Merge pull request #353 from hdolinh/2023-08-usgs

2023 08 usgs

materials/sections/intro-synthesis-science.qmd

@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ references: book.bib
 *Synthesis science is the process of distilling existing data, ideas, theories, or methods drawn from many sources, across multiple fields of inquiry, to accelerate the generation of new scientific knowledge, often at a broad scale.*
 :::
 
-To break that down further, think of it this way: synthesis science utilizes **existing** data and knowledge to generate new inights. It's like putting together puzzle pieces from different sources to create a bigger picture.
+To break that down further, think of it this way: synthesis science utilizes **existing** data and knowledge to generate new insights. It's like putting together puzzle pieces from different sources to create a bigger picture.
 
-Synthesis science is fundamentally different than other types of academic research in that it does not involve collecting new or original data to conduct research or to answer a research question.
+Synthesis science is fundamentally different from other types of academic research in that it does not involve collecting new or original data to conduct research or to answer a research question.
 
-Since the ecological and environmental sciences are complex and often interdisciplinary, synthesis approaches are ideal for "understanding complexity across scales, leveraging data from various disciplines, facilitating discovery of general patterns in natural systems, and informing policy" [@halpern2023] in the ecological and environmental sciences.
+Since the ecological and environmental sciences are complex and often interdisciplinary, synthesis approaches are ideal for "understanding complexity across scales, leveraging data from various disciplines, facilitating the discovery of general patterns in natural systems, and informing policy" [@halpern2023] in the ecological and environmental sciences.
 
 ### The Value and Impact of Synthesis Research
 
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ There are many studies that **value the importance of synthesis** for varying re
 -   Providing critical knowledge to solve environmental issues [@carpenter2009]
 -   Initiating new collaborations and new insights across disciplines and non-academic sectors [@hampton2011]
 
-As synthesis science and research synthesis approaches have been gaining prominenance in the ecological and environmental fields, researchers have sought to understand the **impacts of synthesis**. In particular, @wyborn2018 identified the following types of impacts from research synthesis:
+As synthesis science and research synthesis approaches have been gaining prominence in the ecological and environmental fields, researchers have sought to understand the **impacts of synthesis**. In particular, @wyborn2018 identified the following types of impacts from research synthesis:
 
 -   Knowledge is used to change understanding of a system or phenomena
 -   Knowledge changes understanding of the interconnections between actors, sectors or systems
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ As synthesis science and research synthesis approaches have been gaining promine
 
 ## Research Synthesis Approaches
 
-In general, research synthesis approaches include utilizing existing research on a particular topic with the intention of integrating all the finding together.
+In general, research synthesis approaches include utilizing existing research on a particular topic with the intention of integrating all the findings together.
 
 There are multiple different types of approaches such as narrative reviews, vote counting (this quantitative method has been discredited, but you may find examples of it in your research), case studies, and more. However, **systematic reviews and meta-analysis are considered by some to be the "gold standard" of research synthesis** and are often used at NCEAS, which is why we're highlighting them here.
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ There are multiple different types of approaches such as narrative reviews, vote
 |                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
 |                   | *Note: Not all systematic reviews contain meta-analysis*                                                                                                                                                      |
 +-------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
-| Meta-Analysis     | A form of synthesis that uses statistical and qunatitative methods to integrate and compare (quantitatively) results from a large number of individual studies.                                               |
+| Meta-Analysis     | A form of synthesis that uses statistical and quantitative methods to integrate and compare (quantitatively) results from a large number of individual studies.                                               |
 +-------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 
 ### What about data?
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ In 1995, the National Science Foundation (NSF) responded to the increasing calls
 
 There are multiple other synthesis centers that have been established since, but each one has a foundational goal to use synthesis to "advance basic science, organize ecological information for decision makers concerned with pressing national issues, and make cost-effective use of the nation's extant and accumulating database" [@hampton2011].
 
-Synthesis centers are specifically designed to catalyze collaboration leading to breakthrough ideas, and one way NCEAS (among other synthesis centers) achieve this are through **working groups**. Since its inception, NCEAS has hosted hundreds of working groups and has supported them in varying ways including: structuring group size or composition, facilitation of working sessions, supplying computing and informatics support, offering training opporunities for data-focused team members, providing a neutral space for meetings and co-working, and more. In short, NCEAS lowers the "activation energy" for working group members so that they can focus on the cross-pollination of ideas, creative thinking, and emergent research [@rodrigo2013].
+Synthesis centers are specifically designed to catalyze collaboration leading to breakthrough ideas, and one way NCEAS (among other synthesis centers) achieves this is through **working groups**. Since its inception, NCEAS has hosted hundreds of working groups and has supported them in varying ways including: structuring group size or composition, facilitating of working sessions, supplying computing and informatics support, offering training opportunities for data-focused team members, providing a neutral space for meetings and co-working, and more. In short, NCEAS lowers the "activation energy" for working group members so that they can focus on the cross-pollination of ideas, creative thinking, and emergent research [@rodrigo2013].
 
 ## Working Groups at NCEAS
 

materials/sections/logic-modeling.qmd

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 ## Logic Models
 
-Logic models are a planning tool that are designed to support program development by depicting the flow of resources and processes leading to a desired result. They are also used for outcomes-based evaluation of a program and are often requested as part of an evaluation planning process by funders or stakeholders.
+Logic models are a planning tool that is designed to support program development by depicting the flow of resources and processes leading to a desired result. They are also used for outcomes-based evaluation of a program and are often requested as part of an evaluation planning process by funders or stakeholders.
 
 A simplified logic models comprise three main parts: Inputs, Outputs and Outcomes.
 
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ In the example below we have constructed a simple logic model for a hypothetical
 
 ![](images/LM4.png)
 
-Linkages are not always sequential and can be within categories, bi-directional and/or include feedback loops. Detailing this complexity of relationships, or theory of action, can be time consuming but is a valuable part of the thought process for project planning. In exploring all relationships, logic modeling also allows for assessing program feasibility.
+Linkages are not always sequential and can be within categories, bi-directional and/or include feedback loops. Detailing this complexity of relationships, or theory of action, can be time-consuming but is a valuable part of the thought process for project planning. In exploring all relationships, logic modeling also allows for assessing program feasibility.
 
 ![](images/LM5.png)