Students

AHIS3306 – Field Methods of Archaeology

2023 – Session 2, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor, Lecturer
Susan Lupack
susan.lupack@mq.edu.au
25 Wally’s Walk, B158
By appointment
Lecturer
Karin Sowada
karin.sowada@mq.edu.au
25 Wally's Walk, B167
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above or (20cp in AHIS or AHST units at 2000 level)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit examines the methods and techniques used by archaeologists in a variety of field contexts to identify, recover, analyse and interpret their data. In addition to basic archaeological skills, we will also address the key elements involved in designing archaeological field projects, the ways in which theoretical approaches to archaeological work shape the outcomes of fieldwork, and the essential role of disseminating archaeological data to the professional community and the public. The aim is to provide an active understanding of both basic and more advanced archaeological skills and the development of strategies for the study of sites and the recovery and processing of archaeological data, whether via survey, excavation or post-excavation study.

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: Deploy knowledge of the principles of archaeological excavation and survey.
  • ULO2: Analyse archaeological features and artefacts (e.g., architecture, pottery, stone).
  • ULO3: Communicate effectively with others regarding strategies for excavation of an archaeological site.
  • ULO4: Demonstrate critical thinking in the interpretation of the archaeological data
  • ULO5: Synthesize and communicate acquired knowledge and understanding to produce a critical analytical report

General Assessment Information

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Rubrics and other guidance for the Assessments will be posted on our iLearn site and discussed in class. To complete the unit successfully you need a minimum mark of 50% overall, and all assessment tasks must be attempted. 

Marks awarded are as follows: F / FA: 0-49% P: 50-64% CR: 65-74% D: 75-84% HD: 85-100%

Late Assessment Submission Penalty: 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.   

This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON MARKS: Grading decisions for each assessment task will be moderated against the set criteria and standards before task results are released.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Online Quizzes 30% No Weeks 2-6, 8-12
Archaeological Photography and Illustration 30% No 12/9/2023
Research Grant Application 40% No 5/11/2023

Online Quizzes

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 18 hours
Due: Weeks 2-6, 8-12
Weighting: 30%

 

Quizzes will consist of multiple choice and true/false questions that focus on unit content.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Deploy knowledge of the principles of archaeological excavation and survey.
  • Synthesize and communicate acquired knowledge and understanding to produce a critical analytical report

Archaeological Photography and Illustration

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 12/9/2023
Weighting: 30%

 

The students will produce archaeological photos and artefact illustrations based on the experience they gain throughout the unit, and then digitize them using appropriate software. They will also keep a process journal which they will submit with their photos and illustrations.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Deploy knowledge of the principles of archaeological excavation and survey.
  • Analyse archaeological features and artefacts (e.g., architecture, pottery, stone).
  • Communicate effectively with others regarding strategies for excavation of an archaeological site.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking in the interpretation of the archaeological data
  • Synthesize and communicate acquired knowledge and understanding to produce a critical analytical report

Research Grant Application

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 5/11/2023
Weighting: 40%

 

The students will design an archaeological project based on their research and discussions in the unit, and then they will write a grant proposal including a budget that will be designed to persuade a grant review panel to award the requested funds needed to finance that archaeological project.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Deploy knowledge of the principles of archaeological excavation and survey.
  • Analyse archaeological features and artefacts (e.g., architecture, pottery, stone).
  • Communicate effectively with others regarding strategies for excavation of an archaeological site.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking in the interpretation of the archaeological data

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

This class involves lectures and tutorial-type work as well as practical hands-on work. All of these activities will occur during your selected three-hour block of class time. We will meet in our designated classroom to start, but we will also meet in the DigiLab (room B237) for the sessions involving work with Adobe, the Dry Lab (room GC26) when we are working with artefacts, and, when possible (taking into account weather [and epidemic] conditions), in the Macquarie Archaeological Research Simulation (MARS) pit when learning excavation skills, and near the MARS pit when we are doing surface survey work. The locations for each week will be communicated in class and on our iLearn site. Please make sure to read the Announcements!  We will use that to communicate important information.

Online/flexible students will be provided with equivalent experiences, and are invited to participate in the fieldwork whenever possible!  If you would like to talk to me about the class, please feel free to get in touch with me.

RESOURCES

Main Texts: These texts are available online through our Macquarie Library system, and you are not required to purchase them. However, you may want to get a hard copy for yourself. The first text by Burke, Morrison, and Smith, is the one I would recommend if you were going to buy just one of them because we will be reading the majority of that book over the course of the unit.

• Burke, H., Morrison, and M., Smith, C. 2020. The Archaeologist's Field Handbook: The Essential Guide for Beginners and Professionals in Australia, 2nd edition, Routledge.

• Balme, J., and Paterson, A. 2014. Archaeology in Practice, Malden, Oxford.

Supplemental Readings:

We will also assign or recommend supplemental readings whenever we find an article or chapter that particularly supports our focus for that week.

Supplies:

For the artefact illustration activity, you will be required to bring your own 2B pencils (or HB is ok), 30 cm ruler, pencil eraser and sharpener, a couple of set squares, and a protractor.  We will be using 1 mm graph paper, which can be downloaded from the internet. If you get serious about artefact illustration, Vernier calipers are also handy to have.

For the surey and excavation activities, we will provide all of the tools you will need, but you will probably want to have your own work gloves (although we will have some pairs available), and maybe knee pads if you feel this will make you more comfortable. If you want to put together a dig kit of your own, you might want to purchase, for instance, your own trowel (WHS or Marshalltown are considered the best, but others work just fine!). Optional items are a compass (which nowadays you can call up on your phone) and perhaps, if you're feeling really keen, a hand lens.  But really, we will have all you need!

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 required.

We will also be learning Adobe software (Illustrator and Lightroom) in order to process archaeological images. I have requested access to the Adobe suite of products for all of the students in this class – please make sure to download them onto your computers!

The 3D scanned objects available on Pedestal will also be used in this class.

Unit Schedule

Please see our iLearn site for our weekly schedule.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

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

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/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

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

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

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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.

Unit information based on version 2023.02 of the Handbook