Animal Behavior - Biology 420/543

Bowling Green State University, Fall 2008

Laboratory Section

Week by Week

• Lab 1: Reasearch Methods in Animal Behavior, literature search
• Lab 2: Habituation/Sensitization in Mosquito Larvae or Drosophila, pre-lab Quiz
• Lab 3: Taxis in Meal Worms and Milkweed Bugs, pre-lab Quiz
• Lab 4: Motor-coordination in Crayfish Locomotion
• Lab 5: Agonistic Behavior in Crayfish, pre-lab Quiz
• Lab 6: Techniques for Behavioral Research in Crickets, ethogram
• Lab 7: Agonistic Behavior in Crickets
• Lab 8+: Independent project
• Lab 9: Lab Notebooks due, Writing Assignment due

Lab Requirements

Attend all labs-missed labs may be made up if you have extenuating circumstances. Please let me know 2 days in advance if possible. Prior notification of absence is necessary to allow you to participate in another lab section during the week; this prevents missing the assignments, quizzes and/or lab exercises.

Points will be deducted 10% per day for late assignments.

Check the website regularly!! You must come to lab with the lab printed out.
<http://caspar.bgsu.edu/~courses/ethology>

Laboratory Grading

A total of 200 pts may be earned.

• 90 pts- Independent research project due the last week of class (poster presentations)
  
• 10 pts- Research project proposals due week 6 (wk 9/29)
  
• 30 pts- Writing assignment- one paper written in scientific format. 10 pgs maximum. Due week 9 (wk 10/20)
  
• 40 pts Lab notebooks due week 8 (wk 10/13)
  
• 30 pts Lab assignments and pre-lab quizzes (5 pts ea.)
  • Wk 08/25- Research methods, Literature search
    
  • Wk 09/01- Habituation/Sensitization, Pre-lab quiz
    
  • Wk 09/08- Taxis, Pre-lab quiz
    
  • Wk 09/15- Motor-coordination
    
  • Wk 09/22- Agonistic behavior in crayfish, Pre-lab quiz
    
  • Wk 09/29- Ethogram (due in class) and Agonistic behavior in crickets, Pre-lab quiz, Project Proposal due

Details

Quizzes and assignments: these activities ensure that you have read the lab and are prepared to complete the lab properly.

The lab notebook is for keeping detailed records of your experiments every week. Lab notebooks should be neat and organized. College ruled or graph paper composition books work well, in which graphs may be neatly taped in. 3-ring binders are also commonly used. Although the notebook is not due until the 8th week, you’ll have a much easier time completing the write-ups right after doing the experiments.
Please use the following format for lab entries:

• Title of lab - descriptive
  
• State the question(s) – general statement of what the experiment(s) is/are about
  
• Null (Ho) and Alternate (Ha) Hypotheses – specific statements as to how the question can be answered
• Introduction - 3 or 4 sentences that include background information relevant to the experimental questions and include a description of the significance of the question (i.e. why should
  anybody care?)
  
• Materials and Methods - detailed enough that the experiment may be replicated. Write this out. Do not write it as a list.
  
• Results - with all appropriate data (summarized and written out- not raw data), figures, and tables where appropriate. Remember, only report the results. Do not interpret the results in this section.
  Discussion/Conclusion - state whether or not the null hypothesis is retained and how this is shown by the data (refer back to figures).
  “Answer questions” - copy and answer the questions that are at the end of each lab exercise.

Note: Keep the lab entries and your notes/raw data separate from each other in the notebook.

The writing assignment (30 pts) will be typed, double spaced, and handed in on time. This paper follows the format of a scientific journal article. Choose one of the labs to extend and write up for this assignment. I will accept drafts of the paper before the due date if you would like to have feedback but be sure to allow me enough time to look over it.

Independent projects (90 pts) will be carried out during the last half of the semester; however, if you want to get a jump start, come and see me anytime with your research ideas. You will be evaluated by a poster presentation, not a paper. More later.