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Animal Behaviour Research Skills

Module description

If you are studying animal behaviour to Masters level and beyond, you will need to develop a well-honed set of skills to enable you to conduct research and communicate your ideas effectively. In this module, you will learn important skills that will enable you to study and research animal behaviour successfully. In particular, this module will provide invaluable training that will support the other modules you will undertake during your Masters. Upon completion of the taught sessions and the field/remote research component, you will have gained a deeper understanding of planning and conducting research in animal behaviour, experience with a wide range of research methods and technical equipment, and you will have learned how best to communicate your research ideas using a range of methods (oral presentations, written research proposals, project reports). Some of the taught sessions will be aimed at developing and conducting a small research project in Term 1, and some will involve working in small groups to develop an intensive observational research project which will be carried out over the course of a week in the Easter break.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of this module is to provide training in the essential skills of conducting and communicating research in the field of animal behaviour. This module will assist you in the preparation of your dissertation. If you are part-time it is recommended that you take this module in the second year.

Through attending the sessions and a research component (which may consist of a field trip or may be conducted remotely) and completing the assessments, you will further develop the following academic and professional skills:

• problem solving (linking theory to practice, developing your own ideas with confidence, being able to respond to novel and unfamiliar problems)
• managing structure (identifying key demands of the task, setting clearly defined goals, responding flexibly to changing priorities)
• time management (managing time effectively individually and within a group)
• collaboration (respecting the views and values of others, taking initiative and leading others
• supporting others in their work, maintaining group cohesiveness and purpose), and audience awareness (presenting ideas effectively in multiple formats, persuading others of the importance and relevance of your views, responding positively and effectively to questions).
• critical analysis (understanding outcomes, interpretation of data and methods, broad application of theory, using data to support or refute theory, comparing and contrasting multiple outcomes)

The majority of sessions are taught by staff members with specific expertise in particular research methods and/or skills in communicating research. The module thus provides hands-on experience of specialised research methods employed by staff in their own research. These skills will in turn assist your own research in the context of the Research Apprenticeship module (PSYM210).

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Conduct and communicate research in animal behaviour
• 2. Use specialist software and/or equipment to collect and collate data proficiently
• 3. Explain in detail observational data collection techniques, ethical and legal issues and procedures in animal behaviour research, discussing the role of the relevant ethical codes related to your own research and demonstrating in practice how you will address such issues in your own research

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Select and use different research methods
• 5. Use online library resources and bibliographic aids for the preparation of presentations and project reports
• 6. Plan and carry out an observational research project
• 7. Organise and write a research report

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively, fluently and professionally by written, graphic and oral means
• 9. Undertake independent learning and self-directed study (including good time management and the setting of appropriate deadlines, precise clarification of the aims and expected results of research, online library use and website investigation)
• 10. Work effectively with others as a member of a group and meet obligations to others
• 11. Develop team-working skills by working together on problem-based learning exercises
• 12. Use a wide range of computer resources for bibliographic searches and report research in various ways

Syllabus plan

The module will comprise seminars, practicals and either field trips or the use of webcam data. Individual local data collection on the following indicative topics:

• Seminars:
• Planning a research project
• Ethics in animal research
• Observational methods for measuring behaviour with either a zoo field trip or use of zoo webcams/online resources
• Either field trip preparation sessions: safety, project planning, proposals and housekeeping or remote project planning and proposals.
• Social network analysis
• Encosure use and behavioural diversity measurement in captive animals
• Practicals:
•  
• Use of field equipment (e.g. live traps, camera traps, mist nets)
• Use of  software for  behavioural analysis
• Operant conditioning in virtual rats
• Classical conditioning in bees
• Measuring social networks in fish
• Field trips:
• Paignton Zoo
• Lundy Island

In term 1, you will work in pairs on a small summative research project incorporating the skills covered in the class sessions. Data collection will take place either during a field trip to Paignton Zoo or via observation of live zoo webcam feed and the results will be presented briefly at the end of Term 1. The module will culminate in an 8-day long residential field course on Lundy Island, UK or via a remote field course making use of local animals and/or video materials over the Easter Break which will give you the opportunity to practice a variety of the skills learned in class while conducting a small research project as part of a group. The field project will be written up as a group effort, incorporating the skills and knowledge gained through taking part in the module.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The module mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit further assessments based on the table above. The module mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• Stamp Dawkins, M. 2007. Observing Animal Behaviour: Design and analysis of quantitative data. Oxford University Press.
• Martin, P. & Bateson, P. 2007. Measuring Behaviour: an introductory guide. 3^rd edition. Cambridge University Press.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE page: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=7329

Key words search

Animal behaviour, research skills, field trip, observational methods