<h2>
	<a name="TOC-OVERVIEW"></a> OVERVIEW</h2>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	<b>The goal of this activity is to get all of the data together in one spreadsheet or table.</b> In order to make sense of the data and get any meaning from it, it will be necessary (and most efficient) to have it all together and organized. A pile of slips of paper is a difficult starting place for meaningful data analysis so this preparation step is key.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<h2>
	<a name="TOC-GETTING-READY"></a>GETTING READY</h2>
<h3>
	<a name="TOC-Materials"></a>Materials</h3>
<ul>
	<li>
		Print or make available electronically the <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/mercuryourwatershedfriends/watershed-experiences/unit-5/a-data-organization/DataSpreadsheet.xls?attredirects=0"><b>Blank Data Spreadsheet</b></a> so students can fill in their own variables and data values either electronically, using the Excel version, or in hard copy.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>
		<u><b>Please note</b></u>, the variables in the table in this spreadsheet should not be deleted or manipulated.&nbsp; Your students may omit to add data to some of the existing variables and they may add additional variables on the right</li>
</ul>
<div>
	<h3>
		<a name="TOC-Setup"></a>Setup</h3>
</div>
<div>
	<ul>
		<li>
			There will usually be data from at least two sources &ndash; observations from the field (such as tree species, air temperature, family identification of the critter, type of habitat where it was found, etc.) and data from the laboratory. Getting the data organized into a spreadsheet or table will help to get everything in one place, and to make it easier to do some calculations. Plus, it will preserve a record of the data in case any individual field sheet or spreadsheet is lost or damaged &ndash; which happens quite often.</li>
		<li>
			Assemble all of the data sheets and spreadsheets so students will have a starting point.</li>
	</ul>
	<h2>
		<a name="TOC-DOING-THE-ACTIVITY"></a>DOING THE ACTIVITY</h2>
	<p>
		As a class, determine which variables you have collected. A <i>variable </i>is just a measurement or observation. Type or write these variable names across the top row of the spreadsheet or hardcopy table.</p>
	<p>
		Next, fill in the data you collected or had analyzed for each sample. If something is missing leave it blank. Make sure each sample ID matches up with the data values all the way across its row.<br />
		When finished be sure to save a copy or make a photocopy and name the file or write on the sheet &ldquo;Master Copy&rdquo; so you always have one clean version of the data set in case something happens during the activities. Put the Master copy in a safe place &ndash; save to another file or CD, or put it in a class folder or bulletin board if it&rsquo;s a hard copy.</p>
	<h2>
		<a name="TOC-ENRICHMENT"></a>ENRICHMENT</h2>
	<p>
		After getting all of the data coordinated, you might follow up with a discussion of the process.</p>
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					<p>
						Question Set</p>
				</td>
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					<ul style="margin-top: 0in;">
						<li>
							What observations, if any, did the students make while entering the data?<span>&nbsp; </span>Were there any trends or patterns?</li>
					</ul>
				</td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
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					<ul style="margin-top: 0in;">
						<li>
							Specifically, while entering the data, did students find that they thought of new variables they wish they&rsquo;d collected?</li>
					</ul>
				</td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
				<td style="width: 7.45in; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color black black; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="715">
					<ul style="margin-top: 0in;">
						<li>
							What do they think the effect of missing data values might be?</li>
					</ul>
				</td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
				<td style="width: 7.45in; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color black black; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top" width="715">
					<ul style="margin-top: 0in;">
						<li>
							If data are missing and it&rsquo;s possible to go out to the field site and collect them after the fact, does that make sense? For example, collecting air temperature two weeks later doesn&rsquo;t make sense, but assessing which trees are at the site probably does.</li>
					</ul>
				</td>
			</tr>
		</tbody>
	</table>
	<p>
		&nbsp;</p>
	<h2>
		<a name="TOC-DOCUMENTS"></a>DOCUMENTS</h2>
	<p>
		These documents can be viewed by clicking the links below.&nbsp; Individual PDFs of each document can be downloaded from the &quot;Attachments&quot; at the bottom of this web page.</p>
	<h3>
		<a name="TOC-Handouts"></a>Handouts</h3>
	<ul>
		<li>
			<a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&amp;pid=sites&amp;srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxtZXJjdXJ5b3Vyd2F0ZXJzaGVkZnJpZW5kc3xneDoyMzQzMDU2MGM1YTZmY2Zl" target="_blank">Student Version</a></li>
		<li>
			<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/mercuryourwatershedfriends/watershed-experiences/unit-5/a-data-organization/DataSpreadsheet.xls?attredirects=0">Data Spreadsheet</a> (click to download MS Excel file)</li>
	</ul>
</div>
