Initial instructions:
Familiarize yourself with the data provided in the Excel workbookbird_data.xls and the documents diversity_indices.pdf and veg_analyses.pdf.
Read O’Dea, Watson, and Whittaker (2004), “Rapid Assessment in Conservation Research: A Critique of Avifaunal Assessment Techniques Illustrated by Ecuadorian and Madagascan Case Study Data.” Concentrate on information regarding use of the MacKinnon list methodology. This article will also provide many citations to other publications that you may find useful in understanding and explaining the MacKinnon list methodology.
Write:
- A brief Introduction
- A brief Methods section (Three Pages Maximum-double line spacing)
For additional details, please refer to the Milestone One Guidelines and Rubric and the Final Project Guidelines and Rubric.
I have already written the Introduction section, the only part that needs to be completely redone is the METHODS section of this Research proposal-paper it is supposed to be three pages max, double spaced. I have uploaded my original Milestone One Document that I was working on, along with the, instructions, rubric, and supporting documents (Excel spreadsheet and other documents) that are to be used in creating/writing the methods section.
Instructor’s assessment on My Previous Work:
” I recommend dividing the methods section into 3 sub-sections: Study Sites, Data Collection Methods, and Analysis.
You need to include clear, complete and accurate descriptions of the 4 locations (study sites) in Belize. Refer to the Parcel Map and veg_analyses.pdf. These descriptions should include the GPS locations (Final Project Guidelines and Rubric has these), relative elevation, if there is a major body of water nearby, where the sites are relative to one another, etc. This will help when you are determining overall, which site to preserve.
Some or all descriptions of methods of data collection are unclear, incomplete, or inaccurate. The 3 data sets “we” collected are the vegetation diversity, MacKinnon bird data, and point count bird data. Therefore, you should be describing how these 3 were collected. The vegetation diversity method is listed on the pie charts provided. The MacKinnon and point count bird data are based off of the O’dea et al article. These descriptions should be detailed enough so that someone could replicate your experiment and receive similar results just by following your writing. How EXACTLY, was a MacKinnon survey conducted?
You need to include a description of the basic analysis techniques that were used to analyze the data including the software used to conduct the analysis. Refer to O’dea et al.(2004) and diversity_indices.pdf). How were the point count data sets analyzed? Look at the diversity indices file for help. How are we analyzing the MacKinnon data? Basically, we used Excel to graph the data. What about the vegetation data? Pie charts. You’ll need to specify how each set of data (vegetation, MacKinnon, and point counts) were analyzed. To better format this for you, you need to add three sub-sections to your methods section, pertaining to: Study Sites, Data collection Methods, and Anslysis.
- Study sites: You need to include clear, complete and accurate descriptions of the 4 locations (study sites) in Belize. Refer to the Parcel Map and veg_analyses.pdf. These descriptions should include the GPS locations (Final Project Guidelines and Rubric has these), relative elevation, if there is a major body of water nearby, where the sites are relative to one another, etc. This will help when you are determining overall, which site to preserve.
- Data collection methods: Some or all descriptions of methods of data collection are unclear, incomplete, or inaccurate. The 3 data sets “we” (use words like we, since you will be collected are the vegetation diversity, MacKinnon bird data, and point count bird data. Therefore, you should be describing how these 3 were collected. The vegetation diversity method is listed on the pie charts provided. The MacKinnon and point count bird data are based off of the O’dea et al article. These descriptions should be detailed enough so that someone could replicate your experiment and receive similar results just by following your writing. How EXACTLY, was a MacKinnon survey conducted?
- Analysis: You need to include a description of the basic analysis techniques that were used to analyze the data including the software used to conduct the analysis. Refer to O’dea et al.(2004) and diversity_indices.pdf). How were the point count data sets analyzed? Look at the diversity indices file for help. How are we analyzing the MacKinnon data? Basically, we used Excel to graph the data. What about the vegetation data? Pie charts. You’ll need to specify how each set of data (vegetation, MacKinnon, and point counts) were analyzed. ”
Hopefully the rubric (and documents to be used in connection with this assignment/essay) aren’t too terribly confusing to understand. However if it is, just refer to what my instructor noted up above about my previous attempt at writing the methods section.