To assess this portion the student will be graded on the total number of responses given versus the total possible.  Each question has a series of answers that are possible. The instructor will determine how many of the responses are required for a given grade for the student.  Each response is given a value of one.  The total number of reponses provided by the student is a rubric type measure of the accomplishment of the student. The number of responses vary for each question because of the inherent nature of each question, and this assessment technique.

1.  What are some additional parameters that could be considered in this lesson?

possible responses:
 a. social behaviors
 b. natural life cycles
 c. other species
 d. temperature data
 e. moisture data
 f. human impact data
 g. other predator data
 h. historic data
 i. political impacts
 

2.  What are some suggested management practices based on this GIS data for these species?

  possible responses:
 a. park personnel moving animals
 b. state/federal officials culling animals
 c. hunting by the general public
 d. feeding programs
 e. habitat modification
 f. manipulation of other species
 

3.  What is the affect of interaction between the animal specie and people in the area?

possible responses: 
 a. humans cause animal to modify it's locations
 b. the more animals located in an area the more humans will come to the area
 c. overuse of certain areas by humans and/or animal specie
 d. lower number of animals
 e. modification of animal habits by human contact
 

4.  Determine possible reasons for the non-existance of the species in areas where your information search suggest they should be found.

possible responses: 
a.  historic data
 b. animals just becoming established in the area
 c. management practises of moving the animals into or out of areas
 d. the parameters are not good indicators of population sizes
 e. other limiting factors within the area not previously recognized
 

5.  Determine areas where the species should be found according to your analysis of the GIS data.

possible responses: 
 a. topographic considerations: slope, percentage of rocky cliffs
 b. vegetation considerations: open vegetation, understory cover, overstory cover, type of
     vegetation, burned areas
 c. distance from water: size of streams, type of stream, associated vegetation with streams
     distance to streams versus distance to human contact areas
 d. other considerations: various other important factors
 

6.  Determine areas where the species may be found in areas outside Yellowstone Park.

possible responses: 
 a. topographic considerations: slope, percentage of rocky cliffs
 b. vegetation considerations: open vegetation, understory cover, overstory cover, type of
     vegetation, burned areas
 c. distance from water: size of streams, type of stream, associated vegetation with streams
     distance to streams versus distance to human contact areas
 d. other considerations: various other important factors
 

7.  Is there a maximum number of parameters that can be observed or analyzed at one time with GIS?

possible responses: 
 a. present state of the art computer hardware
 b. present state of the art computer software
 c. depends on the type of data/type of parameters being studied
 d. limitations of research equipment
 e. with increase capabilities of technology there should be an increase number of
     parameter capability to an "unlimited" degree.
 f.  the degree of regressions and relationships of the parameters
 

8.  Why is there variations between the data collected by Yellowstone Park personnel in regards to locations of animals and the information collected during information searches.

possible responses: 
 a. poor collecting/research techniques
 b. slighty differing base line data
 c. slightly different aspects of the same parameters
 d. limitation of instruments or data collecting techniques
 e. different populations dynamics
 f. different specie populations
 

9.  Why are steep cliffs more desirable for Bighorn Sheep habitation?

possible responses: 
 a. more visual area
 b. harder for predators to get close
 c. better escape routes
 d. lack of large amount of snow
 e. better access to food sources
 f. access to areas for mineral/nutrition intake
 

10.  Why is open vegetation areas most important for Bighorn Sheep habitation?

possible responses: 
 a. lack of predators
 b. more visual area
 c. level of moisture to reach soil
 d. favored food sources
 e. more  favorabel temperature zones
 

11.  Why are GIS maps valuable when comparing and observing more than one parameter at one time?

possible responses: 
 a. look at multiple parameters at a given one time
 b. compare and relate parameters
 c. readily observe relationships
 d. start to define some sort of regressions
 e. observe patterns of a combination of parameter which may be different than patterns of
     individual parameters anaylzed individually
 

12.  Why are there an increasing number of mountain lion sightings in and around Yellowstone Park?

possible responses: 
 a. increasing numbers of new prey species
 b. better access to lion areas
 c. more lions
 d. more people in areas