This course explores a wide range of topics pertaining to the medico-legal recovery and investigation of human remains to provide a comprehensive introduction to the fields of Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology. Students will receive practical and theoretical training in the identification and analysis of skeletonised human remains and the archaeological recovery of forensic evidence through core lectures, labs, and field training exercises such as the mock crime scene investigation. Guest lectures by leading forensic experts from the ANU and beyond cover real-life examples drawn from domestic and international cases to give students broad interdisciplinary insights into cutting-edge approaches to, and applications of, the forensic study of both the skeleton and the crime scene. Students will gain skills necessary, and appropriate in terms of the requirements of the Australian medico-legal professions, for the practical management and excavation of a body/crime scene.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. reconstruct a basic biological profile from a set of human skeletal remains;
2. recover forensic evidence using archaeological methods as part of a mock excavation in the field;
3. analyse and report forensic evidence in multiple formats;
4. describe, explain, and critically evaluate methods used in Forensic Anthropology; and
5. apply ethical best practices in Forensic Anthropology.

Research-Led Teaching

Lectures in this course are given by experts in their respective fields and draw on their research and forensic case work experience to give an authentic introduction to the many facets of forensic science.

Field Trips

• An on-campus mock crime scene excavation is offered as part of this course. You must attend ONE excavation session on a day of your choosing in Week 6 (W/B 25 August). Each session will be 4.5 hours long and will run from 10am-2:30pm.
• Please register for a dig session of your choosing on MyTimetable. Note that registration is first in, first served, and that we are unable to increase sessions sizes to squeeze you in if you miss out on your desired session. Please sign up early to ensure you get a session that works for you.
• Please contact the course convenor as soon as possible if you will require adjustments or other support to assist your participation in the dig.
• Please note, no lectures or labs will be offered in Week 6 due to the excavation taking place.

Additional Course Costs

We will be digging unless a total weather apocalypse occurs! For your safety and comfort during the excavation, it is recommended that you obtain the following items for the dig: Old, warm, long-sleeved clothing, sturdy closed-toe boots or shoes, gardening gloves, a rain jacket, warm hat, sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses (optional), wet-weather pants (optional), and a drink bottle/thermos. Please note you are likely to get muddy/dirty while excavating, so you are advised not to bring new/special clothing or items on site. A more detailed list of equipment required for the mock crime scene excavation is provided on Canvas.

Required Resources

Core Textbook:

• White TD, and Folkens PA. 2005. The Human Bone Manual. Boston: Academic Press.
• This text is available as an eBook via the library catalogue or can be purchsed from the Harry Hartog shop for $50 .

Lab Attire:

• You must wear a clean white labcoat and closed-toe shoes to all in-person lab sessions. No lab coat or shoes, no entry.
• Long hair should be tied up off your collar.
• 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 $30.
• Non-branded coats may also be purchased from any workwear or uniform supply shop (e.g., The Lab Coat Company, uniforms.com.au).

Recommended Resources

N/A

Staff Feedback

You will receive the following feedback on assessments:

• Written feedback will be provided digitally for all assessments via the assessment tool on Canvas
• General written feedback will be provided to the class as a group using the 'Announcements' forum on Canvas
• Verbal feedback will be provided to the class at the start of lectures and/or labs as necessary

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.

Other Information

Labs

• You must attend one 60 minute lab a week as part of this course. Please register for one lab session of your choice through My Timetable prior to labs beginning in Week 1. Please register early to avoid missing out on your preferred session.
• Labs will be held in Gould 1.03. You must wear a clean white lab coat and closed-toe shoes to the lab.
• If you miss a lab in the first half of the semester, please independently complete the lab worksheet for that week using the learning materials and model answers provided on Canvas. If you still have questions after consulting the model answers, feel free to get in touch with any of the teaching staff.
• If you find that miss several labs in the second half of the semester, you may find it hard to complete the assessments for this course. if you find yourself in this situation, please contact the course convenor as soon as you can for assistance.

Mock Excavation

• A mock crime scene excavation is being held on campus in Week 6. Excavation sessions will be 4.5 hours long and will run from 10am - 2:30pm. You must attend ONE excavation session. Please see 'Field Trips' above for more information.

