Wendy Hood - Physical and Nutritional Ecologist




  Teaching - CMWS 687

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CMWS 687: Special Topics in Vertebrate Sampling and Collection


COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY 2002-2007

Instructor: Dr. Wendy Hood, Office: Science 206B; Phone: 843-349-2208
Email: wrhood@coastal.edu, Web page: www.wendyhood.com
 
Lecture time and location: TBA
 
Graduate credit:
This is a graduate course in Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies (CMWS 687).  Student may sign up for 1 or 4 credits:
  • 1 credit option: Students signed up for one credit will participate in all coursework related to obtaining a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) collecting permit and submitting an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IUCAC) proposal for their research project.
  • 4 credit option: Students signed up for 4 credits will complete work described above and will complete coursework associated with vertebrate sampling.
The goals of this course:
  • Student will learn about and discuss vertebrate sampling strategies and biases that are relevant to their research projects and those of other students in the class.
  • Student will apply for a collecting permit and complete an IUCUC proposal, both of which are essential for vertebrate research projects.
  • Student will conduct a research project that will help them to overcome sampling issues related to their thesis project. 
  • Student will gain hands on experience sampling a variety of vertebrates.
Required reading:
Relevant reading from journal articles will either be provided in class or posted on webCT.  Textbooks will be placed on reserve in the library.
 
Material covered:
  1. Grad student presentations on sampling:
    1. Introduce species/taxon
    2. Review sampling techniques for this species/taxon
    3. Lead discussion of biases associated with sampling and consider strategies of dealing with biases
  2. Collecting laws and permits
    1. Discussion: SC scientific collection laws and permits.
    2. Complete a collecting permit.
  3. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
    1. Discussion: What is IUCAC? Why do you need an approved IUCAC proposal?
    2. Complete IUCAC proposal.
  4. Sampling project
    1. Develop study examining a sampling issue relevant to their research project and submit proposal.
    2. Complete project with the assistance of other students enrolled in the class.
    3. Complete manuscript based on project.  This manuscript should be of sufficiently high quality that you could consider submitting it to a small regional or taxon specific journal for publication as is, or with addition work completed in collaboration with your thesis advisor. 
Evaluation of your performance:
 
1 credit participants:
You will be graded based on:
        
 assignment % total grade
 Collection permit
25%
 IUCAC proposal
75%

 
4 credit participants:
You will be graded based on:
  
 assignment % total grade
 Presentation
20%
Collection permit
5%
 IUCAC proposal
15%
 Project proposal
10%
 Assisting classmates with projects
 10%
 Your final manuscript for project
 40%

Grade scale:
A 100-90%, B+ 89-86%, B 85-80%, C+ 79-76%, C 75-70%, D+ 69-66%, D 65-60%, F < 59%