A Rapid System for Scoring and Analyzing Sensory Data. D. M. Malek, D. J. Schmitt, and J. H. Munroe, Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, WI 53201. J. Am. Soc. Brew. Chem. 40:0133, 1982.

A computer-based system is described for rapid scoring, statistical analysis, and presentation of sensory data. The system virtually eliminates scoring and transcription errors while significantly reducing expended man-hours. The panelist's ballot for each beer is placed on a digitizer. Codes for panelist and product identification are entered into the computer. The mark made by the panelist to represent the score for each attribute is transmitted to the computer through the digitizer and pen device. The computer program makes several checks to validate the data. The result is a set of scores for each panelist, each product, and each attribute in the test. Opportunities are provided to check and correct entries. Depending on the objective of the sensory test, different statistical analyses are performed on the data. The resulting mean scores and other summary results are printed out in the form of a report memorandum. Optionally, a spider web plot with confidence bands for comparing products can be displayed.

Keywords: Computer scoring, Digitizer, Spider web plot, Statistical analysis