Research Design
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A good understanding of sampling and experimental design techniques is vital when planning a research study in ecology and wildlife management. Good design leads to effective use of research money, time and effort, whereas poor design can lead to a study of little use, and hence a waste of these resources. Sampling techniques are useful when planning an observational study, such as a survey, whereas experimental design techniques are of use when planning an experiment. In the sampling modules, we will cover random vs. systematic sampling, stratification, hierarchical sampling, use of covariates, trend analysis, and introduce specialized techniques such as capture-mark-recapture and distance sampling. In the experimental design modules, you will learn about randomization, replication and pseudo-replication, controls, blocking, use of covariates, factorial treatments, before-after control-impact (BACI) designs, and trend analysis. In both sections of the course, we will show you how to perform power/precision analysis in order to assess what sample sizes might be required for the study to provide useful information.
This is a 1-credit equivalent academic course (16 contact hrs + additional work) where you learn at your own pace over 3 months.
PREREQUISITES
A basic understanding of probability and statistical methods, and some experience with using R (e.g., R Boot Camp for Ecologist and Wildlife Biologists)
INSTRUCTOR
COURSE FORMATS & DATES
FORMAT: Learn at your own pace over 3 months as you work through prerecorded lectures and exercises.
CONTINUING EDUCATION: This course has been pre-approved for continuing education by (1) the Ecological Society of America for 4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in Category I(a): Scientific Education and Training, and (2) The Wildlife Society for 16 CEUs in Category I of the Certified Wildlife Biologist® Renewal/Professional Development Certificate Program. Participants must complete all exercises to pass the course (P/F) and receive a CWS Certificate of Course Completion, which can be submitted to ESA and TWS for CEUs. See our Continuing Education Page for more details about CEUs with ESA and TWS.
*** This version of the course can NOT be used to earn academic credit from your college or university, certify as a Professional Ecologist with ESA or a Wildlife Biologist® with TWS, or used to earn a professional certificate with CWS. ***
DATES & PRICES:
Spring: Mar 4 - May 26: $400 professional / $300 student
Summer: June 3 - Aug 25 (early bird* ends May 6): $350 professional / $250 student
Fall: Sept 3 - Nov 24 (early bird* ends Aug 5): $350 professional / $250 student
*Early bird saves $50
FORMAT: Reach out to your instructor over a 1-month period to get help as you work through prerecorded lectures, problem sets, and your own personal work. Instructor support includes emailing your instructor, accessing live discussion threads, attending group meetings, and scheduling one-on-one appointments (Zoom or phone) about course materials, your research, datasets from work, etc. You will have access to the course for the 3-month term. Completing all exercises and course surveys are required to pass the course and receive a CWS certificate of course completion, which can be submitted for continuing education with ESA and TWS.
CONTINUING EDUCATION: This course has been pre-approved for continuing education by (1) the Ecological Society of America for 4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in Category I(a): Scientific Education and Training, and (2) The Wildlife Society for 16 CEUs in Category I of the Certified Wildlife Biologist® Renewal/Professional Development Certificate Program. Participants must complete all exercises to pass the course (P/F) and receive a CWS certificate of course completion, which can be submitted to ESA and TWS for CEUs. See our Continuing Education Page for more details about CEUs with ESA and TWS.
ESA & TWS CERTIFICATION: Participants that earn a B- or better can use this 1-credit course to help meet the minimum education requirements (in Chemistry, Physical Sciences, and Mathematics) to certify as a Professional Ecologist with ESA (pending approval). Participants that earn a D or better can use this 1-credit course in their application to certify as a Wildlife Biologist® with TWS. See our Professional Certification Page for more details about ESA and TWS certification.
*** This version of the course can NOT be used to earn academic credit from your college or university or to earn a professional certificate with CWS. See the PREMIUM format below ***
DATES & PRICES:
Spring: Mar 4 - May 26: $550 professional / $450 student
Summer: July 1 - Sept 29 (early bird* ends June 3): $500 professional / $400 student
Fall: Sept 3 - Nov 24 (early bird* ends Aug 5): $500 professional / $400 student
*Early bird saves $50
FORMAT: Reach out to your instructor for help with course materials as you work through prerecorded lectures and exercises. Instructor support includes emailing your instructor, accessing live discussion threads, attending group meetings, and scheduling one-on-one appointments (Zoom or phone) about course materials, your research, datasets from work, etc. You will have access to course materials for 1 year. After working through 8 modules, set up an optional meeting with the instructor to discuss your own personal project from work or school.
CONTINUING EDUCATION: This course has been pre-approved for continuing education by (1) the Ecological Society of America for 4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in Category I(a): Scientific Education and Training, and (2) The Wildlife Society for 16 CEUs in Category I of the Certified Wildlife Biologist® Renewal/Professional Development Certificate Program. Participants must complete all exercises to pass the course (P/F) and receive a CWS certificate of course completion, which can be submitted to ESA and TWS for CEUs. See our Continuing Education Page for more details about CEUs with ESA and TWS.
