Field Methods in Animal Behavior

Field Methods in Animal Behavior is a Cognitive Science class taught by Sarah Partan.

Course Description
This class will emphasize research methods for observing, coding, and analyzing animal behavior. We will practice behavior sampling and recording techniques on both domestic animals at the farm and wild animals in the campus woods. Students will carry out independent team projects on a species in the Hampshire woods as well as a class project on a study of the communication behavior of a local species such as squirrels or crows. We will examine how to summarize, analyze, and present data. Students will be required to learn graphical techniques for presenting data as well as statistical techniques for calculating inter-observer reliability scores.

Learning Goals

 * Project-based
 * Quantitative