OSU Author Hails Scientific Method as Key to Natural Resources Study

First posted on 11-24-2009

Natural resources students around the country have traditionally learned about nature through data collection and analysis. But Oklahoma State University’s Fred Guthery contends there are flaws in this method.

Guthery, who holds the Bollenbach Chair in Wildlife Ecology in the OSU department of natural resource ecology and management, believes that a true understanding of how science works should be included into a natural resource scientist’s university curriculum.

This message is delivered through his book, “A Primer on Natural Resource Science,” which recently won the 2009 Outstanding Publication Award from The Wildlife Society.

“It’s a very competitive award,” Guthery said. “There are a fair number of books submitted for this award and there have been a lot of good books recognized by The Wildlife Society.”

While this is not Guthery’s first national recognition for a publication, the recent award resounds strongly with him.

“The book is really original,” he said. “I knew I was getting into stuff that (graduate students) would need to know as budding scientists, and they weren’t likely to get it anywhere else.”
The first few chapters of the book explain portions of the research methodology that students are expected to understand.

“When you do research, you have to have a hypothesis, and we let it go at that,” Guthery said. “Nobody ever defines it or explains it or shows how to formulate a (good natural resources) hypothesis.”
The book is geared toward graduate students. Guthery said the information is unique and essential for students to continue shedding light on the mysteries of the natural world.

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