Research story 1

Your main tasks are to apply one or more methods of remote sensing course to investigate a topic of environmental change, customize an interactive web map, and write a short (~750 word) narrative with illustrations and references. Please see project description and script for app layout).

Stories from NASA Earth Observatory provide good examples of research stories that you should explore for ideas (for example).

Framework

Your research must employ a comparative approach. This means that of the three dimensions of geographic information (space, time, theme), you will control two dimensions (making them the same) so that you can compare and contrast across a third dimension.

STUDY TYPE	Region	Time period	Thematic layer
Compare same theme at same time period across two or more different regions	≠	=	=
Compare same region and same theme at two or more different time periods	=	≠	=
Compare two or more different themes at same region and same time period	=	=	≠

Grading criteria

Each story will be graded based on qualities of three different components.

COMPONENT	GRADING CRITERIA
Study design	Depth: Strong choice and justification of topic(s), study site(s), and data source(s). Connects spatial, temporal, and spectral characteristics of data to phenomenon of interest. Integrative: Makes connections between different kinds of visual evidence (for example, uses information in spectral signature chart to explain information in RGB composite).
Solution	Depth: Effective use of methods to produce an efficient solution. Documentation: Clearly commented code to support review and reuse. Bug-free: Runs without errors. Attention to efficiency, free of unnecessary steps.
Presentation	Depth: Strong interpretations of evidence (map, charts, etc), not just descriptions. Research: Strong background and ancillary references. Statements and interpretations are backed by evidence. Accommodating: Helps reader make connections between familiar and unfamiliar. Reflective: Explains expected and unexpected results with evidence. Illustrative: Shows and tells. Polished: Verbal and visual content reads clearly and does not generate confusion. Conclusive: Presents main findings, discusses limitations, and points to next steps.