Statistics & Computation project report
You will complete a computation and statistics project using a model designed by you to reflect a
biological/environmental system, conduct a simulation experiment with appropriate replication and
analysis to test an hypothesis and write up a report. You will submit the model and the report.
In this final assessment we are asking you to design a simulation model which you can run multiple times under different “treatments” to test a hypothesis. For example – in a predator-prey model would increased speed of the prey result in higher capture rates or lower capture rates?
You design a predator-prey model with different speeds of the prey, collect data from multiple replicate runs of the model and use an appropriate statistical test to test the null hypothesis that capture rate does not depend on speed of prey.
you can generate a model or scenario for your final report. For example, you may choose to use a simulation that is not biological and is instead more environmentally focussed and is directly analogous to the predator/prey or infection scenario that was covered in the practical. You do not have to conform to the practical instructions, you may be creative and design a simulation that fits your interests as long as it achieves the report objectives.
This final project is meant to be your own work, it must be completed independently.
Structure of the report:
You will write up the project in the format of a scientific paper with:
• a short introduction to the system and the hypothesis being tested;
• a methods section outlining the construction of the model, assumptions made, experimental
design and analysis;
• a results section with appropriate graphs and/or tables with captions and outcomes of
statistical analysis;
• short discussion explaining the relevance of the results and any limitations of the design.
Your report must be a maximum of 4 pages in length (including figures, references etc.).
Model
You must also upload a copy of your simulation model- it can be in Scratch. The model must also be your own original work, basing your model from an existing model.
from the Internet must be appropriately cited and modified to demonstrate originality with these
modifications specified in text.
General advice
This assignment is designed to test your learning across the module and synthesising skills, so revise all the module materials to work out how to test your hypothesis, design an experiment, collect data and decide which appropriate statistics to use. It also tests your ability to communicate that process through the written report, graphically through figures, through reporting of the statistical results and your ability to interpret those results in the context of a biological process. Remember the scientific method. Part of the assessment is you coming up with an interesting hypothesis to test. If you’re unsure then just keep it simple, don’t try to do too much or your hypothesis becomes untestable