This is for an upper-level elective course for biology majors in introductory paleontology.

understanding and using the scientific method
taphonomy and basic taphonomic processes

This is a semester-long project that culminates in a final oral presentation.

taphonomic processes
data analysis

formulation of multiple working hypotheses
determining how to evaluate qualitative taphonomic changes (disarticulation, ect)
synthesis of data with previous work and literature

writing
oral presentations
visual communication
using web-based science journal databases
how to read and evaluate journal articles

The taphonomy project is a semester-long experiment the students design and run themselves, using the decomposition studies area run by the Criminal Justice department on campus. Following a discussion of taphonomic processes during the first week, the students come up with original questions to test. Working in pairs, they design the experiment, including methods, materials, sampling interval, and taphonomic evaluation. The students set up the experiment in week 3 and monitor it over the course of the semester. They will be required to keep an experimental journal, data from which they will upload to a wiki page. The students will be required to periodically evaluate and comment on other student's projects. The professor will also periodically evaluate the groups' progress periodically through the wiki. The end result is a 20-minute presentation in the style of an oral paper at a conference given the week before finals. This project develops the students' skills in experimental design, data analysis and written, oral and visual communication.

The experimental plan and data notebook are reviewed multiple times throughout the project, monitored for adequate progress (adequate & timely sampling, thorough & detailed descriptions) as well as through periodic written updates. The final oral presentation is graded based on content (did the students cover all pars of their experimental plan? results?) and style.