300188 UE Behavioral Ecology (2025W)
at the Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle in Gruenau
Continuous assessment of course work
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Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Th 11.09.2025 14:00 to Th 25.09.2025 18:00
- Deregistration possible until We 15.10.2025 18:00
Details
max. 12 participants
Language: German
Lecturers
Classes
Practicum Dates: 1-12 December 2025
The practicum will take place from December 1st to December 12th, 2025 at the Konrad Lorenz Research Center in Grünau im Almtal, Austria. You should arrive on December 1st by noon at Grünau Train Station, where we will pick you up. Alternatively, you can take the bus to the Cumberland Wildpark. The practicum will end on December 12th, 2025, with departure at noon. During your stay, we will provide accommodation, including access to a shared kitchen, bedding, and washing facilities.Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
In this practicum, you will learn how to systematically collect behavioral data, ensuring that your data is reliable, well-labeled, and correctly archived. Using a standardized tool, you'll apply this method to design and answer a research question of your own creation. The focus will be on developing practical data skills—learning how to apply the method accurately, generate usable data, and communicate your findings clearly.For example, if you choose to use a sociability test as your method, you might collect sociability scores for greylag geese and archive the data along with a README file. Your research question could be something like, "Does sociability differ between males and females?" You would then present your findings on a poster, summarizing your results.By the end of the practicum, you will submit three key items: an Excel data master file containing your cleaned and labeled dataset, a README file offering a clear explanation of how to interpret and use the data, and a poster that outlines your research question and presents the conclusions you've drawn from your data. In some instances, you may use the KLF masterfile data for the standardized tool.
Assessment and permitted materials
Daily discussions and regular meetings are essential throughout this practicum to track work progress and delve into the theoretical background of the study. These meetings will focus on refining your understanding of the research methods, interpreting data, and preparing for the final presentation and reporting. It's also a time to troubleshoot any challenges you may encounter while collecting and analyzing your data.The key assessable items you will submit by the end of the practicum include three major components: first, an Excel data master file containing your cleaned and labeled dataset, ensuring your data is easy to interpret and ready for analysis. Second, a README file, which provides a comprehensive explanation of how the data should be understood, how to navigate the dataset, and any relevant details about its collection. Finally, a poster that presents your research question and clearly communicates your findings, including the conclusions you’ve drawn from the data. These elements will showcase not only your data collection skills but also your ability to present complex information in a clear and organized manner. In some cases, you may also use the KLF masterfile data for the standardized tool to guide your process.These components reflect a structured approach to scientific research—combining rigorous data management, theoretical insights, and effective communication of results.
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
The assessment for this practicum is divided into three key components, each contributing to a total of 100%. The Excel Data Master File is worth 20%, and it should include all data collected, organized with clear labels and consistent formatting. It will be evaluated based on completeness (ensuring all collected data is included), accuracy and organization (correct data and logical structure), and clarity (with labels, units, and formatting that are easy to understand). The README File accounts for 30% of the grade. It should describe how the data were collected, analyzed, and provide any relevant code used in the process. This will be assessed based on the clarity of the data collection process, the explanation of the analysis methods, and the documentation of the code. Finally, the Poster Presentation makes up 50% of the assessment. It should present the background theory, methods, results, discussion, and design of the research. The poster will be evaluated on how well the background theory is explained, the clarity of the methods, the accuracy and clarity of the results (using visual aids like graphs or tables), the interpretation and discussion of the findings, and the overall design, ensuring that it is visually clear and well-structured.
Examination topics
Ethogram, quantitative behaviour coding, diverse methods of data collection; relevant literature citation; use of different software (excel, SPSS, etc.); evidence of scientific writing
Reading list
Text books in behavioural ecology (e.g. Krebs & Davis, Alcock); relevant peer-reviewed publications will be made available to you from archives and/or reference material at the Konrad Lorenz Research Center during the three-week practicum.
Association in the course directory
CoBeNe W1
Last modified: Su 13.07.2025 20:06