PWS 357 Exam 2 Questions and Answers
100% Pass
Define the "laws of association" -
CORRECT ANSWER: Natural history observations and conclusions
from associations of wildlife population changes with environmental
factors such as weather, habitat loss, or harvest.
Inductive reasoning, logical process that argues from specific instances
to general conclusion
QUESTION: What sets wildlife research apart from that in the chemical
and physical sciences? -
CORRECT ANSWER: In wildlife research, you conduct investigations
in natural environments over large geographic areas, making it difficult
to control potentially causal factors.
,In other sciences, scientists have the ability to control variables
associated with an experiment, isolating the key components, and
repeating experiments under the same conditions to confirm results.
QUESTION: What is the difference between experimental and
descriptive research? -
CORRECT ANSWER: Experimental: an experiment is conducted
(some variable/s are manipulated). Most powerful tool for identifying
cause and effect, should be used more in wildlife research
Descriptive: essential phase in wildlife science, can produce answers to
important questions, but must be expanded to embrace interacting
causes and variable results
QUESTION: Why is the strongest test of a hypothesis an experiment? -
,CORRECT ANSWER: A manipulative experiment, for which a series
of control & experimental study plots must be established
QUESTION: Why is it that manipulating a variable of interest is more
valuable than merely observing relationships? -
CORRECT ANSWER: It can allow us to reject or fail to reject the null
hypothesis, and begin to determine cause and effect that can aid in
management
QUESTION: Why do we need to work with multiple, competing
hypotheses rather than formulating just one? -
CORRECT ANSWER: Allows us to reject as many hypotheses as
possible through experimentation, then take the remaining hypotheses
and repeat the process.
This allows us to isolate the results from all but a small number of
potentially causal factors.
, QUESTION: What are the steps of the scientific method as it applies to
wildlife biologists? -
CORRECT ANSWER: Identify the research problem → conduct
literature review of relevant topics → identify broad and basic research
objectives → collect preliminary observations and data as necessary →
conduct exploratory data analysis → formulate a theory (conceptual
model or research hypothesis) → formulate predictions from conceptual
model as testable hypotheses → design research & methodology for
each hypothesis → conduct a pilot study to test methodologies and
estimate costs and variances
QUESTION: What is the difference between applied and basic
research? -
CORRECT ANSWER: Applied - usually related to management
concerns, political controversy, or public demand. May also be politically
supported due to projected loss of habitat by development or concerns
over environmental problems
100% Pass
Define the "laws of association" -
CORRECT ANSWER: Natural history observations and conclusions
from associations of wildlife population changes with environmental
factors such as weather, habitat loss, or harvest.
Inductive reasoning, logical process that argues from specific instances
to general conclusion
QUESTION: What sets wildlife research apart from that in the chemical
and physical sciences? -
CORRECT ANSWER: In wildlife research, you conduct investigations
in natural environments over large geographic areas, making it difficult
to control potentially causal factors.
,In other sciences, scientists have the ability to control variables
associated with an experiment, isolating the key components, and
repeating experiments under the same conditions to confirm results.
QUESTION: What is the difference between experimental and
descriptive research? -
CORRECT ANSWER: Experimental: an experiment is conducted
(some variable/s are manipulated). Most powerful tool for identifying
cause and effect, should be used more in wildlife research
Descriptive: essential phase in wildlife science, can produce answers to
important questions, but must be expanded to embrace interacting
causes and variable results
QUESTION: Why is the strongest test of a hypothesis an experiment? -
,CORRECT ANSWER: A manipulative experiment, for which a series
of control & experimental study plots must be established
QUESTION: Why is it that manipulating a variable of interest is more
valuable than merely observing relationships? -
CORRECT ANSWER: It can allow us to reject or fail to reject the null
hypothesis, and begin to determine cause and effect that can aid in
management
QUESTION: Why do we need to work with multiple, competing
hypotheses rather than formulating just one? -
CORRECT ANSWER: Allows us to reject as many hypotheses as
possible through experimentation, then take the remaining hypotheses
and repeat the process.
This allows us to isolate the results from all but a small number of
potentially causal factors.
, QUESTION: What are the steps of the scientific method as it applies to
wildlife biologists? -
CORRECT ANSWER: Identify the research problem → conduct
literature review of relevant topics → identify broad and basic research
objectives → collect preliminary observations and data as necessary →
conduct exploratory data analysis → formulate a theory (conceptual
model or research hypothesis) → formulate predictions from conceptual
model as testable hypotheses → design research & methodology for
each hypothesis → conduct a pilot study to test methodologies and
estimate costs and variances
QUESTION: What is the difference between applied and basic
research? -
CORRECT ANSWER: Applied - usually related to management
concerns, political controversy, or public demand. May also be politically
supported due to projected loss of habitat by development or concerns
over environmental problems
