Cartoon vs Photograph: How Images Affect Interest and Action in the Conservation of Eryngium Sparganophyllum
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Noemi Celani
- Grade:
- 6
- Teacher:
- Becky Beier
"Eryngium Sparganophyllum is one of the most endangered plants in the Sonoran Desert ecosystem. This study explored how images can support interest and promote action in plant conservation. The results showed that cartoons promoted interest and action more effectively in kids than photographs did; while cartoon images were most likely to promote interest in adults, photographs were more likely to promote action. This research is important because knowing the best way to get people interested in endangered plants will help protection and conservation efforts."
This was a very well done project and also very relevant.
Great topic! I appreciated that you extended research you had completed on a similar topic on the vaquita in a previous science project. How best to educate and engage the public, and motivate them to take action is critical. Your background research was thorough and well documented and you defined terms that might be unfamiliar to the general public (plant blindness, and cienega, for example.) Your data collection was impressive and your lab notebook was well organized. Field work with human participants can be challenging, and you did a nice job of explaining the limitations of your small sample size. I hope you enjoyed this process and that you continue your interest in science, the Sonoran Desert and how to motivate people to take action to protect it! Keep up the good work.