what scientific ideas or theories would help you explain why you are able to use the procedures to analyze the evidence?
For the foot print you could rely on gravity because you know that the dirt would be pressured to go down towards the center of the earth so if there were a hill you would know that the dirt might have shifted position to be elongated towards the bottom of the hill. This would change both the size and shape of the foot print you were analyzing. You can also rely on the fact that if the person were heavier the footprint would be more compressed and that can help you narrow down your suspects by showing you the approximate weight of the culprit.
How has your approach to lab procedures changed from the first round of labs? are you more or less confident in your results? why?
In round two I had more of an idea of how to complete the procedures because I read all of the instructions instead of only the one I was on. This made me more confident because I felt like I knew what I was doing and felt more able to handle it. I knew why I was doing each step and how it needed to be done in order to be ready for the next step. Overall I felt more prepared.