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The project uses an ethogram, field identification methodology, journal keeping, proficiency tests, and structured data sheets, emphasizing scientific competencies and inspiring similar quantitative partnerships.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/field-research-studying-whales-in-an-undergraduate-animal-behavior-laboratory/595508/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/field-research-studying-whales-in-an-undergraduate-animal-behavior-laboratory/595508.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Well Done","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",6,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What is the main focus of the undergraduate field research laboratory?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The laboratory studies whale behavior, ecology, and conservation in the Gulf of Maine through structured fieldwork and data collection with BOS.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How do students collect whale behavior data during the project?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Students complete two weeks of training and then take five weekend trips to collect behavioral data, using an ethogram and field methods for individual identification.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What activities ensure students demonstrate proficiency and complete the required deliverables?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Students keep a journal, pass data collection and ethogram proficiency tests, and complete data sheets for each trip under the BOS field research protocol.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},595508,1792231269,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":111,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":117,"preview_page_count":4},5909892210082,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/56001069da27c9f41e8?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1789614185077863061","ARTICLES  \nField Research Studying Whales in an Undergraduate Animal Behavior Laboratory  \nR. David MacLarena,b,*, Dianna Schulteb,, and Jen Kennedyb  \naMerrimack College Department of Biology, North Andover MA 01845, USA, bBlue Ocean Society for  \nMarine Conservation, Portsmouth, NH 03801, USA.  \n*[Corresponding Author:](Corresponding Author: maclarenr@merrimack.edu)[ ](Corresponding Author: maclarenr@merrimack.edu)[maclarenr@merrimack.edu](Corresponding Author: maclarenr@merrimack.edu)  \nAbstract: This work describes a new field research laboratory in an undergraduate animal behavior course involving the study of whale behavior, ecology and conservation in partnership with a non-profit research organization 􀁞 the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation (BOS). The project involves two weeks of training and five weekend trips on whale watch vessels to the Jeffreys Ledge region of the Gulf of Maine to collect behavioral data, and to track and individually identify humpback and fin whales as well as document the presence and behavior of other marine mammals and seabirds. Students learn to use an ethogram of whale behaviors as well as methodology related to individual identification in the field. Students work with BOS scientists, using the BOS field research protocol described herein. In conjunction with the project, students keep a journal, pass data collection and ethogram proficiency tests, and complete data sheets associated with each trip. The project has been very successful, providing students with exposure to multiple scientific skills, and emphasizing competencies over content. We hope it may serve to inspire the development of similar partnerships and/or quantitative field studies in other more practical species.  \nKey words: behavior, marine biology, field research, whales, conservation, community outreach  \nINTRODUCTION  \nA key goal of undergraduate coursework in animal behavior involves providing students opportunities to engage in descriptive and quantitative data collection and analysis in the form of controlled laboratory studies and field data collection. The latter can be difficult to incorporate into a traditional undergraduate course given the logistics associated with planning field experiencesand the oftentimes poor quality and quantity of data collected. This article describes a laboratory studying whale behavior, ecology and conservation in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) as part of an undergraduate advanced animal behavior course offered within the Department of Biology at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA.  \nThe laboratory involves collaborating with anon-profit organization, the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation (BOS), in marine mammal research and education. Established in Portsmouth, NH, in 2001, BOS􀁏s mission is to conserve the marine environment through education and research in New England. From May through October, BOS naturalists work aboard four commercial whale watch vessels collecting behavioral and physical data on whale, dolphin, and seabird populations in the GOM while educating passengers about marine mammal ecology and conservation.  \nThe BOS/Merrimack relationship began with a regional scan of internships available for college biology majors conducted by Merrimack Associate Professor Dr. R. David MacLaren in November, 2008. MacLaren met with BOS cofounders Dianna Schulte and Jennifer Kennedy soon thereafter, leading to the establishment of a partnership in research and education in January 2009. As part of the collaboration, BOS provides competitive internship opportunities to qualified Merrimack students. BOS􀁏s 14 years of research offer a wealth of opportunities for students to engage in the analysis of complex behavioral and environmental datasets, while the field work provides opportunities to engage in unique and exciting research experiences. At the tail end of a successful summer collaborating with BOS in whale research and public education in 2009, Dr. MacLaren began de","cbCaihdUDTzzyICN","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaihdUDTzzyICN","pdf",324614,"English","# Introduction\n## The BOS/Merrimack partnership\n## Jeffreys Ledge as the study area\n## Incorporating field research into coursework in animal behavior","[{\"question\":\"What is the main focus of the undergraduate field research laboratory?\",\"answer\":\"The laboratory studies whale behavior, ecology, and conservation in the Gulf of Maine through structured fieldwork and data collection with BOS.\"},{\"question\":\"How do students collect whale behavior data during the project?\",\"answer\":\"Students complete two weeks of training and then take five weekend trips to collect behavioral data, using an ethogram and field methods for individual identification.\"},{\"question\":\"What activities ensure students demonstrate proficiency and complete the required deliverables?\",\"answer\":\"Students keep a journal, pass data collection and ethogram proficiency tests, and complete data sheets for each trip under the BOS field research protocol.\"}]","Field Research Studying Whales in an Undergraduate Animal Behavior Laboratory | PDF",1792081287]