This course will familiarise students with common methods used in biological anthropology. Specifically, it will deal with issues including the methods of data analysis, data presentation and hypothesis testing within the discipline of biological anthropology. This will be accomplished through students conducting both qualitative and quantitative analysis on an existing data set, and then interpreting the results of that analysis. The main aim of this course is to prepare students for the data analysis portion of their own thesis projects and future research in the discipline.

Learning Outcomes

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

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

1. Choose an appropriate research design to answer their research questions;
2. Assess a data set and use appropriate techniques to clean it;
3. Use descriptive statistics to describe the data set;
4. Choose the correct statistical tests to perform significance testing on data sets; and
5. Interpret statistical tests and present results in a scientific format.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given written feedback on each of the assessment items. They can also seek verbal feedback in office hours from the convenor and/or their supervisor.

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	Identify dataset, topic, and methods-related references for project in consultation with your supervisor
2	Identify dataset, topic, and methods-related references for project in consultation with your supervisor
3	Identify dataset, topic, and methods-related references for project in consultation with your supervisor	Project Statement due
4	Work on analyses for project; make appointment with and meet with Statistical Consulting Unit (optional)
5	Work on analyses for project; make appointment with and meet with Statistical Consulting Unit (optional)
6	Work on analyses for project; make appointment with and meet with Statistical Consulting Unit (optional)
7	Work on analyses for project; make appointment with and meet with Statistical Consulting Unit (optional)
8	Work on analyses for project; make appointment with and meet with Statistical Consulting Unit (optional)
9	Write up data analysis project and prepare presentation
10	Write up data analysis project and prepare presentation
11	Write up data analysis project and prepare presentation	Presentation due
12	Write up data analysis project and prepare presentation	Project Report due

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Project Statement	25 %	11/03/2022	1, 4
Presentation	25 %	16/05/2022	1, 4
Project Report	50 %	03/06/2022	1, 2, 3, 4, 5

* 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:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

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 Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

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

Project Statement

During the first few weeks of class, you should be working to Identify a topic, database, and methods-related references for your Data Analysis Project.

The data for your Data Analysis Project can be: (a) the data, or a subset of the data, that you will use in your thesis; or, (b) a dataset that you will procure from the many freely available ones on the internet and elsewhere. Please read and understand the current rules related to ‘recycling’ of material from the thesis, as this is important in deciding whether you do something that will be slotted into your eventual thesis or something entirely different.

The Project Statement is a 500-word statement of the topic, dataset, and initial references you have consulted. The statement of topic should include a brief but detailed outline of the analyses you intend to do for the project and how they relate to your thesis; the statement of dataset should include the source and brief description of the data, which might include a table of descriptive statistics; the initial references should include full bibliographic information for 3 well-chosen references that you have identified as being critical for your project, plus a brief sentence for each explaining why you have chosen it. 

This assessment will be marked on the following criteria:

• Quality of statement of topic
• Quality of statement if data
• Quality of references
• Adherence to assessment instructions

Assessment Task 2

Presentation

You will give a polished 8-minute presentation in class about your Data Analysis Project. In your presentation, you should:

• have a first slide with your name (first and last) and title of your talk to show while you provide a brief overview of your project.
• use additional slides to supplement the presentation of the details of the project. The ideal number of slides in no more than 4 (which is 2 minutes per slide). Slides that feature a well-chosen illustration, or well-crafted tables or figures are ideal.
• not overcrowd your slides.
• use a font size that is readable from a distance for all text part. At least 18-pt font (preferably larger) for all text parts is recommended. Note that this assumes you are using Powerpoint. Other software may require larger fonts for readability.
• cite your sources on the slide itself, on a references slide, or in a separate handout. You should cite at least 5 works related to analysis and methods using APA format. Do not zip past references. Give the audience a chance to inspect them.
• practice your presentation ahead of time.
• speak clearly and present with confidence.
• be ready to transition to conclusions, if you have not already, when you are told you have reached the 1-minute-left mark.
• be prepared to answer questions for around 2 minutes after your presentation.

You will be marked based on the following criteria:

• Quality of project.
• Quality of references.
• Quality of overheads.
• Conformity to instructions.

Assessment Task 3

Project Report

The Project Report is a 2500 to 3000-word (not including figures, tables, and references) report of a set of analyses that you have done for the data analysis project for this class. You will have gotten feedback on the topic, data source, and references in an earlier assessment. The analyses you do for your project should be quantitative except under very limited circumstances with written permission from your supervisor. The project provides a platform for you to practice the sorts of analyses you will do in the thesis, or even to start working on thesis analyses depending on current rules regarding the ‘recycling’ of material from the thesis. That is, if the current rules allow it, you are welcome to use this opportunity to do analyses that will be slotted eventually into the thesis. 

The Project Report:

• should reflect an entire semester’s worth of independent work and should be characterized by the appropriate use of quantitative analytical methods of the standard that would be expected in the thesis itself. You should consult with your supervisor about this project and you will be provided feedback on your Project Statement in the first half of the semester. You will not be hounded or nudged. You are expected to put in the effort independently.
• does not require a lot of background or justification. You should provide more detail in the Methods and Results than you provide in the Introduction and Discussion. Ideally, the balance should be something like 10% of the word count dedicated to Introduction, 10% to Discussion, and 80% to Methods and Results.
• should be well formatted, with clear demarcation of paragraphs and section headings. Use a reasonable font and single-spacing, as the paper will be marked electronically.
• must cite 5-10 pieces of appropriate literature, going beyond the list of indicative readings in the course outline. Use the citation style included at the end of this outline.
• must have at least 1 table and 1 figure in the paper, but no more than two of each. Each should be labelled and include a numbered and descriptive caption. Each should be referred to in text at least once. Do not cut and paste output from statistical software.
• should have a clear and concise title that reflects your specific topic.

You will be marked based on the following criteria:

• Quality of the project
• Quality of writing
• Quality of references
• Conformity to instructions

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to 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 be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, 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 Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. 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, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

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. Extensions may be granted 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).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students