WHAT:
A
4-6
page
(12
font,
single-spaced)
research
proposal
in
which
your
group
(n=4)
develops
a
hypothesis
for
how
a
specific
wetland
process
or
structure
is
influenced
by
a
specific
driving
force,
and
prepares
a
research
proposal
to
test
that
hypothesis.
This
will
require
a
literature
review
to
provide
background
information,
relevance,
and
importance
for
the
project
(given
in
the
Background
and
Broader
Impact
sections;
see
below).
The
literature
review
will
also
provide
information
to
identify
methods
(experimental
design,
sampling,
equipment,
etc.)
and
approaches
necessary
for
testing
the
hypothesis.
WHY:
The
purpose
of
this
proposal
is
to
provide
students
with
experience
developing
a
research
question
into
a
proposal
for
submission
to
a
funding
agency,
gain
practice
working
in
multi-disciplinary
groups,
and
improve
scientific
research
and
writing
skills.
These
proficiencies
are
critical
not
only
to
students
seeking
to
pursue
research-based
careers,
but
for
all
students
planning
to
work
in
the
increasingly
interdisciplinary
environmental
science
fielded.
HOW:
Using
the
included
proposals
as
a
guide,
work
together
to
develop
a
question
(or
set
of
questions)
of
shared
interest.
Note,
that
as
an
interdisciplinary
group,
you
may
focus
on
a
particular
system
or
process,
but
ask
individual
research
questions.
In
this
case,
it
is
important
to
clearly
identify
the
unifying
theme
of
the
proposal.
Ideally,
the
literature
review
you
did
for
Assignment
2
can
be
useful
in
developing
this
proposal.
Proposal
Layout:
Background:
Set
up
your
hypothesis
and
proposed
project
by
describing
the
general
process/structure,
its
importance
to
wetland
functioning
and
ecosystem
services,
and
why/how
it
may
vary
across
different
wetland
systems.
Supporting
information
should
come
from
the
peer- reviewed
literature.
Conclude
this
section
with
an
explicit
statement
of
the
hypothesis(es)
and
your
studys
objective(s).
Project
Description:
A
description
of
the
general
approach
that
will
be
used;
leave
specific
methods
and
site/experiment
details
for
the
next
section
(see
below).
Workplan:
Describe
the
site
locations/requirements,
experimental
design,
and
methodology
that
will
be
used
to
test
the
hypothesis.
References
for
specific
methods
are
needed.
Broader
Impacts:
Broader
impacts
include:
1)
how
the
project
will
promote
teaching
(e.g.,
graduate
courses,
involvement
with
high
schools)
and
training
(student
mentoring
programs);
2)
how
the
information
will
be
disseminated
to
reach
a
variety
of
audiences
(e.g.,
scientific
publications,
outreach
documents,
kiosks,
workshops,
etc),
and
3)
how
the
project
will
benefit
society
through
enhancing
scientific
understanding
and/or
natural
resource
management
as
it
pertains
to
your
subject
matter.
WHEN:
The
proposal
(submitted
as
a
digital
file
via
Sakai)
is
due
on
11/25/2014
at
11:55
pm.