reference for the broader technician knowledge areas: BACB RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.), checked November 3, 2026. This practice is not a BACB assessment or an official preparation resource.