This course is designed to explore a series of emerging and intensely debated issues or methodological approaches in core areas of biological anthropology. The content is variable - offering a variety of areas of research expertise in bioarchaeology, skeletal biology, palaeoanthropology, primatology, or evolution of human behaviour. Students in this course will take a critical approach to theory and/or methods employed in these areas.

One topic is taught over one academic session. The course provides flexible intensity of learning as a 6 unit course, and is delivered through low-intensity online learning built around an intensive class of 5 day duration. Students commence the course with 4-5 weeks of independent reading and research as preparation. Students then attend a 5 day intensive course on campus at the ANU. This intensive five day program is followed up with work on tasks and course assessments with online supervision at low intensity, for delivery and completion by the end of the session/semester. The content and topics will vary from course to course. One course will be offered per year (always either in S2 or the Spring session). Session topics are dependent on availability of faculty expertise and may include bioarchaeology, skeletal biology, palaeoanthropology, primatology, or evolution of human behaviour.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. develop an understanding of skills and concepts in the thematic area of biological anthropology;
2. critically analyse literature through evaluation of published research against alternative interpretations of data in the thematic area of biological anthropology;
3. identify scientific problems and construct hypotheses in biological anthropology research;
4. practise a technique/method applied to relevant data appropriate to a basic level of research training or professional practice in the thematic area of biological anthropology;
5. reach a masters level of expertise allowing to design a small research project in which skills defined for the theme area of biological anthropology could be applied.

Research-Led Teaching

Every year the topic of this course changes to reflect the research specialisation of our ANU Biological Anthropology staff members. In 2024, the course introduces students to Stacey's field of research, which focuses on identifying social inequalities in ancient Thai communities through spatial analysis of skeletal stress markers. Students will learn about the creation and perpetuation of social inequality, health inequalities, physological stress, spatial analysis in bioarchaeology, conducting spatial analysis in R, and late Iron Age Thailand through interactive seminars, practical labs, and tutorials. Students will also conduct and pitch their own research on the bioarchaeology of inequality through creation of mock grant proposals. These experiential assessments are aimed at giving students transferable skills they can use in their future careers.

Required Resources

Computing and Software Requirements:

• Students will need to have a working laptop with a copy of RStudio installed to participate in the tutorial sessions.
• RStudio is a free, open-source statistical software available at https://posit.co/download/rstudio-desktop/.
• Please note you will need to install R to install RStudio. Instructions are included at the Posit website above.

Lab Equipment:

• Lab coats show respect to the dead and also protect both you and your clothes in the lab.
• You must wear a clean white labcoat to all in-person lab sessions.
• For those of you who need to purchase a lab coat, ANU lab coats can be purchased through the Harry Hartog bookshop (online  or on campus) for $35.
• Non-branded coats may also be purchased from any workwear or uniform supply shop (e.g., The Lab Coat Company, uniforms.com.au).

Required Readings

• A reading list will be provided on Wattle before Spring Session begins. All readings will be made available via Wattle. You are strongly encouraged to complete these readings before intensive week so that you can get the most out of class discussions and other activities.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

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). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Course Content:

• Please be aware that this course focuses on human skeletal remains and as such, may be confronting to some individuals. Seminars will contain images of deceased people and pathological conditions and you will be exposed to real pathological skeletal remains during labs. If a seminar or lab is too much, please feel free to take a break and return to class when you are able. Information on where to get additional support is provided above under 'SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS.'

Labs and Tutorials

• You are required to attend both lab sessions and both tutorials during Intensive Week.
• In the lab you MUST wear a lab coat and closed-toe shoes and have long hair tied back. Food and drink (including water) are NOT permitted in the lab at any time.
• For the tutorials you will need a laptop computer with a current version of RStudio installed, as outlined under 'required resources' above.

Referencing

• This course employs the Harvard referencing style. All assessments must be referenced using this style.

• For examples of Harvard referencing, see https://www.anu.edu.au/students/academic-skills/academic-integrity/referencing/harvard

Class FAQ Forum

• If you have any questions about the course, please see the Frequently Asked Questions Forum on Wattle. If there are no answers to your questions on the forum, please either post a question in the forum or contact your lecturer or convenor. All questions asked via email will be edited for anonymity and shared on the forum to build a 'repository of knowledge' for the whole class.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Self-directed learning
2	Self-directed learning
3	Self-directed learning
4	Self-directed learning	Critical Annotated Bibliography due 9am Monday 21 October
5	Self-directed learning
6	Self-directed learning
7	Self-directed learning	Mock Grant Application: Expression of Interest due 9am Monday 11 November
8	Intensive Week: All seminars, labs, and tutorials for this course will be delivered in a one week 'intensive' to be held between Monday 18 November to Friday 22 November. Classes will run in-person from 9-5pm each day. You must attend these sessions.	Oral Presentations will be held between 1-5pm on Friday 22 November
9	Self-directed learning
10	Self-directed learning
11	Self-directed learning	Mock Grant Application: Full Proposal due 9am Monday 9 December
12	Self-directed learning

