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| The Winter Bird Feeder Survey | Guided Research Research Question |
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Creating the Context Home Research Focus Background Info Research Method Data Submission Results of Study Data Analysis Conclusion Further Research Guided Research Research Question Background Info Research Method Data Submission Results of Study Data Analysis Conclusion Further Research Research Values Tools Doing Research Discussions Email List Bird Links 2004 Bird Map |
You may participate in the Winter Bird Feeder Survey without doing research. Enter the information about the birds visiting your feeder in the data submission area found in the Creating the Context area. If, on the other hand, you would like to engage in some guided research, PathFinder Science is interested in the following question; Different birds eat different types of food. Does the type of food you put in the feeder make a difference in the birds that visit your feeder? Or stated slightly differently, Is there is a relationship between the type of seed put out in a feeder and the species of birds observed at that feeder. So how did we come up with this question and why are we interested? Science depends on several assumptions about our universe; such as the universe has regular patterns that human beings can comprehend. Theories are the tentative explanations of our understanding of these patterns and how phenomena may operate in the universe. The pursuit of understanding requires that the researcher acquire and foster certain attitudes; such as questioning, disciplined curiosity, open-mindedness, with-holding judgment, respect for evidence balanced with skepticism, intellectual honesty, a sense of responsibility, and an understanding of one's competence and limitations. Before planning an investigation, the researcher first recognizes a question or a problem to be studied. Although questions need not be derived from a theory, theories often guide researchers in predicting events or outcomes of research which ultimately support or deny the explanation. You are investigating the winter birds that occur at feeders in Kansas. You can report the data on the birds that visit your feeder on the data submission form of this area, but in order to move your science beyond observation, you need to state a problem in a more formal manner. Questions about observable events related to the birds present at winter feeding stations are the basis of our work. Some tentative Research Questions
After watching birds are your feeders, you may have some interesting questions of your own you would like to ask. Share these ideas and questions in the forms below. You can also take a look at other people's ideas and have the opportunity to comment on them. This sharing of ideas is the beginning of building an interesting research question.
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