AWARDED MOST PROMISING NEW TEXTBOOK by Text and Academic Authors Association EMPHASIZES CONCEPTS. Focusing on big-picture concepts and the nature of scientific inquiry, Animal Concepts, Methods, and Applications gives students the tools that they need in order to understand and evaluate research examples and develop higher-order critical-thinking skills. Shawn E. Nordell and Thomas J. Valone build each chapter around broad organizing concepts, offering students a clear learning progression and a solid framework for scaffolding their knowledge.
FOCUSES ON METHODOLOGY AND THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE. Each concept is illustrated using research from the primary literature with an emphasis on the methods of the featured studies. The authors clearly identify the research question, hypothesis, and prediction for each featured study and then demonstrate how the methods allow the prediction to be tested. Many of the data figures throughout the text present means with standard errors, as they would typically appear in the primary literature.
HIGHLIGHTS REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS. To help students understand the significance of what they are studying, each chapter contains examples of how various people and groups are applying the concepts in animal behavior research to societal problems and issues.
PRESENTS RICH PEDAGOGY. In addition to bolded key terms, a running glossary, chapter summaries, and thought-provoking discussion questions, Animal Behavior
- "Featured Research" narratives that illustrate and support key concepts in depth
- "Scientific Process" boxes that summarize each step of the research process for selected studies
- "Toolboxes" that explain essential skills or complex terms in the science of animal behavior
- "Applying the Concepts" boxes that show how animal behavior research is being applied to solve real-world problems
- Diverse research examples that represent all major taxa and highlight both classic and contemporary research
INCLUDES BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOS. Simple, clear figures and vivid photographs help students visualize complex processes and connect directly with the natural world.
OFFERS A COMPLETE SUPPORT PACKAGE. The following resources are available to adopters on the Instructor's Resource CD and the Companion Website (oup.com/us/nordell):
- A video library and guide with links to videos directly related to the concepts in each chapter
- A digital image library containing every illustration, photo, figure caption, graph, and table from the text, as well as 300 additional annotated photos supplied by researchers
- PowerPoint-based lecture notes with key concepts and featured research studies
- A test bank* of 250+ multiple-choice questions (*available only on the Instructor's Resource CD)
This is a biology text book - so no in depth review here. Would be weird! Used this for my behavioural biology class and it was very useful. A lot of examples for all the theories and written in language that's very understandable for me.
I never enjoyed reading a educational textbook as much as this one: Short theory paragraphs are supported with highly detailed research examples that enhance your understanding of the theory. These real-life examples are what makes behavioural biology fun in the first place! Although specific scientific language is used, the book is very easy to read and doesn't get boring. Also the book has a pleasant and clear structure of chapters and it's concepts. Theory and examples are easy to locate thanks to a clear content section and index.
I mean, I was bored, but it is a very thorough textbook on the topic for those who are interested! I like the bits on animal sociology and different sense perceptions 😌