Students

AHIS3303 – Capstone Unit: Archaeology

2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Associate Professor, Department of Ancient History
Kenneth Sheedy
ken.sheedy@mq.edu.au
Contact via email
Arts Precinct, 25WWB, B166
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(130cp at 1000 level or above) including ((AHIS1300 or AHIS190) and (AHIS191 or AHIS1301) and (20cp from (AHIS205 or (AHIS230 or AHIS2302) or (AHIS290 or AHIS2300) or (AHIS291 or AHIS2301)))
Corequisites Corequisites
20cp in AHIS or AHST units at 3000 level
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit will be offered in the form of a research project on a choice of set topics relevant to archaeology. Students independently collect, assess, analyse and interpret relevant evidence in the light of current archaeological thinking, and archaeological approaches to global problems.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Consolidate knowledge regarding the nature of archaeology as a discipline focused on the study of material evidence for the human past.
  • ULO2: Develop sophisticated research skills.
  • ULO3: Articulate archaeological approaches to evaluating material culture at an advanced level.
  • ULO4: Formulate arguments and articulate ideas to an advanced level regarding the character of the archaeological record and its interpretation.
  • ULO5: Appreciate the salient interests and needs of societies that have historically shaped the study of the past, and of the defining interests and demands that now govern and direct modern archaeological practice.

General Assessment Information

General Information:

Rubrics and other guidance for the Assessments will be posted on our iLearn site and discussed in class. 

EXTENSION REQUESTS:

Please always let one of us know ahead of time if you are having difficulty completing an assessment or if you will not be able to attend class or complete a tutorial task.  It's just good for us to know what is going on with you.

Please note: Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests

IMPORTANT NOTE ON FINAL MARKS: Please note with respect to the marks you receive for work during the session: that the marks given are indicative only; final marks will be determined after moderation. See further the note on Results in the Policies and Procedures section below.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Presentation 5% No Week 7, Wednesday 9 September
Research Project 30% No Week 13, Friday 6 November
Research Forum 30% No Week 2-11, Wednesday midnight
Report from Presentation Paper 5% No Week 7, Friday 11 September
Seminar Forum 30% No Week 2-11, Friday midnight

Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Week 7, Wednesday 9 September
Weighting: 5%

 

Students will present a paper on their project in a Zoom conference. The papers will concisely outline the project thesis, the program of research and current progress.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Consolidate knowledge regarding the nature of archaeology as a discipline focused on the study of material evidence for the human past.
  • Develop sophisticated research skills.
  • Articulate archaeological approaches to evaluating material culture at an advanced level.
  • Formulate arguments and articulate ideas to an advanced level regarding the character of the archaeological record and its interpretation.
  • Appreciate the salient interests and needs of societies that have historically shaped the study of the past, and of the defining interests and demands that now govern and direct modern archaeological practice.

Research Project

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: Week 13, Friday 6 November
Weighting: 30%

 

Your Research Project concerns the human past through the study of the material remains pertaining to ancient societies. Here we encourage research that crosses the traditional arts/science divide by integrating core archaeology and ancient history subjects with the sciences. In this assessment you are asked to prepare a work of research on either a topic which you have nominated (and which has been approved by the unit convenor) or from a given list. The manuscript will be no more than 4,000 words in length (excluding bibliography). It must follow the Department of Ancient History Assignment Presentation Style Guide (https://www.mq.edu.au/public/download/?id=292059).

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Consolidate knowledge regarding the nature of archaeology as a discipline focused on the study of material evidence for the human past.
  • Develop sophisticated research skills.
  • Articulate archaeological approaches to evaluating material culture at an advanced level.
  • Formulate arguments and articulate ideas to an advanced level regarding the character of the archaeological record and its interpretation.
  • Appreciate the salient interests and needs of societies that have historically shaped the study of the past, and of the defining interests and demands that now govern and direct modern archaeological practice.

