Unit 7 - Final Report

Goals

  • Synthesize material from previous units
  • Summarize material in a cohesive, objective report

    • Upon Completion You Should

  • Be conversant with issues in riparian areas
  • Be able to explain processes in ecological terms

    • Working Through this Unit

    This is the final unit of the course. The work that you have completed to-date will culminate in the final report. The amount of time you spend on this unit will depend on the effort expended in the previous units.

    Spend 4-5 hours reviewing the material from the previous units and forming an outline of content that you want to include. This will improve the structure and flow of your report. Your approach to writing the report will depend on your personal preferences. The activities below provide some suggestions. Once you have it in a presentable form, give it to someone else to read to get some feedback. The report should be about 2,000 words so make sure you give yourself enough time to bring together the necessary material. 

    Marking

    Your report is worth 25% of your final mark. This report will be marked for content and style. Here are the criteria that you will be marked on:
  • clear, concise, objective, unambiguous writing
  • clear introduction, body and conclusion
  • systematic and logical organization of ideas
  • demonstrates an understanding of the material
  • includes discussion of points, not just regurgitation
  • based on ecological principles
  • addresses the issues raised in the case study
  • graphics are clear and well explained
  • proper referencing of sources

    •  

    Activity 1 - Content Outline

    Use this activity to gather and review the material from the previous units. Make an outline in point form of what you want to include. Here is a suggested framework for your report:
    Introduction
  • general introduction of subject
  • clear statement of what the report will cover
    • Body
  • points of discussion
    • Conclusion
  • synthesis of discussion
  • wrap up of important points
    • Your report should be about 2,000 words plus any graphs, figures or tables that you feel are necessary. The report should include the following themes:
  • the issues from the case study and all previous units
  • riparian ecotones - what they are and why they are important
  • energy flow - explanation and examples
  • nutrient cycling - overview and impacts of disturbance
  • disturbance in forest ecosystems - natural and anthropogenic - use examples from different forest types
  • synthesis of impacts of disturbance within riparian ecotones

    •  

    Activity 2 - Prepare your first draft

    Once you have an idea of the content of your report, start expanding on the points. The flow of your report is important, so pay attention to how sections fit together. You should assume that your reader is unfamiliar with the topic. You are guiding him/her on a tour of what you think are the important points on this subject.

     

    Activity 3 - Edit first draft

    When you have your first draft finished, have someone else read it. Have them critique your report using the criteria given above in "Marking".

     

    Activity 4 - Prepare draft for submission

    The format of your text should be double spaced with a 12 pt font. Include any graphs or figures that or figures that you think are pertinent. Make sure these are explained and properly refernced.
     

    Submit your report to Dr Gordon.

     

    Checklist

    Before you finish this unit make sure you
  • Have followed the marking criteria
  • Have brought together all the salient points
  • Have summarized these in a clear and concise report

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