Today, I wrote the materials and methods section of my final paper. This section was easier to write than the results section but it still took a long time. I had to go through all of my past journals and read through my field logs in order to remember what I did exactly. I also wrote down a list of all the tools I used throughout data collection, and I went through my pictures to figure out which ones to use for reference. After refreshing my memory, I broke down the section into three parts: selecting sites and measuring canopy cover, collecting data in rose run, and chemical testing. Each part took me about a half hour each, collecting data in rose run being the longest. The writing style was first person and it was not a big stretch for me, however explaining the chemical testing process was difficult. Surprisingly, the part that took a long time was figuring out how to edit the aerial picture of Rose Run to show my site locations. I could not edit directly on the picture so I …show more content…
Honestly, I did not enjoy writing field logs and I thought they were a waste of my time. However, that changed when I had to write about my data collection from months ago. The field logs and journals really helped me remember how I did everything and the names of materials I used. Next time I do a study or experiment, I will not be complaining about field logs because they are worth it in the long run. I also learned the value of taking pictures during data collection. They are extremely important for reference in my paper and they make my explanations clearer. Also, they helped me remember what I did exactly, like the field logs. For example, I did not write down the exact name of the turbidity meter. Without the pictures of chemical testing, I probably would not have found the exact name or model. Overall, I learned that documenting the process is not a waste of