I did not necessarily have any issues with the implementation of my design. However, I did second guess my approach many times, and I think this may have unintentionally prolonged my study. I spent a lot of time wondering if I should change the methods by which I recorded my data, how I timed the ducks, my location, and many more factors. In the end, though, I stuck with how I originally chose to implement my experiment and all of my data was easy to read/understand and I had a lot of it! One difficulty I did have was actually creating the study with very little supervision (my only other studies have been under the direct supervision of a supervisor). There are so many confounds and factors that must be considered before collecting data, and I often didn’t consider them until it was too late. Many of the mistakes I made while creating this study will be very helpful in my future research.
This course overall has altered my appreciation and respect for how ecological theory is developed. My knowledge of the topic, or any field related to ecology, was sparse, and this course opened my eyes to that. I’ve now come to realize the complexities behind field research and ecological research; it is very time-consuming, depleting, difficult, and so much more. I have a newfound respect for anyone who conducts ecological research and develops theories in the field.
One thing I’m also thankful for in this course is that it allowed me to step away from my computer screen. I spend a lot of time on my computer studying, reading, and writing, and this course allowed me to move away from this schedule and include my toddler in my daily school activities (he loved watching the ducks). I’ve since changed my regular school schedule to include more one-on-one time with him!