Upper-division Writing Requirement Review Form (12/1/08)
I. General Education Review – Upper-division Writing Requirement
Dept/Program
Course # (i.e. ANTH
Anthropology
ANTH 455
Subject
455) or sequence
Course(s) Title
Artifact Analysis
Description of the requirement if it is not a single course
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office.
Please type / print name Signature
Instructor
John E. Douglas
Phone / Email
john.douglas@umontana.edu
x 4246
Program Chair
John E. Douglas
III Overview of the Course Purpose/ Description
Date
A hands-on introduction to interpreting artifacts from archaeological sites that focuses on the
analysis of chipped stone tools, ceramics, and historic artifacts. The class consists of lecture,
discussion, and laboratory work. It will cover all phases of an artifact analysis: defining
problem domains, selecting attributes, coding data, analyzing the data, interpreting results, and
presenting the analysis in a coherent professional report.
IV Learning Outcomes: Explain how each of the following learning outcomes will be achieved.
The purpose of this class is to take students
Student learning outcomes :
from “consumers” of archaeological
Identify and pursue more sophisticated
information found in their text books to
questions for academic inquiry
“creators” of knowledge. To that end, I give
them instruction on multiple levels, require
them to read and research, and then to analyze
artifacts and create a report. The report is not
just a description of objects; it must be a
problem-oriented study in the social science
tradition.
Beyond lectures and a textbook, this course
Find, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize
requires that students: 1) Get an electronic
information effectively from diverse sources
(see http://www.lib.umt.edu/informationliteracy/) profession journal article focused on artifact
analysis (there’s always a few that don’t know
how find and download a journal article!) and
read and synthesize it for a class presentation.
That helps set the language, voice, and aims of
professional archaeological analysis, and gives
us a shared set of examples. 2) Before starting
their study, students are required to turn in a
proposal with a working bibliography, giving
me a chance to give them feedback and expand
their bibliographic search as needed. 3) The
objects themselves, and the databases that they
create to extract data and patterns from,
Manage multiple perspectives as appropriate
Recognize the purposes and needs of
discipline-specific audiences and adopt the
academic voice necessary for the chosen
discipline
Use multiple drafts, revision, and editing in
conducting inquiry and preparing written work
Follow the conventions of citation,
documentation, and formal presentation
appropriate to that discipline
Develop competence in information
technology and digital literacy
generally in Microsoft’s Excel, is another
source of information that I spend time working
with them on how to create and interpret.
Writing an analysis requires the scientist to
balance 1) the literature and what has been
done in the past, 2) the questions and analytical
approaches she or he wants to employ, and 3)
the limits and characteristics of the collection
and the data itself. Good scientific writing
requires all of these be managed, and I work
with students to accomplish that.
This is done largely through example—see
discussion of the journal articles above—and
by practice with feedback, including the inclass work we do where I bring in artifacts and
have them write on these artifacts—and give
them feedback on their language, approach etc.
on these in-class assignments. Please note that
this class has prerequisites, and these students
have background in the field before coming
into this class.
By requiring a formal proposal, giving
feedback, and allowing them to turn in a draft
report for editing and revision I lead them
through the writing process. I spend a lot of
time discussing these reports and what is best
practice with students throughout the process,
both in and out of the classroom.
This is clearly stated in the syllabus, including
the appropriate internet document for citation
and documentation style. I follow up on this
throughout the class.
Students are required to use electronic journals,
and encouraged to use RefWorks for their
bibliography, and a class is used to cover the
use of Excel and web-based programs for
statistical and graphing presentation of data. In
working with them, I am very clear about
original sources, appropriate references, etc.
V. Writing Course Requirements Check list
Is enrollment capped at 25 students?
If not, list maximum course enrollment.
Explain how outcomes will be adequately met
for this number of students. Justify the request
for variance.
Are outcomes listed in the course syllabus? If
not, how will students be informed of course
expectations?
† Yes † No
16 students
† Yes † No
These are also discussed in class.
Are detailed requirements for all written
assignments including criteria for evaluation in the
course syllabus? If not how and when will students
be informed of written assignments?
Briefly explain how students are provided with
tools and strategies for effective writing and editing
in the major.
† Yes † No
Will written assignments include an opportunity for
revision? If not, then explain how students will
receive and use feedback to improve their writing
ability.
