BIOL 3200 - General Ecology

Required Textbooks:

• Cite evidence for the ecological principles presented in class.
• Identify the steps of the scientific method in ecological literature, with particular emphasis on hypotheses and predictions.
• Identify the independent variable(s), dependent variable(s), and the subjects of an experiment.
• Identify ways to improve the design of scientific experiments.
• Synthesize and incorporate information from articles in peer-reviewed journals into class objectives.
• Demonstrate understanding and use of the scientific method and experimental design in actual field research studies (disciplinary learning; critical thinking).
• Work individually and in teams to plan and execute a physical, chemical and biological field survey. Project planning will include mission, goals, objectives, scope of work, tasks and timelines (social and personal responsibility; using resources; critical thinking).
• Incorporate knowledge, skill, precision and accuracy while performing the field experiments (disciplinary learning; using resources).
• Work safely, both individually and in teams, in a supervised, "real world" lab and field setting (disciplinary learning; social and personal responsibility).
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills through active participation in seminars, project planning, report writing and oral presentations of their research project (literacy; critical thinking; social and personal responsibility).
• Use previously learned problem solving, statistics and computer skills to evaluate and present results of applied field and lab exercises and experiments (critical thinking; using resources).
• Maintain accurate, insightful, and timely field notebooks and journals throughout the term (literacy).  
• Creatively express themselves, both orally and in written form through field notebooks, journals, seminars, and written and oral presentations of formal research results (literacy; critical thinking; social and personal responsibility; using resources).