Abstract PP

    In Fall of 2018, I conducted an experiment for the class Writing in Biology at the University of Massachusetts. The project was a demonstration of the importance of clear, concise methods writing. I located a spider web on the University of Massachusetts campus and created a figure displaying a spider web and its relative location. Once completed, I shared it with another student in the class for the purpose of recreation. The student tasked with recreation did not see the original figure until submitting their version of it. The replicate version of the figure had variation in the size and location of certain components, different photographic elements, as well as map localization. The methods section included dimensions for all of the markings on the figure, but did not include any units of measurement. This caused the differences in size of markings and font in the replicate figure. The localization of the markings were different in the replicate as well because of missing details in the methods. Furthermore, the angle and location at which the photographs were taken differed in the replicate because of missing details as well. Weather and resultant conditions were different, but this was a factor that could not be controlled. The map image used in the replicate was zoomed out further than the original since the area encompassed in the original map image was not described in enough detail.