YEI-30806 Environmental Data Collection and Analysis

Vak

Studiepunten 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

BBW compulsory subjects

Contents:

A broad range of research methods exists in the field of environmental research. These methods are operational at different spatial and temporal scales. This course focuses on the background and application of some selected research methods that are relevant in the domain of environmental research. The first three weeks of the course deals with basic statistics, data analyis as well as some advance statistical techniques. This part will end with an exam. In the next four weeks, students will work on one specific environmental theme and get experienced with associated research methods. Data collection will partly take place in the catchment area of the Gelderse IJssel and data analysis will be done using the techniques that have been dealt with earlier. In the final week, students from all different themes will form new groups and are asked to synthesize their findings.

Learning outcomes:

After this course, students are expected to be able to:
- have insight in the issue of scaling in both space and time;
- to understand and apply relevant statistical techniques;
- design and carry out strategies for data collection;
- to work with basic and advanced concepts of spatial analysis and -statistics;
- to estimate measurement errors and perform error propagation calculations;
- use visualization software to present data;
- apply research methods, depending on the selected theme.

Activities:

Active participation in lectures and practicals, performing field work (sampling and/or experiments), data analysis, writing reports.

Examination:

Theoretical part: a written examination; practical part: assessment of group work and reports.

Literature:

Reader for theoretical part. Reader and articles for practical part.