Which comparison best distinguishes a running record from event sampling?

• A. Running record records each instance of a behavior; event sampling counts frequency.
• B. Running record uses intervals; event sampling uses continuous narration.
• C. Running record requires rating scales.
• D. Running record is qualitative; event sampling is quantitative.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how the data are gathered in observation. A running record provides a continuous narrative, recording every instance of the target behavior as it occurs along with the sequence and context. Event sampling, on the other hand, focuses on tallying how often the behavior happens during the observation period, giving a simple frequency count rather than a detailed description of each instance. That difference—continuous, detailed recording of each occurrence versus counting how many times the event occurs—best distinguishes the two. The other statements mix up aspects like intervals or rating scales and don’t capture the fundamental contrast between narrative detail and frequency counting.