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R package for training and evaluating visual count estimates
VisCount allows you to train rapid visual estimates of the number of individuals (symbols) in the plotting window and get a series of insightful statistics on your performance and how it evolves along different training sessions. It can also be a practical and economical tool for the training and calibration of field teams collecting information on the sizes of flocks or populations.
Enter your number estimate each time, repeat over one or more R sessions, and get your performance statistics:
To install the package directly from R-Forge, paste the following command in the R console (while connected to the internet):
install.packages("VisCount", repos="http://R-Forge.R-project.org")
This should normally work under the latest version of R. If it fails, producing a message like "package 'VisCount' is not available for your R version", you can either upgrade R or download the compressed package source files to your disk (.tar.gz for Linux/Mac or .zip for Windows, available here or here) and then install the package from there (R menu "Packages - Install packages from local zip files", or "Tools - Install packages - Install from: Package Archive File", or "Packages & Data - Package installer, Packages repository - Local binary package", ... depending on your R interface).
You only need to install the package once, but then every time you re-open R you need to load it by typing:
library(VisCount)
You can then check out the package help files and try the examples provided at the bottom, to get a sense of the VisCount workflow:
help("VisCount")
A reference manual based on the package help files is available in PDF format. There is also a forthcoming article about the package containing applications and general user guidelines. The provisional reference is:
Barbosa A.M. (submitted) VisCount: a free software tool to train and evaluate visual count estimates.
The project summary page you can find here.
NOTE: The VisCount logo on top of this page uses an image of the Viscount of Sabugosa, a character from the novel series Sítio do Picapau Amarelo created by Monteiro Lobato and licensed by TV Globo. Authorization for use of the image has been granted – thanks!