• Class Number 4047
  • Term Code 3230
  • Class Info
  • Unit Value 6 units
  • Mode of Delivery In Person
  • COURSE CONVENER
    • Dr Sofia Samper Carro
  • LECTURER
    • Dr Ben Shaw
    • Prof Geoffrey Clark
    • AsPr Janelle Stevenson
    • Dr Stuart Bedford
    • Prof Susan O'Connor
  • Class Dates
  • Class Start Date 21/02/2022
  • Class End Date 27/05/2022
  • Census Date 31/03/2022
  • Last Date to Enrol 28/02/2022
SELT Survey Results

This course will provide students with a practical introduction to the laboratory methods associated with the analysis of archaeological materials, along with the interpretation and reporting of results. Students will acquire skills in record keeping, the correct procedures around sorting and accessioning artefacts, as well as the very specific analyses associated with materials such as lithics, shell and pottery as well as the sedimentary fabric of the excavation. In addition students will learn how to process historical period artefacts. Similar in concept to “ARCH2061 - Archaeological Field Methods” students in this course will work with archaeological materials that replicate a real world situation, covering both the prehistoric and historic time periods, from the initial arrival of excavated materials in the lab to final report.

The course will have imbedded throughout it the importance of record keeping as well as basic quantitative methods/analysis and the final and most significant piece of assessment will follow the format of a consulting report.

The course is group taught drawing on the expertise of ANU staff in archaeological practice.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

On satisfying the requirements of this course students will have the knowledge and skills to:
1. Operate independently as well as part of a team in a laboratory setting.
2. Implement the procedures associated with the curation and analysis of archaeological materials.
3. Integrate multiple lines of analysis and relate this to archaeological practice.
4. Plan and produce output consistent with industry practices in archaeology.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:
  • Written comments
  • Verbal comments
  • Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session Summary of Activities Assessment
1 Week 1 Course Intro and Sorting/Cataloguing
2 Week 2 Sedimentology/recording/contextual data Worksheet 1
3 Weeks 3-4 Shell Analysis Quiz 1
4 Weeks 5-6 Bone analysis Worksheet 2; First report
5 Week 7-8 Lithic analysis Worksheet 3; Quiz 2
6 Week 9-10 Pottery and Historic ceramic analysis Worksheet 4
7 Week 11 Data Analysis/Statistics Quiz 3
8 Week 12 Summary/recap Final report

Assessment Summary

Assessment task Value Learning Outcomes
Take Home Quizzes 20 % 2,3
Lab Worksheets 20 % 1,2,3
Report: Part 1 12 % 2,3,4
Report: Part 2 48 % 2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Value: 20 %
Learning Outcomes: 2,3

Take Home Quizzes

Three take home (online) quizzes will assess the skills acquired by students during the course. The first quiz (5% of total course marks) covers weeks 1-2, the second (7.5%) weeks 3-6 , and the third (7.5%) weeks 7-10. The quizzes are due on the Friday of weeks 3, 7 and 12.

Assessment Task 2

Value: 20 %
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3

Lab Worksheets

Four laboratory worksheets provide exercises related to topics explored during the laboratory work. They will typically be completed outside of class time. Each worksheet is worth 5% of the total marks. The worksheets are due at the start of class the following week.

Assessment Task 3

Value: 12 %
Learning Outcomes: 2,3,4

Report: Part 1

Students will submit a 'consultancy' style report that describes the analyses and findings of the work undertaken throughout the semester. It will be submitted in two parts. Part 1 will introduce the archaeological situation, provide the artefact catalogue, and discuss the rationales for subsequent work. Part 1 is worth 12% of the total marks and is due on Thursday of week 6.

Assessment Task 4

Value: 48 %
Learning Outcomes: 2,3,4

Report: Part 2

Students will submit a 'consultancy' style report that describes the analyses and findings of the work undertaken throughout the semester. It will be submitted in two parts. Part 2 will provide analyses of artefacts recovered and a discussion of the archaeological implications of the analyses and is worth 48% of the total course marks. It is due on Thursday, 9 June (during the exam period). The total report (parts 1 and 2) word count is 2000 words.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

The worksheets may include in-lab work and/or hand-drawn illustrations/figures and therefore hardcopy submission may be required. Please keep a copy of all hardcopy submissions for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date. Late submission is not accepted for take-home quizzes.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).
Dr Sofia Samper Carro
sofia.samper@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Zooarchaeology, Taphonomy, Human adaptations, GIS

Dr Sofia Samper Carro

Tuesday 10:00 11:00
Thursday 11:00 12:00
Dr Ben Shaw
ben.shaw@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Dr Ben Shaw

Prof Geoffrey Clark
5-2215
geoffrey.clark@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Prof Geoffrey Clark

AsPr Janelle Stevenson
5-3153
janelle.stevenson@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


AsPr Janelle Stevenson

Dr Stuart Bedford
stuart.bedford@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Dr Stuart Bedford

Prof Susan O'Connor
sue.oconnor@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Prof Susan O'Connor

Responsible Officer: Registrar, Student Administration / Page Contact: Website Administrator / Frequently Asked Questions