Research Methods and Data Analysis

Contents

• Introduction to Research Methods
• Dynamic reports and reproducibility (GitHub + Quarto)
• Experiential Design
• Description of variables
• Titles and Abstracts
• Introduction to R and Rstudio
• Data wrangling (Tidyverse)
• Writing an Introduction
• Data analyses (choosing the correct family of tests)
• Plotting and writing results

Brief

This module aims to provide students with the main conceptual frameworks needed to understand why, where and how conservation conflicts emerge and how to set priorities for conservation in a changing world based on the best available evidence and analytical approaches. A broad range of disciplines will be presented with focus on how they contribute to solve conservation problems.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

• Evaluate ethical considerations of scientific research.
• Evaluate original research projects using an in-depth understanding of the scientific process.
• Demonstrate a level of expertise in highly specialised and advanced research and analytical tools, technical communication and professional skills.

Skills, Qualities and Attributes

• Synthesise and critically analyse scientific data and current literature both generally and specifically and, where appropriate, propose new hypotheses.
• Communicate current knowledge and latest research in a specific area of interest to a variety of audiences or specialist levels.
• Demonstrate independent or self-directed learning and initiative at a professional or equivalent level.
• All learning activities of this module are designed to allow you to meet the learning outcomes.

Engange with this module

Attendance to both face to face and online live sessions is very important, and compulsory. Although some sessions will be recorded, you might have questions, or you might benefit from one of your peer’s questions. Attendance to sessions also helps to build our community, which is based on an understanding that different students learn at a different pace and they come to the module with different experiences and skills.

The NOW page has been designed to facilitate engagement with the materials, please take time to familiarise yourself with the structure.

All the online teaching will take place through Microsoft Teams. Please do take time to become familiar with the software. It is important that you have a microphone, and it would be great (although no essential) if you also have a camera, so the communication with other peers and academics is easier (and friendlier!).

We will communicate on weekly basis the details of the upcoming session, so please check the Upcoming sessions and materials section at the top of the NOW page.