Carry out a practical investigation in a biology context, with guidance.

Animal Behavior Study

Please indicate the name of the organism you will focus on with your aim and hypothesis in the document below

Student Instructions:

Ethology is the study of animal behaviour and it is based on careful observation of animals both in their natural setting and in artificial ones. Animal behaviour is driven primarily by external stimuli, including abiotic factors (temperature, light, etc.) and biotic factors (species interrelationships). Many behaviours are adaptations that increase the organisms ability to survive and reproduce successfully in its environment.

This assessment activity requires you to plan and carry out a biological pattern-seeking investigation on an animal species of your choice and to produce a written report on your findings which links to the findings of others, scientific principles, theories or models. It will involve the collection of primary data and you will keep a record of your process in a logbook.

This is an independent research project. You can share ideas at the planning stage if you are carrying out different but related investigations, but not if your investigation has the same purpose as that of other students. You must independently develop your own statement of purpose, linked to a scientific concept or idea and written as a hypothesis. The investigation should be carried out individually, including preparation of the report.

You will be assessed on the quality of the written report of your investigation (including the justification of your methodology) and the comprehensiveness of the discussion of both your findings and those findings from other sources, scientific principles or theories. You will need to include a literature cited section for your report and submit your logbook with your written report.

Conditions;

The investigation will be carried out using an animal that you are able to study either at home or using a webcam online. The investigation will take place over a period of a few weeks using a combination of both in-class and out-of-class time.

Task;

Follow the steps below to plan and carry out an investigation into animal behaviour on your chosen species. Keep a record of the planning process and the steps in your investigation in your logbook. Include in your logbook your recorded data, observations from trials or preliminary observations, notes from your original planning of hypotheses/methods, and feedback from your teacher.

Plan your Investigation;

Choose an animal and aspect of behaviour that you could investigate. Use the information from the preliminary teaching and the information sheets provided on the different species to help make this decision. All field work and data collection must be observation based and cannot involve any manipulation of the animals in any way.

Carry out some preliminary research and formulate research questions and possible hypotheses (explicit and testable). Consider the time and equipment available to you and the inherent restrictions of observing animals in artificial settings.

Discuss your hypotheses and research ideas with your teacher initially. After this discussion, choose one hypothesis to investigate that is clearly linked to a biological concept or idea.

Develop your Investigation;

Using your preliminary observations, initial research and information from prior teaching to write a detailed step-by-step method that describes how you will collect valid range of data/samples. In writing your method, consider factors such as sampling bias and sources of.

It may be necessary to adjust aspects of this method while collecting data.

Carry out your investigation;

Data will be collected over a period of time over the next few weeks. Collect and record all data accurately and clearly in a way that allows it to be interpreted without reference to the method. Ensure that you collect sufficient data to enable a valid trend (or lack of) to be seen so that so that you can draw a valid conclusion.

Evaluate the quality of information gathered and its degree of relevance.

Process and interpret your data;

Process your data in a way that is appropriate to the type of data you have collected. This could include producing tables and/or graphs that allow you to interpret the patterns in your data.

· Analyse your processed data to identify trends, patterns (or lack of), and relationships relevant to your hypothesis.

· This should include some method of measuring the reliability of your data.

· Write a valid conclusion for your investigation stating what the results show in relation to your purpose.

Report on your findings;

Prepare a formal report to present the findings of your investigation. Include the following sections:

· Purpose - written as a hypothesis linked to a scientific/biological concept or idea.

· Method - details of the final step-by-step method you used.

o Description of the population used in your study and their [insert physical description of study site e.g. enclosure].

o Details of the final step-by-step method used.

o Description of how key data is collected.

o Justifies choices made concerning methods, including how sampling bias, sources of error and other limitations were taken into account.

· Results - your appropriately processed data showing the presence (or absence) of a trend or pattern.

· Conclusion - a valid conclusion based on your interpretation of the processed data in relation to purpose (hypothesis) of the investigation.

· Explain the biological ideas (giving reasons how or why) relating to your own primary findings and the findings from other source(s).

· Discuss the biological ideas relating to your investigation by making links to either the findings of others, scientific principles, theories, or models.

NOTE: Any relevant findings of others, scientific principles, theories, or models must be cited in your report and listed in the literature cited section.

· Justify the choices you made throughout your investigation by evaluating:

- the validity of your method

- the reliability of your data

You could consider such things as how sources of error were eliminated, how limitations were overcome and/or how the effects of bias were reduced.

Hand in your written report along with your logbook and a list of the source(s) you used.

Literature Cited

Hand in your written report along with your research logbook and reference list formatted in APA style. e.g.

Leonardi, R., Buchanan-Smith, H., Dufour, V., MacDonald, C. and Whiten, A. (2010). Living Together: Behaviour and Welfare in Single and Mixed Species Groups of Capuchin (Cebus apella)and Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri sciureus). American Journal of Primatology 72:33-47.

Proffitt, F. (n.d.). How clean are our rivers? | NIWA. Homepage | NIWA. Retrieved June 17, 2013, from http://www.niwa.co.nz/publications/wa/water-atmosphere-1-july-2010/how-clean-are-our-rivers

Wilcock, R. J., Nagels, J. W., Rodda, H. J., O'Connor, M. B., Thorrold, B. S., & Barnett, J. W. (1999). Water Quality Of A Lowland Stream In A New Zealand Dairy Farming Catchment. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH, 33(4), 683-696.