Teachers as well as students often have difficulty formulating good research questions because not all questions lend themselves to scientific investigation. The following is a guide for high-school and college life-science teachers to help students define question types central to biological field studies. The mayfly nymph was selected as the…

In this paper we present a field-based practical exercise that allows students in forestry, ecology and natural resources to develop their understanding of forest stand dynamics. The exercise involves measurement of key tree growth parameters in four even-aged, single-species plantation stands of different age but occupying sites with similar soil…

Describes the coordinated study of European grasshoppers as living specimens in the field and as permanent laboratory preparations for introducing taxonomic principles. Provides details for the preparation of specimens and sample instructions provided to students. Part I of a three-part series. (AL)

Describes techniques for studying historic changes in climate by analysis of pollen preserved in peat bogs. Illustrates the methodology and data analysis techniques by reference to results from English research. (AL)

Describes the use of capture-recapture techniques to estimate the population of taxis in Liverpool and demonstrates the points of similarity to animal population estimation. Considers advantages of studying taxis rather than organisms in introductory studies of the techniques. (AL)

Based on the assumption that even city dwellers have access to clumps of moss growing on buildings and on pavements, information concerning some of the inhabitants of these mosses and some aspects of the environment in which they live is presented. (PEB)

Reviews the development, syllabus content and organization of field studies used within the only Scottish college to continually offer ecology as a subject for the Higher National Certificate in Biology. (AL)

Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of a specific method of bacterial identification and suggests some modifications or improvements. The approach is presented as being suitable for obtaining information about the diversity of bacterial types on student fieldwork. (Author/EB)

The principles of ecology are defined. Problems encountered in teaching ecology in schools are examined in order to establish reasons for the lack of good ecology teaching. Suggestions are made for overcoming these problems. Criteria for choosing suitable sites for ecology fieldwork are listed in an appendix. (Author/CS)

Describes materials and techniques suitable for class fieldwork on the ecology of the cyanogenesis polymorphism of white clover. Details of a school trial are presented and discussed. (Author/EB)

Over 600 students taking advanced level biology in more than 130 schools were surveyed to investigate the relationship between their attitudes toward fieldwork and factors associated with fieldwork teaching. Responses given by the students and their teachers are presented and discussed. (Author/JN)