Research Forum

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Week 2-11, Wednesday midnight
Weighting: 30%

 

Here students comment each week on published research that offers important or interesting insights into the methods and techniques of archaeology. It is expected that the selection should derive from research that the student has encountered while preparing the Research Project. So, this forum offers you an opportunity to comment on work that you have found inspiring during the course of your own research. But it may come from a more general engagement with archaeology and related disciplines. You are expected to very briefly outline the significance of the research publication (or parts of it that interest you) and then make comments that highlight the wider implications of the work. The expected length of your weekly correspondence is around 400 words (and no more than 500 words). There will be an opportunity to deliver your report via Zoom on two occasions (see ILearn site).

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Consolidate knowledge regarding the nature of archaeology as a discipline focused on the study of material evidence for the human past.
  • Develop sophisticated research skills.
  • Articulate archaeological approaches to evaluating material culture at an advanced level.
  • Formulate arguments and articulate ideas to an advanced level regarding the character of the archaeological record and its interpretation.
  • Appreciate the salient interests and needs of societies that have historically shaped the study of the past, and of the defining interests and demands that now govern and direct modern archaeological practice.

Report from Presentation Paper

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Week 7, Friday 11 September
Weighting: 5%

 

Students will electronically submit a report based on their presentation paper. It will include a short bibliography. In this report students are expected to take into account any reflections and criticism from the presentation. The report will be no more than 1000 words (excluding the short bibliography).

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Consolidate knowledge regarding the nature of archaeology as a discipline focused on the study of material evidence for the human past.
  • Develop sophisticated research skills.
  • Articulate archaeological approaches to evaluating material culture at an advanced level.
  • Formulate arguments and articulate ideas to an advanced level regarding the character of the archaeological record and its interpretation.
  • Appreciate the salient interests and needs of societies that have historically shaped the study of the past, and of the defining interests and demands that now govern and direct modern archaeological practice.

Seminar Forum

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Week 2-11, Friday midnight
Weighting: 30%

 

After reading the texts prescribed for each week, students will post brief responses in the Seminar Forum to the questions set for consideration. They will take the brief outline provided in the introduction to each week and the recommended readings as a starting point only. They will ensure that discussion posts develop further the seminar outline, considering issues which they have encountered personally in their studies at Macquarie. There will be an opportunity to deliver your report via Zoom on two occasions (see ILearn site).

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Consolidate knowledge regarding the nature of archaeology as a discipline focused on the study of material evidence for the human past.
  • Develop sophisticated research skills.
  • Articulate archaeological approaches to evaluating material culture at an advanced level.
  • Formulate arguments and articulate ideas to an advanced level regarding the character of the archaeological record and its interpretation.
  • Appreciate the salient interests and needs of societies that have historically shaped the study of the past, and of the defining interests and demands that now govern and direct modern archaeological practice.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

DELIVERY 

Required text (available online through the Library):

Lucas, G. 2010. Understanding the Archaeological Record. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York.

The weekly readings for the seminar forum are provided on the iLearn site.  Supplemental readings can be found in eReserve and on the iLearn site for AHIS AHIS3303

This unit is fully online.

Online (Weeks 1-13).

Three (3) Zoom conference  sessions -

  1. Week 1 - Thursday 30 July, 2020, 9am-11am. Zoom conference.
  2. Week 7 - Wednesday 9 October, 2020, 11am-2pm. Presentation zoom conference.
  3. Week 11- Thursday 22 October 2020, 9am-11am. Zoom conference.

Participation in all three zoom sessions is compulsory. 

For any questions regarding times please consult the MQ Timetables website www.timetables.mq.edu.au and/or the Department of Ancient History homepage.

UNIT WEBPAGE AND TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED This unit will use the iLearn system (https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/) to communicate with the students, so you will need access to a computer and a good internet connection. Basic computer and word-processing skills are also required.

Login is via: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/ Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.

Unit Schedule

For the unit schedule please see the AHIS 3303 iLearn site.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes from Previous Offering

In 2020 this unit will be fully online.