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Incorporating Research into an Undergraduate Animal Behavior Course using Zoos and Webcams Assignment

https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/61/5/1762/6302378#supplementary-data

Davis-Berg, E. C. & Rafacz, M. L. (2021). Incorporating Research into an Undergraduate Animal Behavior Course using Zoos and Webcams. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 6(5), pp. 1762-1768. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icab137

Article describes a semester-long research project assignment that utilizes project-based learning (PBL) for students who are both majors and non-majors taking an animal behavior class. This assignment was developed to provide Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) which aims to introduce, assesses, and apply a research methods typically included as fundamental ethology/animal behavior course concepts. This student-led project involves the application of the scientific method in which students conduct background research, formulate a hypothesis, engage in non-invasive animal behavior observations for collecting data using different behavioral sampling methods, develop ethograms, analyze data, and finally write and present their research findings. Supplemental materials are included with sample assignments and rubrics.

Class type and size – works for both in-person and online. Original class sizes unknown but has worked with class of 150 through modification.

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