Are expectations for Information Literacy listed in
the course syllabus? If not, how will students be
informed of course expectations?
† Yes † No
These are also discussed in class.
I provide students with formal guidelines,
multiple examples, and then work with them
to accomplish an appropriate analysis report.
† Yes † No The requirement for electronic
journal use is covered in the syllabus; how to use
computers for analysis is a lecture topic.
Certainly all the things talked about by the library
for a 400-level course by the Mansfield:
Identifying important scholars in discipline
Constraints on information and research
Quality and availability of information
Finding opposing views and writing counterarguments
Citation tracking
Repeated content: Value of original scholarship
(http://www.lib.umt.edu/informationliteracytables/#Table1)
Are discussed or built into the expectations of this
course.
VI. Writing Assignments: Please describe course assignments. Students should be required to
individually compose at least 20 pages of writing for assessment. At least 50% of the course grade
should be based on students’ performance on writing assignments. Clear expression, quality, and
accuracy of content are considered an integral part of the grade on any writing assignment.
2-4 page proposal (15% of grade)
Formal Graded Assignments
10-15 page report (50% of grade) (+ rewrite)
Informal Ungraded Assignments
Three in-class analysis assignments, each 3
pages long. These are edited and corrected,
and given a grade of check minus, check, or
check plus. They fall somewhere between
formal and informal assignments (15% of the
grade).
VII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form. ⇓ The syllabus
should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus preparation
see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
Anthropology 455
ARTIFACT ANALYSIS
Professor: John Douglas; Office: Social Sciences 233; E-mail:
John.Douglas@umontana.edu; Tel: 243-4246; Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 911, Tuesday 1-2, or by appointment.
Purpose: A hands-on introduction to interpreting artifacts from archaeological sites that
focuses on the analysis of chipped stone tools, ceramics, and historic artifacts. The class
consists of lecture, discussion, and laboratory work. It will cover all phases of an artifact
analysis: defining problem domains, selecting attributes, coding data, analyzing the data,
and interpreting results presenting the analysis in a coherent professional report.
Prerequisites: Anthropology 250 (Introduction to Archaeology) or equivalent
Required text: Mark Sutton and Brooke Arkush, 2006, Archaeological Laboratory
Methods: An Introduction (4th edition preferred) Kendall/Hunt Publishing, Dubuque.
Optional equipment: A magnifying glass, preferably 10x hand lens, is suggested on
lab days and if you work on an independent project.
Grade Determination: There are five sources of grades in this course: (1) attendance
and active participation in class exercises; (2) a test; (3) a proposal and bibliography
for your project; (4) a class presentation of an article you have read; and (5) a project.
Attendance: Students are expected to be participants in the course, including class
exercises. Students who miss multiple classes or do not work fully on the lab
exercises will not receive full credit for attendance.
Test: The test covers the assigned chapters, terms and ideas, and any slides or videos
that may be shown. The test consists of multiple choice questions and short
definitions.
Project proposals: are in preparation for the written project. The project will either
analyze a group of artifacts (usually, at least 30) or will be a library project that
explores an artifact analysis issue or approach in detail. In the proposal, present a plan
to research a group of artifacts, prehistoric, historic, or modern, or your research
question/literature domain. You should include at least four (4) references beyond
your textbook (references cited in your textbook are fine). The proposal should be two
to four double-spaced printed pages, no more than 1000 words. Follow the Society
for American Archaeology Style Guide, available at
http://www.saa.org/publications/StyleGuide/styframe.html or follow the most recent
issue of American Antiquity in the library. Neatly handwritten assignments will be
accepted. It is due March 12.
Paper Presentations: Each student will be assigned a journal paper and a presentation
date for a journal about artifact analysis from a “cutting-edge” journal, such as
Journal of archaeological method and theory, the Journal of archaeological
science, and American Antiquity. Most selected journals are available as electronic
resources at the Mansfield Library, available under the listings of the Electronic
Journal Subscriptions, available at: http://va3wn8qp2m.search.serialssolutions.com/.
This service can be used off-campus with your SCUID. After reading the article, you
will give a 10 minute presentation to the class, explaining the aims, methods, results of
the article, as well as critiquing the strengths and weaknesses of the article from your
perspective.
