Guide 3A Data Collection
Products
Quiz, Media, & Portfolio Directions
Review Data Collection Contents
Data Collection Objectives
Data & Sampling
Provide examples of different forms of data about the natural world; describe the types of information data can convey; and discuss the techniques, benefits, and limitations of sampling from a larger population.
Photography
Describe different ways photographs have been, and are currently used, in science; and list basic photographic principles that can be used to capture information about animal structures and behaviors.
Population Data
Define what a population is and provide examples; read a population size chart, including identifying carrying capacity and providing examples of things that can limit a population’s carrying capacity; and analyze different forms of population data including population distribution.
Competition
Provide examples of intraspecific and interspecific competition impacts on population size; describe how competition relates to the potential impact of an invasive species on native species; and summarize and support with examples the risks and benefits of territorial behavior.
Data Collection Quiz
Quiz Directions
Complete all four sections and take the quiz on Canvas.
Use the learning objectives above to guide your studying.
Data Collection Media
Introduced in Data & Sampling section of this guide:
Data Collection Plan
In this media assignment you are creating a data collection plan that you will use for media piece 3B.
Choose a location with a population of organisms. It can be a yard, field, or somewhere indoors like a carpeted room. The species can be plant, animal, or fungus.
Determine the approximate size of the entire location/habitat, and the size of the smaller area you will sample at that location.
Design a quadrat to sample with, list any other supply needs, and identify potential safety issues.
We are providing the research questions that you will be supplying data to answer:
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What is the population size? (populations are described in the population data section)
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How is the population distributed?
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Is there evidence of interactions within the population and/or interactions of the population with other species?
Upload to Canvas a document that includes:
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The name of the location that you will be sampling (can be map coordinates, name of a park, type of room, etc.).
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The name of the organism you will be sampling (does not need to be an animal and can also be inanimate objects if organisms are not available).
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The approximate size of the overall location you are sampling.
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The size of the smaller area you will sample at that location, including the design of the quadrat you will use to sample.
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A list of any additional supply needs (you can just say its your field kit, if that is enough)
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A list of any potential safety issues.
Media Directions
To be completed after taking the quiz on Canvas.
Once you have completed your data collection plan, upload it to Canvas. Your plan can be submitted as a PDF, a word document, a photo of the notes, or even a video. Multiple assignment formats are supported.
Animal Portfolio
Portfolio Directions
Typically each week you will have about an hour’s worth of work on your Animal Portfolio that is due the Wednesday of Final Exam week (week 11).
After watching the portfolio update video, consider adding your own field notes (from module 2B) to your portfolio to fill in one of the nine outcomes.
Data Collection
If you would like to learn more about the topics introduced in this course, please visit the resources page.
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Module 3 Overview
This Guide
3A: Data Collection