Before completing assignment HDSE1-1 or HDSE1-2, scan the following pages from the required readings:
For examples of questions you may want to ask as part of a social assessment for watershed planning and implementation:
- River talk! Communicating a watershed message. pp.25-26
- Step-by-step guide to conducting a social profile for watershed planning. pp.13-34
For examples of methods you can use to collect a variety of sociological data*:
- River talk! Communicating a watershed message. pp.35-46
- Step-by-step guide to conducting a social profile for watershed planning. pp.13-34 . Also, for example survey questions: pp.66-89
*Note: Most likely, a great deal of sociological information, especially demographic data, about your watershed communities has already been collected. See the Additional Resources section for links to sites with existing social and economic data for Ohio.
Assignment HDSE1-2
Complete this assignment using some basic sociological data for a watershed. Write a one-half to one-page summary of the data. Be sure to address the following:
Data you are using. See the required readings or additional resources for ideas about data you might use in a social assessment.
Question(s) you are attempting to answer with this data. How might these data help you accomplish educational and, ultimately, environmental goals in the watershed? What management or program development decisions could be informed by these data?
Source of the data. (e.g., focus group interviews, surveys, census data, county health department)
Problems, concerns, or questions you have about the data. Is there any reason to question the reliability of the data? Are the data still relevant? Were the methods for collection documented? Are the data representative of the entire population or target audience? What are the credentials of the agency or organization that collected the data?
How might you apply this data in watershed management? Be specific about how your interpretation of the data might affect decisions you make about action strategies, educational programs, target audiences or target areas in the watershed.
Products to turn in for review:
A one-page fact sheet describing some sociological aspect of your watershed. In your fact sheet, be sure to address all the elements outlined in the assignment description.