Assigned Course Readings:

• This course involves assigned (required) readings, which must be completed prior to each lecture.
• These readings will provide you with critical background knowledge for each lecture and increase your understanding of key course concepts.
• The readings for each week are listed under 'Weekly Activities' on Wattle.
• All readings are available via the library website or as PDFs on Wattle.

Referencing

• This course employs the Harvard referencing style. Where applicable, 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 Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Lecture: Course Introduction (Dr Stacey Ward); Lab: Introduction to the Skeleton
2	Lecture: Age and Sex Esimation (Dr Stacey Ward); Lab: Age and Sex Estimation
3	Lecture: Skeletal Trauma Analysis (Dr Stacey Ward); Lab: Skeletal Trauma	Forensic Anthropology Report 1 (10%) due 9am Monday 4 August
4	Lecture: Forensic Taphonomy (Dr Eline Schotsmans); Lab: Stratigraphic Drawing
5	Lecture: Excavating a Crime Scene (Dr Stacey Ward); Lab: Mapping a Crime Scene
6	Excavation Week: No Lectures or LabsMid-Semester Break 30 August to 14 September	Mock Testimony (15%) due 9am Monday 1 September
7	Lecture: Forensic Skeletal Biology and Trace Evidence (Dr Karen Cooke); Lab: Evidence Analysis Session 1	Crime Scene Management Report (15%) due 9am 15 September
8	Lecture: Identification of Fragmented Remains (Dr Sarah Croker); Lab: Evidence Analysis Session 2
9	Lecture: Forensic Odontology (A/Prof Alex Forrest); Lab: Evidence Analysis Session 3	Forensic Anthropology Report 2 (20%) due 9am Monday 29 September
10	Lecture Video: Analysis of Burned Human Remains (Dr Stacey Ward); Lab: Evidence Analysis Session 4
11	Lecture: Forensic DNA Analysis (A/Prof Georgina Meakin); Lab: Evidence Analysis Session 5	Non-Skeletal Evidence Report (15%) due 9am Monday 13 October
12	Lecture: Ethics in Forensic Anthopology (Dr Stacey Ward); Lab: Evidence Analysis Session 6
13	Semester 2 Exam Period Begins	Crime Scene Report (25%) due 9am Monday 27 October

Tutorial Registration

You must register for a lab session of your choice prior to labs beginning in Week 1. To register, please go to MyTimetable. This software enables students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate themselves to teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. If you need help with MyTimetable, please see this website. You must also complete one four-hour long excavation session in Week 6 (W/B 28 August) of the course. Excavation registration will open in My Timetable in Week 2 of the course. Please see 'field trips' below for more information on the excavation.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
2 x Forensic Anthropology Reports	30 %	04/08/2025	11/08/2025	1,4,5
Mock Expert Testimony	15 %	01/09/2025	15/09/2025	1,3,4,5
Crime Scene Management Report	15 %	15/09/2025	22/09/2025	2,3,4,5
Non-Skeletal Evidence Report	15 %	29/09/2025	06/10/2025	2,3,4,5
Final Crime Scene Investigation Report	25 %	13/10/2025	20/10/2025	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 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.

Participation

• Several lectures for this course will NOT be recorded as they involve sensitive content drawn from real forensic cases. You must attend these lectures or you will miss the lecture. Lectures that will not be recorded will be identified on Wattle to help you plan your attendance.
• If you have an EAP entitling you to lecture recordings, please contact the course convenor to discuss alternative options.
• Unless you are sick or have other extenuating circumstances affecting you attendance, you are strongly encouraged to attend all lab sessions throughout the semester. Regular lab attendance is necessary for completing all assessment tasks. If you are unable to attend labs regularly, please contact the course convenor.

Examination(s)

There are no formal examinations for this course.

