Specific + Distinguishing
Features Characteristics to the Environment
=
Examine your field notes and written evidence to answer the questions below. To help you evaluate your observations, use your identification resources to remind yourself of your species’ specific features, distinguishing characteristics, and broader environmental connections.
Specific Features
Do you look closely at the characteristics of your plant or animal to help you identify it?
+
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Do you focus on characteristics that make your species different from other similarlooking plants or animals?
+
Broader Connections to the
Environment
Do you make connections to relevant information about the environment that helps support your claim, ask a new question, or support a new prediction?
=
Example of general features:
“It is a bug.”
“It is on a tree.”
Example of specific features:
“It is black with white spots.”
“It has long antennae.”
“It has six legs.”
Example of distinguishing
characteristics:
“It is black with white spots with a spot at the base of its head.”
“It does not have blue legs.”
Example of broader
connections:
“It is on a pine tree, and it is earlier in the season than I should see adults of this species.”
* Connections may include time of year, habitat, life cycle, expected range, etc.
*
You do NOT need to make “Expert” scientific observations to publish your species observation. Please publish your data!