Written project: the report represents the completion of an analysis of a group of
artifacts in class or an exploration of an artifact analysis issue or approach in detail.
Papers should consist of 10-15 double-spaced, typewritten pages including the
bibliography, and, for artifact analyses, all graphs, photos, tables, and data appendices.
The final paper will be judged in six areas: (1) goals and methods; (2) presentation of
data; (3) interpretation of data; (4) conclusions and possible future directions; (5) use
of references to the relevant literature (generally 5 for artifact analyses, 8 or more for
library projects are expected); (6) affective language and appropriate archaeological
style and presentation. Follow the Society for American Archaeology Style Guide;
neatly handwritten assignments will be accepted. For graduate credit, students will be
expected to complete a longer (15-20 pages), more professional paper. An optional
draft of the paper can be turned in April 21; I will get you comments back by one
week. The final version is due on May 2 (Friday).
Finals week bonus: Attendance during the final period during finals week is optional,
but presentations of your project during period can provide bonus points for your
grade (up to 10).
A total of 400 points (not counting bonus points) are possible for the class:
Attendance/Participation
30
Project proposal/Bibliography
30
Paper Presentation
40
Test
100
Project
200
points
points
points
points
points
A total of 360 or more points is required for an "A" for the semester, etc. The plus/minus
system will not be used in this class.
Please note that February 11 (4:30 pm) is the last day to easily add or drop a class, and
that March 5 (4:30) is the final day for dropping a class.
Disability Accommodations: When requested by the student, learning disabilities
recognized by Disability Student Services (DSS) will be ameliorated with any reasonable
accommodation: copies of notes, special testing environment, extended testing time, and
special forms of the tests.
Incompletes: An incomplete will be considered only when requested by the student. At
the discretion of the instructor, incompletes are given to students who missed a portion of
the class because of documented serious health or personal problems during the semester.
Students have one year to complete the course; requirements are negotiated on a case-bycase basis.
Plagiarism and misconduct: I urge all students to read and understand the plagiarism
warning contained in the general catalog. If you do not clearly indicate the source of
sentences taken from the articles, you are committing “plagiarism,” an activity that, at a
minimum, will result in a zero for the paper and a notification of the Dean of Students. In
general, students must practice academic honesty. All students should to be familiar with
the Student Conduct Code. The Code is available for review online at
www.umt.edu/SA/VPSA/index.cfm/page/1321.
Schedule (CR=Classroom LA 205, Lab= Room 30 Laboratory)
Date
23-Jan
28-Jan
Day Place
W
CR
M
CR
Topic
Course introduction
Artifacts and Archaeology
30-Jan
4-Feb
W
M
CR
CR
Attributes, Typologies and Goals
Historic Artifacts
6-Feb W
11-Feb M
13-Feb W
CR
Lab
CR
Historic Artifacts
Practicum--laboratory
Chipped Stone Artifacts--Basis
M
W
M
W
M
CR
CR
Lab
CR
Washington-Lincoln Day Holiday
Chipped stone production
Raw material selection, use, resuse
Practicum--laboratory
Ground Stone Artifacts
5-Mar W
10-Mar M
Lab
CR
Laboratory--project ideas
Traditional Ceramics Analysis
12-Mar W
CR
17-Mar
19-Mar
24-Mar
26-Mar
31-Mar
M
W
M
W
M
CR
Lab
Spring Break
Traditional ceramics—production;
proposals due
Traditional ceramics --function & typology
Practicum—laboratory
CR
Data Bases and Analysis
2-Apr
7-Apr
9-Apr
14-Apr
16-Apr
21-Apr
23-Apr
28-Apr
30-Apr
W
M
W
M
W
M
W
M
W
CR
Lab
Lab
Lab
Lab
Lab
CR
CR
CR
8-May
Th
CR
TEST
Start Laboratory--projects
Laboratory--projects
Laboratory--projects
Laboratory--projects
Laboratory—projects (drafts due)
Paper Presentations
Paper Presentations
Paper Presentations; papers due by
Friday, May 2nd in my office or mailbox
3:20-5:20; Optional Project Presentations
18-Feb
20-Feb
25-Feb
27-Feb
3-Mar
Reading
Chapter
3
Chapter
9
Chapter
4
Chapter
5
Chapter
6
Chapter
14