whole-interval recording
a strategy for observing behavior that provides information about the specific timing and duration of the behavior. In whole-interval recording, the length of an observation session is identified (e.g., 1 hour) and then broken down into smaller, equal-length time periods (e.g., 10-minute intervals). An observer then records whether the behavior of interest occurs throughout an entire interval, counts the total number of intervals in which the behavior was present, and calculates what percentage of intervals that number represents. See also partial-interval recording.