Independent study

WHY?

• Inquiry-based lab design encourages independent thought.

• Has been shown to increase learning and information retention.

• Working in groups of 3.

Timeline (4 weeks)

• Before October 17-18: Conduct a literature review.

• October 17-18: Come in for consultations.

• October 24-November 8: Develop and carry out a 3-week experiment.

• In class (Nov. 22-29): Present your results orally

• Write a paper on your experiment (due Nov. 14-15). You should be working on this over the next few weeks...No extensions will be given.

Literature review

• Read peer reviewed papers

• Is there a gap in knowledge? What is unknown?

• OR, what is debatable?

Project development

• Consultations

• Research question and hypotheses– Hypothesis: a statement predicting the outcome

of your study.

• Methods developed to answer your question

Variables

• Dependent variable: what you measure

• Independent variable: what you control

• Extraneous variable: something that may influence your results/dependent variable– E.g. lighting, time of day, health status, etc…

Data collection

• Instantaneous/Scan sampling (e.g. fish lab)• Focal animal sampling (e.g. Waterfowl park

lab)• Behavioural scoring (e.g. Flour beetle lab)

• Create data sheets!

Your experiments!

What are your options?

Critters

• Pillbugs• Snails• Flour beetles• Hermit crabs• Crickets• Others? Ants?

Isopods?• Fish (limited)

What else is available?

• Think about what you have used in lab– Plexiglass plates/chambers, lamps, tanks, heaters,

critters…

• Get creative!

• Is there anything (within our means) that you would like purchased?

Possible avenues of study

• Trail following• Light preference• Food preference• Mating behaviour• Aggressive behaviour• Moisture/humidity preference• Temperature preference• Pheromone detection

You have a lot of flexibility when it comes to experiment choice!

Think outside the box!

Consultations

• Sign up for a consultation time using Doodle. An email will circulate with the Doodle link within the next few days.

• Sign up for a time slot during your regular lab period.

Presentations

• Done in class Nov. 22-29, 15 min (12 min pres, 3 min questions)

• The presentation should consist of the following: – your purpose – research question/hypothesis – methodology– results and implications of your work– future avenues…

This sounds like it might be a lot of work…

This project is worth 20% of your grade…

Your thoughts? Questions?