Bi 360, Winter 2007: Lab 1 outline

I.Introduction to Course

  1. My background in animal behavior
  2. Course overview (handout)
  3. Overview of lecture/lab topics
  4. Expected preparation
  5. Reading
  6. Read text prior to lecture when possible.
  7. Should read all of Ch. 1-2
  8. Will give you more of a selected reading list next week for first half of class.
  9. Lab preparation
  10. Receive or download/read and do any pre-lab exercise prior to lab
  11. For lab in two weeks, download and read mimicry lab
  12. Due dates: firm! Not accepted late except in cases of extenuating circumstances.

II.Jane Goodall’s, “When Animals Talk”

  1. A telepathic parrot?
  2. Watch video
  3. Discussion (Take notes. These will be useful for the homework assignment below.)
  4. What is your initial impression of this study?
  5. What is the hypothesis being tested? Is it a testable hypothesis? Why or why not?
  6. What do the researchers claim they have shown?
  7. What more would you like to know about the experimental methods and results before you are convinced that the research shows what the researcher claims it does?
  8. Cancer-sniffing dogs?
  9. Watch video
  10. Discussion(Take notes. These will be useful for the homework assignment below.)
  11. What is your initial impression of this study?
  12. What is the hypothesis being tested? Is it a testable hypothesis? Why or why not?
  13. What do the researchers claim they have shown?
  14. What more would you like to know about the experimental methods and results before you are convinced that the research shows what the researcher claims it does?

III.Video: “Why do birds sing”

  1. Gives you a good sense of the history of bird song studies and an insight into the types of questions and approaches to studying animal behavior.

Bi 360, Winter 2007

Homework: Due Monday, January 22, 2007 at the beginning of lab [20 pt]

Typed, double-spaced, 12-point font

I.Download and read both papers related to the “When Animals Talk” study

II.Write complete answers to the following (answer A-C for each study, then combine your overall impressions to answer part d) (typed, double-spaced, 12-point font)

  1. What is the hypothesis being tested? (May refine what we said in class based on reading the paper.) Discuss whether it is truly testable and falsifiable.
  2. Discuss these experiments,
  3. Scrutinize whether what they claim is actually shown by the data.
  4. Look at the data itself as well as what they have written about the data. Good data tables are included in both papers.
  5. Focus on methods and the way that results are scored and analyzed.
  6. Discuss aspects of the paper that seem valid as well as those that do not.
  7. Use notes from our discussion to guide your analysis.
  8. Point out any “red flag” statements.
  9. Make suggestions about how to improve the study
  10. I realize that you may not understand the statistical analyses, but you should be able to evaluate logically whether their stated assumptions for conducting the statistics are valid.
  11. You can also do very simple stats such as proportions to test their results in a basic, intuitive way.
  12. Overall, are you convinced by the data? Justify your answer.
  13. Which study do you think is more compelling and why?

III.Download and read mimicry lab. You will be given a short quiz to make sure you read the lab!