Assessment Task 1

2 x Forensic Anthropology Reports

In this assessment, you will gain experience in summarising and reporting forensic anthropology data using techniques and reporting formats used by 'real-life' forensic anthropologists. Forensic anthropologists collect information on the identity of the deceased through the specialised study of the human skeleton. This information includes age, sex, stature, and ancestry, as well as information on skeletal pathology or trauma that can be used to uncover the circumstances around a person's death. A key skill in forensic anthropology is condensing this specialised information into a brief format that is accessible to a wide range of stakeholders, including law enforcement. You will produce two, one-page forensic anthropology reports over the course of the semester. For the first report, you will be given a set of simulated skeletal data to summarise into a forensic anthropology report format. For the second report, you will summarise skeletal data you yourself have collected from human remains recovered from our mock crime scene dig.

Detailed assessment guidelines will be provided via Canvas.

Value: 30% (1 x 10%, 1 x 20%)

Due Date:  Report 1, 9am Monday 4 August; Report 2, 9am Monday 29 September

Estimated return date: Report 1, 5pm Monday 11 August; Report 2 Monday 6 October

Assessment Task 2

Mock Expert Testimony

This assessment is a twist on the usual presentation! Two weeks before the deadline, students will receive a mock invitation to provide video testimony on the skeletal data they summarised for Forensic Anthropology Report 1. This invitation will include a list of five questions that the the 'defence lawyers' want addressed. Students will then be given two weeks to 'prepare' their testimony and submit their deposition as a 10 minute video recording via Canvas. The two week turnaround is intended to give students a taste of authentic timelines while also recognising the many competing demands of student life.

Detailed assessment guidelines will be provided via Canvas.

Value: 15%

Due Dates: 9am Monday 1 September

Estimated return date: 5pm Monday 15 September

Assessment Task 3

Crime Scene Management Report

Students will produce a one page report that 1) summarises the processes and procedures used to complete the mock crime scene excavation in Week 6 and 2) gives a preliminary overview of the major outcomes of the excavation. This report should focus on scene management approaches, mapping and excavation methods, and evidence recording procedures that were used on site.

Detailed assessment guidelines will be provided via Canvas.

Value: 15%

Due Date: 9:00am Monday 15 September

Estimated return date: 5pm Monday 22 September

Assessment Task 4

Non-Skeletal Evidence Report

Students will produce a one page summary of the non-skeletal evidence recovered from the mock crime scene excavation, including the types, characteristics, and frequencies of evidence identified and possible steps for future investigation of this evidence.

Detailed assessment guidelines will be provided via Canvas.

Value: 15%

Due Date: 9:00am Monday 29 September

Estimated return date: 5pm Monday 6 October

Assessment Task 5

Final Crime Scene Investigation Report

In this assessment, you will bring together all the information presented in the previous assessments to produce a final report detailing your analysis and interpretation of the evidence (including human skeletal remains) recovered from the mock crime scene excavation. This report should be written in the style of a forensic consultancy report and should cover the background and methods of the excavation, brief information on any evidentiary materials recovered, and a biological profile of the human remains discovered. In your biological profile, include a brief overview of the methods used for the analysis of the human remains and the biological underpinnings of these methods, results of your analysis, and an approximate time since death estimation. Your report must include an extended discussion and interpretation of the crime scene. For guidance on how to structure this report, please see the CSI report template provided on Canvas. The lectures and readings provided during this course will assist you in identifying, describing and interpreting the scene and associated items of evidence, including the skeletal remains. The aim of this assessment is to train students in forensic archaeology and anthropology analysis and reporting.

Detailed assessment guidelines will be provided via Canvas.

Value: 25%

Due Date: 9:00am Monday 27 October

Estimated return date: The results of this final assessment will not be released on Canvas as per Section 37 of the ANU student assessment policy. However, students will be most welcome to make an appointment to seek feedback on their reports following Semester 2 marks release.

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

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 a due date and you have not been granted an extension to sit the test at another time, you will fail this assessment.
• To apply for an extension, please complete an application through the Extension Request Portal on or before the assessment due date. Please note that you must provide documentation to support your extension request and 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.
• To learn more about how extensions work at the ANU, please see the ANU coursework extension Policy and Procedure.

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.

Returning Assignments

• All grades will be recorded in the Canvas Gradebook
• All assignments and associated feedback will be returned digitally through Canvas.

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.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assignments 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 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