
This semester, you will work independently on a specific project that you identify. At the end of the semester I will expect a well written, complete, and concise report of your work. The format that you will follow will be identical to the format of a journal manuscript or thesis.
You will be required to touch base with me on a weekly basis (at least by e-mail). Your involvement with me throughout the semester will be a key factor in your grade. If I don't hear from you until mid-April, your grade will reflect it.
The table below describes in brief what you will be required to do as part of this final report. The Prospectus is due during the first week of class and will not be a part of the final report, the same goes for the Data Needs, which I want by the end of the 2nd week. The rest is essentially an outline of the final report.
Once you have identified your data needs, I will work with you to round up that data.
| Prospectus |
A brief description of what the project will be and what you feel the value of the project will bring to others |
| Data Needs |
What do you think you will need to complete the project – imagery (type, resolution, frequency, etc), field data, ancillary data….. |
| Introduction |
A 2-3 page description of what the project is, its objectives, why it is important, who will benefit from it? – It is important to cite from relevant sources to back up your statements |
| Lit. Review |
Who has done something like this before, what techniques were used, what were their results. 2-3 pages |
| Study Area |
A physical and geographic description of the study area. Make sure you cite your sources. 2-3 pages |
| Methods |
How did you perform the analysis, what tools or statistics did you use, how and why did you use them? You do not have to describe keystroke sequences from the software. Make relevant citations from past work. 3-5 pages (or whatever it takes) |
| Results |
A factual reporting of the results of the study. This includes graphs, tables, figures that help explain the result and its statistical significance if appropriate. 3-5 pages |
| Conclusion |
Your interpretation of the results. This is where you take the results and explain why things worked or did not work. What were the assumptions that you made and how did those assumptions help or distract from the results. For instance, your study may have included a statistical test for significance that requires you to have an unbiased sample of the population (actually they all do). If, however, you felt your sample was not particularly representative of the population for whatever reason, you need to identify this and either defend your reason for making that assumption or state that this was a limitation that you needed to work under.
Also, what could someone else that is looking at your work do to improve it or push it to another level. |
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