Vegetation Ecology 4700/5700
Final Report Guidelines 2009
The final report represents the final step in our exploration of plant community ecology in the
Laramie Basin. This project is meant to be similar to an original, primary research paper. You will take raw vegetation data collected by our class and others in the Laramie Basin, run analyses using PC-Ord and other statistical programs if desired, interpret the results, and write a report describing patterns of vegetation across the Basin. The report is to be written INDIVIDUALLY, and no plagiarism will be tolerated. The instructor and TA are available for help with formulating hypotheses or objectives, statistics, and report writing.
The deadline for submission of this report is FRIDAY NOV 20 by 5PM at the latest.
Write a 7-8 page (double-spaced) report (EXCLUDING tables and figures) using the following format:
1.
Title: Select the best title you can think of for your report.
2.
Introduction (15 pts): Give a brief introduction in which you provide background on why you are doing vegetation community analysis, a general description of the environmental, physiographic, and ecological characteristics of your study area, and state your objectives. Note that soils and geology maps of the area are available.
3.
Methods (10 pts): Include a specific description of the study area, and a brief description of methods of data collection and statistical analyses.
4.
Results (10 pts): In this section you report the results from the tables and figures you have produced in the PC-Ord exercises. The main interpretation should be done in the discussion section
5.
Discussion (20 pts): Interpret the results in light of your knowledge of the study area, and the environmental factors that might influence species distributions.
6.
References (10 pts): You need to include a minimum of 5 literature citations (e.g., methods, discussion of our findings in relation to work by others). Citation of class notes or personal communication does not constitute primary literature. Make sure to follow a standard format (see below).
7.
Tables and Figures (20 pts): Attach and clearly label the tables and figures that you used for your analysis. Make sure you include only tables and figures that you refer to in the text. Keep in mind that the purposes of classification and gradient analysis are different and complimentary. Include figure captions that describe entirely what the figure is about.
8.
Grammar, clarity, sentence structure (15 pts):
Write clear, grammatically correct sentences that flow logically from one point to the next. Avoid one-sentence paragraphs; and avoid having paragraphs composed of a series of short sentences one right after another, which makes for tedious reading. For easier reading, vary your sentence structure. It should be clear why one paragraph follows another. Use a topical sentence for each paragraph. In other words, use good paragraph structure.

Don't use a whole sentence just to state where data are located (e.g., do not write, "The species composition data are located in Table 2"). Instead, state the point you are trying to make, placing in parentheses the table or figure number that supports your statement -- just like it's done in a scientific journal. For example, “I found that big sagebrush was found only at the higher elevations (Fig. 2).” For scientific writing, the first person voice is preferred.
Remember that the word "data" is plural and that "effect" normally is a noun ("affect" is the verb). Always underline or italicize Latin names (Pinus contorta or Pinus contorta ).
Check your spelling.
The text (NOT including tables and figures) should be eight to ten double-spaced pages. Cite any references you find that contribute to your interpretation using the authors and year of publication in parentheses. Attach and clearly label (with captions) the tables and figures that you used for your analysis. Make sure you include only tables and figures that you refer to in the text. Keep in mind that the purposes of classification and gradient analysis are different and complimentary.
After writing your first draft, put it away for a couple of days. Then read it again yourself and edit it to be sure it says exactly what you want to communicate. Having a friend review your report is a good idea. Always edit your paper before handing it in. The first draft of any manuscript, regardless of who wrote it, will benefit from additional work.
Example Reference format (from Ecology )
Journal articles:
Agren, G. I., E. Bosatta, and J. Balesdent. 1996. Isotope discrimination during decomposition of organic matter: A theoretical analysis. Soil Science Society of America Journal 60 :1121-1126.
Books:
Aber, J., and J. Melillo. 1991. Terrestrial ecosystems. Saunders College Publishing, Orlando. 463 p.
Book chapters:
Barber, S. A., and M. Silberbush. 1984. Plant root morphology and nutrient uptake. Pages 65-87 in S. A. Barber and D. R. Boulding, editors. Roots, Nutrients and Water Influx and Plant Growth.
ASA Special Publication, Madison, WI, USA.
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Additional Tips for Writing a Great Lab Report
Keep in mind that professionalism is expected.
Introduction
Demonstrate Importance of topic- what you are studying and why
Specific objectives of the study
Hypotheses
Rationale for hypotheses
Methods
Study site location and characteristics
Date of study
Describe each method and relation to objectives
Describe mathematical/statistical/computational techniques in data analysis
Results
State all results relevant to your hypotheses and objectives; refer to figures and tables
State these quantitatively
Include well-designed figures for particularly important, interesting or complex results
(only include figures and tables referred to in the results text)
(include a minimum of 3 figures and/or tables)
State relevant statistical comparisons
Discussion
State conclusions related to hypotheses/objectives in first few sentences
Describe and analyze other interesting patterns in the data
Compare your results to relevant literature
Explore possible ecological processes driving these results
Speculate on ecological or practical importance of these results
Analyze limitations of methods and possible improvements
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