Initial Publication Date: May 22, 2006
In the Mind of a Stratigrapher
Exploring the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation, Montana
Part 2: Generating and Testing Hypotheses
Hell Creek Formation, Eastern Montana. Details
1. What is a hypothesis?
Helpful Resources:
- Frodeman, 1995
- Chamberlin, 1897
- The Scientific Method (more info)
- Problem-Based Learning
- Processes and Concepts of Geology ( This site may be offline. )
- The Decline of Reason? ( This site may be offline. )
2. List the data (i.e. observations you made) and possible interpretations.
- Compile a short list of characteristics for each unique-looking layer of rock.
- Write possible depositional environment interpretations for each unique-looking layer of rock, or lithofacies.
Helpful Resources:
3. Re-write this list of "possible depositional environments" as a list of hypotheses.
Helpful Resources:
- USC Sequence Stratigraphy Web (more info)
- Dryland Rivers Research ( This site may be offline. )
- Boggs (2000)
4. How could you discern between possible depositional environments?
Helpful Resources:
5. Are there additional data (observations) that could have helped discern the depositional environments recorded by these strata? What are these data, and how could you acquire them?
6. List final depositional environment interpretations for each lithofacies. For units that require further inspection, generate some new hypotheses and methods for testing each hypothesis.