Recording observations and background research

Use animals touch as birds and lizards. Say that you expect seeing lizards most in your observation this week. You can also list other animals that live in Florida and would be around campus.

Recording Observations and Background Research

Lab 1: Students are introduced to the initial processes involved in the scientific method, which includes making observations, collecting preliminary data, and performing background research.

Objective:

To understand the importance of recording observations and good data collection along with performing background research prior to making any substantive hypothesis

Materials

Log (spreadsheet)

Computer/iPad with internet access

Part A: Research Question and Hypothesis

  1. Begin with a research question: What animal do you expect to see the most of during the course of the first week of the block?
  2. The “answer” to this question forms the basis of your hypothesis. This is what will be tested in your experiment.
  3. Identify the independent/dependent variables of your study.

Part B: Lab Assignment, Recording Observations

  1. For the next five days, log every animal you see on and off campus in an Excel workbook. Be sure to indicate the location. If you spend all of your time on campus, you will not have any “off-campus” observations.
  2. Only use basic terminology to describe what animal you saw. If you don’t know the species, just write the generic term — i.e. if you see a white bird and you don’t know if it is an ibis or a heron, just write “bird”
  3. Upload this document to the Canvas assignment portal when you are finished.