ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book emphasizes the fundamental role of experiment and the importance of experimental design in his essay on bird-song and the study of dialect variation. It shows how methodological and analytical procedures can influence our acquisition of knowledge. Gail Michener notes that, because researchers employ various methods of data collection and analysis, results are often difficult to compare. She shows how "date-based" analyses and "event-based" analyses produce different results. Thus, when comparing the results of different studies, one must examine in detail how the results were obtained. The book makes clear that the study of behavior involves more than "stamp-collecting". If studies are really to give us information about animal behavior and if the results are to be used for meaningful comparative analyses, then people cannot forsake a detailed concern with method, analysis, and critical experiment in the interest of speedy publication.
