Experimental Ecology Laboratory

4 units

The goal of this course is to provide skills in the design, interpretation, and written presentation of ecological and evolutionary experiments, with emphasis on sampling methodology, hypothesis testing, and data analysis. A key objective of this course is to familiarize students with the importance of statistics and experimental design as unified tools, rather than two separate processes. The course does not seek to be exhaustive of all experimental designs or statistical techniques, nor intensive in any given one. Rather, its focus is on providing the tools and concepts for the critical evaluation, choice, interpretation and further independent learning of the experimental and statistical tools needed for research. Practical analysis of data will be taught in the program R, but no prior knowledge is required. This is a writing intensive course and grades are based on various assignments, including a final project, and in-class participation. This course fulfills the upper-level laboratory requirement for the Biology major. Check section description for latest lab enrollment link.