Question

In the Sonoran desert of the southwestern United States, scientists observed that population clusters of a small cactus were pronounced around nests of desert woodrats. Given this spatial relationship, they began to think the woodrat was related to the seeding of these cactus plants. ​ After years of counting and observing woodrat nests and nearby cactus plants, scientists collected woodrat droppings for laboratory analysis to determine whether they contained cactus seeds. They also collected the droppings and transported them to other areas to see if this would bring about new population clusters of the cactus. ​ Scientists then programmed the data they had collected into a computer. A computer program enabled them to predict that increases in the woodrat population would result in corresponding increases in the cactus population, and likewise, a decrease in the number of woodrats would signal an impending decrease in cactus. Which phase of the study could be described as modeling?​

Answer 1

Answer:

The answer to the question: Which phase of the study could be described as modeling? Would be: when they formulated the thesis: "Given this spatial relationship, they began to think the wood rat was related to the seeding of these cactus."

Explanation:

Research is a long process that has a lot of steps to be fulfilled. The first, is the gathering of information that will provide the necessary groundwork for a thesis to be formed. Once this happens, researchers must formulate a thesis, or a question, for which they will take a series of steps that will provide an answer to this question, or the thesis. Probably one of the most important steps is the modeling, meaning, knowing what it is that the study will look for (the research question, or thesis) and where the study is pointing (its purpose). In the case of this question, that particular portion of the study comes when the scientist have already been observing a cluster population of cactus in relation to the nests of wood rats and then these led to the formulation of the statement: Given this spatial relationship, they began to think...." After this statement, the researchers organized their steps, and efforts, to find the answer that supported, or negated, the statement.

Answer 2

Answer:

The modeling represents the phase of the study called "experimentation".

Explanation:

In the study shown above, modeling was done when scientists manipulated computer programs to predict that increases in the wood mouse population would result in corresponding increases in the cactus population and, likewise, a decrease in the number of wood mice. -wood would signal an imminent decline in cacti

This phase represents a prediction of the results, but it cannot yet be classified as a result analysis, because it is part of the establishment of the experiment, being part of a phase of the study called "experimentation".