課程資訊
課程名稱
生態研究法
Research Methods in Ecology 
開課學期
110-2 
授課對象
生物資源暨農學院  昆蟲學研究所  
授課教師
奧山利規 
課號
ENT5053 
課程識別碼
632EU1150 
班次
 
學分
3.0 
全/半年
半年 
必/選修
選修 
上課時間
星期四6,7,8(13:20~16:20) 
上課地點
 
備註
本課程以英語授課。上課教室:鄭江樓 505室。建議先修習基礎統計學。
總人數上限:16人 
 
課程簡介影片
 
核心能力關聯
本課程尚未建立核心能力關連
課程大綱
為確保您我的權利,請尊重智慧財產權及不得非法影印
課程概述

This course consists of two parts: 1) experimental design and 2) data analysis. The experimental design part of the course largely follows a textbook (Ruxton and Colegrave 2016). The main theme of the data analysis part is the method of maximum likelihood although other approaches are also discussed. Computer simulations will be used to understand the concepts of various statistical methods, but no prior experience in programming is required. Although the course title contains the word ecology, this is a general course on experimental design and data analysis. Students of any fields (social science, political science, physical science, biological science, business, engineering, etc.) can take the course. No knowledge of ecology is required. On the other hand, students are expected to have the basic knowledge of statistics (e.g., one semester of an introductory statistics course). The computer language R (link) is used. Expectations

  • Ask questions, in or out of class, when you don't understand something. If you are confused, you are probably not the only one.
  • Assignments will be given nearly every week. Students must work on assignments independently.
  • Some course materials (R scripts, optional readings, etc.) will be sent by email. Students are responsible for checking their NTU email accounts regularly.
Bonus points Bonus points may be awarded based mainly on attendance and participation. Two tardies are equivalent to one absence, and two absences will result in 0 bonus points. Poor class participation (e.g., playing with a cell phone/computer, sleeping, etc.) is considered as an absence. Even when a student has a valid reason for an absence, the absence is not excused because attendance only affects bonus points. The maximum possible bonus points are 10% (in the final % grade). The detail about how bonus points affect the final grade may change. If it changes, the change will not negatively influence grades (e.g., each student would receive 0 or positive increase). But students should not expect a change to take place. Assignments Assignments only influence bonus points. The emphasis will not be on the correctness of the R scripts. Students should not attempt to get solutions from classmates. Assignments that are obviously copied (including the original) may reduce bonus points. Late assignments will not be accepted. Schedule The schedule (shown in the course website) is subject to change.  

課程目標
Students completing this course will:
  • understand how typical statistical tests (e.g., null hypothesis significance testing) work.
  • be able to program in R.
  • be familiar with common statistical models (e.g., generalized linear [mixed] models) and methods.
  • be able to build own statistical models when common models are not appropriate.
 
課程要求
 
預期每週課後學習時數
 
Office Hours
另約時間 備註: By appointment. 
指定閱讀
Selected chapters from...

Ruxton DG and N Colegrave. (2016) Experimental Design for the Life Sciences. Fourth edition. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

Hilborn R and M Mangel. (1997) The Ecological Detective: Confronting Models with Data. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

Dalgaard P. (2008) Introductory Statistics with R. Second edition. Springer, New York, NY.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79054-1

Zuur AF, EN Ieno, N Walker, AA Saveliev, GM Smith. (2009) Mixed Effects Models and Extensions in Ecology with R. Springer, New York, NY.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-87458-6

Crawley MJ. (2012) The R Book. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, UK.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781118448908 
參考書目
 
評量方式
(僅供參考)
   
課程進度
週次
日期
單元主題
Week 1
2/17  Syllabus and course overview 
Week 2
2/24  Starting with a well-defined hypothesis

Selecting the broad design of your study

The sections on "Indirect measures" and "Controls" will be discussed in another week.  
Week 3
3/3  Between-individual variation, replication and sampling

Pseudoreplication

Power analysis  
Week 4
3/10  Different experimental designs  
Week 5
3/17  Taking measurements  
Week 6
3/24  Statistics review 
Week 7
3/31  Exam 1 
Week 8
4/7  Sum of squares

Numerical optimization

Bootstrap  
Week 9
4/14  Maximum likelihood

Likelihood ratio tests  
Week 10
4/21  Maximum likelihood review  
Week 11
4/28  Generalized Linear Models (GLMs)

Poisson GLM

Dummy variables 
Week 12
5/5  Binomial GLM

Offset

Gamma GLM 
Week 13
5/12  Overdispersion

Quasilikelihood

Negative binomial GLM  
Week 14
5/19  Customizing models 
Week 15
5/26  Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs)  
Week 16
6/2  Exam 2 
Week 17
6/9  TBA 
Week 18
6/16  TBA