Tutorial Registration

You must attend all lectures, labs, and tutorials held in the intensive week (18-22 November) for this course. To enrol in these sessions, please go to MyTimetable. ANU uses MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Critical Annotated Bibliography	20 %	21/10/2024	25/10/2024	1,2,3
Mock Grant Proposal: Expression of Interest	25 %	11/11/2024	15/11/2024	1,2,3,4,5
Oral Presentation	15 %	22/11/2024	29/11/2024	1,2
Mock Grant Proposal: Full Application	40 %	09/12/2024	13/12/2024	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 Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

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 Skills website. 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.

Participation

• The classes held during the intensive week will be highly interactive, requiring you to work alone, in pairs, and as a group to complete activities and feed them back to the class. You are strongly encouraged to do the required course readings before the intensive week so that you can get the most of thse activities.
• We recognise that social interactions can be hard for many people. An anonymous, text-based method of communication will always be be provided during discussion sessions so that people can participate in a way that is comfortable for them.

Assessment Task 1

Critical Annotated Bibliography

Students will critically review ten published papers related to a the theme of the course. Students will be offered a choice of topics to choose from, and will deliver an oral presentation on the same topic (see below). Students will learn and develop critical and analytical thinking skills, and become familiar with research in a thematic area of biological anthropology. They will learn about the process of peer-review, and participate in conceptual and factual debates in biological anthropology.

Word count: 2000 words

Value: 20%

Due Date: 9am Monday 21 October

Estimated return date: Friday 25 October by 5pm

Assessment Task 2

Mock Grant Proposal: Expression of Interest

Many modern grant funding programmes are moving to a two-stage process. The first stage of this process often involves submitting an Expression of Interest (EoI) or 'pitch', which are assessed and ranked. The researchers with the highest-ranked EoIs are then invited to submit a full grant application in the second stage - moving one step closer to that elusive pot of research funding! The function of an EoIs is therefore to 'hook' the assessment panel and convince them that they want to see a full application from you - they therefore need to be clear, concise, brief, and impactful. In this assessment, you will write a one page EoI for a research project of your own design, following 'submission guidelines' modelled on real grant submission requirements. Your EOI must argue that your project is novel, timely, 'doable', rigorous, and of importance the scientific community and other stakeholders, including the public. Through completing this exercise, you will develop transferable skills in information analysis and synthesis, problem solving, research design and creative thinking, and impactful writing.

Word count: One page, to be completed on the template provided on Wattle.

Value: 20%

Due Date: 9am Monday 11 November

Estimated return date: Friday 15 November by 5pm

Assessment Task 3

Oral Presentation

Students will present an in-class talk on the topic they researched for their annotated bibliography. Talks will be between 15 and 30 minutes in length (depending on the total student enrolment numbers) to impose a conference-like setting (i.e. deliver presentation concisely). Presentations will be delivered individually. Students will be required to answer questions from staff and students.

Length: 20 minutes + 10 minutes of questions/discussion

Value: 15%

Due Date: 1pm Friday 22 November

Estimated return date: Friday 29 November by 5pm

Assessment Task 4

Mock Grant Proposal: Full Application

Congratulations, your Expression of Interest has made it through to the second round! You must now write a full grant proposal, following guidelines modelled on real grant submission requirements, introducing the background to, and urgent need for your project, its local, regional, and global significance, the key research questions you seek to address, the methods you will use to conduct the study, expected impacts and outcomes of the study, and a detailed research timeline. By writing a mock grant proposal students will learn how to produce a scientifically rigorous document giving them a platform to develop problem solving and creative research development and communication skills.

Word count: Five pages, to be completed on the template provided on Wattle.

Value: 40%

Due Date: 9am Monday 9 December

Estimated return date: Friday 12 December by 5pm

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

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

Late submission of assessment items without an extension is NOT permitted for this course. This means that if you miss an assessment and you have not been granted an extension, you will fail the assessment.

• If you are worried about meeting a deadline, please apply for an extension or contact the convenor for advice as soon as you can - it is better to be safe than sorry and we are always happy to help where we can.
• Please note that extensions cannot be granted after the due date unless you can demonstrate that you were unable to apply in time due to extenuating circumstances. Information on how to apply for extensions is covered in the ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure and will be explained in the first lecture of the semester.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

• All grades will be recorded in the Wattle Gradebook
• You will be able to access assessments submitted via the Turnitin Studio or Assessment Tool in Wattle when all class members have completed the assessment.
• The marks for your final assessment will not be released in accordance with ANU ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy. To view your feedback for this assessment, please make an appointment with the course convenor after the final grades for S1, 2025 have been released.

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.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assessments is not permitted for this course.

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 Accessibility 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 supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students