Winter trek - 1950/60's?.  Photo source: Jim Snow.  Source & copyright notice
Winter Ecology - Project Guides
 
Guidelines for Project Proposals –
  • Project proposals, along with key reference pdf's, are due 3nd Week's midweek lecture - Late evening ok.
    • Submit by email. 
      • Include your name & the word 'proposal' in the filename
    • Cite and Submit at least one key journal article that relate to your question
      • Submit as pdf's or as link to online source
    • Proposals count toward your project grade
  • The purpose of the proposals is to get your projects started and to get feedback.  
    • They are not set in stone – that is, your question & plan can be modified as you proceed with your project.
  • Follow guidance in "Writing a Research Plan" by J. Austin. 2002.  Science Career Magazine July 26, 2002
  • Must be a Field Project - ask a question that can be explored through field data collection and analysis.
  • Format:  Max. one & a half pages (double-spaced) – be succinct, yet as specific as you can at this point – that is, say where you are in your thinking.  Include:
    • Title, reflecting your question
    • Question you propose to address, underlying concepts
    • Your plan (See 'Developing Your Plan' below)
    • Cite peer-reviewed journal articles that relate to your question, methods, field sites, etc.
  • Suggestions for getting started:
    • Start by reading chapters or sections in course texts LC, WEH (at Norlin & INSTAAR Reserves), and Winter World (by Bernd Henrich; course recommended text) that –
      • connect with a general interest you have, or 
      • relate to some topic you've heard about and are curious to learn more.
    • Pursue this more by looking at papers they cite (at the end of WEH chapters, or endnotes in LC).  Most papers are downloadable from the CU library's eJournals website
      • Note that all enrolled students have free access to the Library's online resources.   Talk to the Library to set that up if you have problems accessing these sites.
    • Follow up with web searches, using both
      • general search sites (e.g. Google Scholar)
      • scientific publication indices - such as the Web of Science accessed through the CU library website.
        • Note that this site can be used for searches by topic, but also, more importantly, to track down more recent articles that cite a key paper you've already come across (e.g. in the course texts or in on-line searches)
  • Developing your plan:
    • Your question must relate directly to wintertime ecological processes. 
    • Narrow your question –
      • Make it conceptually and logistically manageable (i.e. not overly complex and do-able in the allowed timeframe)
      • For example, focus on a two-way comparison – such as: 
        • 2 different species, 2 different environments, or the end-points of an environmental gradient.
    • Field Methods –
      • Discuss your methods and site selection.  Make it clear that it is doable in the few field days available to you.
    • Layout (outline) what you need to do, so you know it's do-able.
    • Use the process of writing down your ideas as a way to work them out.
    • Read about the power of observation - “Zen and the Art of Sherlock Holmes” by S. Kendrick. Utne Reader, Jan-Feb 2000, p. 65-69.  (pdf, 850k)
Other Resources –


Guidelines for Project Presentations –
  • Presentation are limited to 10 mins + 5min for questions.
    • Be succinct - better to present few interesting, key ideas in depth than to cover lots of ideas superficially.   Remember, it's the details that make concepts real.
    • Bad form to go over (part of "Timing" on Grading Criteria).
  • Project Presentation Writing Guide (pdf, 110k)
  • PowerPoint tips -
    • Tips for PowerPoints (ppt, 1.8M) - "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly": A general guide [from SEE-U, CERC, Columbia Univ]
    • How to include citations on your Intro, etc slides --
      • Citations (author, year) can be in small font on the slide (so doesn't visually interfere with your bulleted points), with the full reference on a Reference slide at the end.
      • If the material being referenced is only referred to in the notes frame, then the citation can be placed there.
  • Grading Criteria for Projects (pdf, 80k)
  • Also review:  Proposal Guidelines
  • Past years' pesentations
  • Your complete .ppt files are due at the time of presentations
    • Use the Notes pane for each slide to include the details of what you're presenting, and any extra material
    • Be sure to include a references slide at the end.  But end your presentation on your Conclusions/Take-home messages slide - so folks can re-read this as forming questions.
    • Please include your name, topic keyword(s), and 2-digit year in your .ppt filename: e.g. "JamesDean_Treeline&Snowdepth_11.ppt"
      • use underscores in place of spaces
  • Be sure to include on title slide:
    • Your name
    • Name of course, with semester/year
    • Course location: "Mountain Research Station, University of Colorado, Boulder"
  • Added 2/23/12 -- If you have a lot of images, compress images in your .ppt to make the file more manageable.
    • On PC versions of PowerPoint --
      • Right click on any image and select "Format Picture"
      • Click "Compress..." button
      • Select "All pictures in document" and "Print" resolution
      • Check "Compress pictures", and optionally to "Delete cropped areas" (the latter action will be permanent)
      • Click OK.  After processing is complete, click OK again
      • Then Save the file (I suggest Save As, using another filename so your original is intact)
    • On Mac - not all PPt versions have this function.
  • Submit your key references as pdf's


Research & Writing Resources  –
  • EEB2040 Writing resources links
  • Take advantage of EBio's Writing Lab for help in research and writing:   Ramaley C197. More Info including office hours (pdf, 50k).Contact: eebpaperhelp@gmail.com
  • The Writing Center. Looking for writing advice?  Meet one-on-one with a consultant for sound advice at any stage of the writing process. Learn strategies to formulate and organize strong thesis statements, use and cite evidence appropriately, master style and grammar and overcome writing anxiety. Services are free to all CU students. Located in the Norlin Library.  Email wrtghelp@colorado.edu. Additional information: http://www.colorado.edu/pwr/writingcenter.html

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