ESA & TWS CERTIFICATION: Participants that earn a B- or better can use this 1-credit course to help meet the minimum education requirements (in Chemistry, Physical Sciences, and Mathematics) to certify as a Professional Ecologist with ESA (pending approval). Participants that earn a D or better can use this 1-credit course in their application to certify as a Wildlife Biologist® with TWS. See our Professional Certification Page for more details about ESA and TWS certification.
ACADEMIC CREDIT: This 1-credit course can be taken with pre-approval from an administrator at a your college or university. For an additional fee, students also have the option to complete an Applied Project for an additional 1-2 academic credits (earning up to 2-3 academic credits in total). See our Academic Credit Page for details.
CWS PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE: CWS requires a grade of a B- or higher for the course to count toward earning a Professional Certificate in Applied Quantitative Ecology.
DATES & PRICES:
Spring: Mar 4 - May 26: $650 professional / $550 student
Summer: July 1 - Sept 29 (early bird* ends June 3): $600 professional / $500 student
Fall: Sept 3 - Nov 24 (early bird* ends Aug 5): $600 professional / $500 student
*Early bird saves $50
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Defining the Objectives
Spatial, Temporal and Sampling Variability
Detectability
Bias and Variance
Statistical Population and Sampling Frame
Systematic vs Random Sampling
Stratified Random Sampling
Double Sampling
Multi-Stage Sampling
Distance Sampling
Mark-Recapture Sampling
Sample Size Calculations
Large-Scale Monitoring
Trend Estimation
Randomisation and Replication
Pseudo-Replication
Scale of Inference
BACI Designs
Blocking and Covariates
Factorial Treatments
Use of Error Degrees of Freedom
Precision and Power Analysis
Repeated Measures Experiments
Change-Over (Cross-Over) Designs
Internal and External Validity
Quasi-Experiments
Propensity Scores
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Understand the key concepts involved in planning a research study
Gain practice in applying these concepts using ecological examples
Understand the pros and cons of different designs
Understand the concepts of power and precision
Gain experience in performing power/precision analysis using R
Gain an overview of specialist techniques such as mark-recapture and distance sampling
“Undertaking the Research Design course proved to be an invaluable experience. While I had covered experimental design in my undergraduate biostatistics courses, this course was specifically tailored to sampling in the context of wildlife research, an area that had not been addressed in my previous studies. Dr. Fletcher, our instructor, was outstanding. His expertise and guidance were evident throughout the course, and he consistently provided valuable feedback and advice. What truly set this course apart were the examples and exercises, which were not only relevant but also practical, allowing me to apply the concepts directly to my field of interest. I came to realize just how critical appropriate sampling and experimental design are in ensuring the reliability of estimates for wildlife management. I wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone looking to enhance their research planning skills and produce robust, dependable results in ecological studies.”
Jai Thomas
Ecologist, Mount Gibson Iron Limited, Koolan Island Operations
“David Fletcher’s Research Design course draws on a wide variety of real-world ecological research to illustrate how sampling strategies, treatment allocation, and other design considerations affect the scale of inference, precision, and power of scientific study. I learned to avoid the pitfall of pseudoreplication from a clam density survey in New Zealand; how to control for natural variation between experimental units through a cross-over design study of puma attacks on alpacas in Chile; how to work with repeated measures data from an investigation of turkey poult growth in Iowa; and much more. By taking this course, I have identified ways I can tighten up my own research, improved my competency in the R programming language, and will be a more critical consumer of ecological literature.”
Josh Morris
Urban Conservation Officer, Birds Connect Seattle
“Dr. Fletcher’s Research Design course covers a variety of topics. An overview of Sampling, Experimental, and Quasi-Experimental designs leads to a deeper understanding of the types of considerations that should be taken into account before any research project. Determining the proper sample size for statistically significant results, avoiding pseudoreplication, weighing the pros and cons of stratification and blocking, and achieving the desired scale of inference are just a few of the valuable skills that can be gained from this course. These topics are presented in such a way that transferring them from this class to a real world project should be seamless. I would strongly recommend this class to those looking to gain a strong knowledge base for creating and implementing powerful ecological studies.”
Patrick Pruitt
Secondary Math Teacher, St. Joseph's Catholic School
SCHOLARSHIPS
Full scholarships are available to participants from countries designated as “lower income” and “lower middle income” in the World Bank List of Economies. Please see our CWS World Scholars Program page for details.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Cancellations 30 days or more before the start date are not subject to cancellation fees. Cancellations <30 days before the start date are subject to a 50% cancellation fee. No refunds once the course begins.