COURSE DESCRIPTION
Archy 105 examines the history of the world and the bewildering diversity of cultural practices through the lens of archaeology. Students will learn about the latest developments on the oldest human technologies; ponder the roles of hunting, fire and language in human evolution; examine the most enduring economic systems and ask why some societies invented agriculture and others did not. We will examine the start of urbanism, architectural marvels and artistic novelties and ask what they can tell us about politics, economics and the construction of cultural diversity, belonging and differentiation. In the process we will examine how archaeologists study the human past.
Students can expect a fast-paced class, a mix of lectures and activities, readings and discussions as well as occasional films to introduce topics from a range of perspectives and approaches. Readings will be drawn from a combination of popular and modestly technical sources. Weekly quizzes will help students keep up with the content and provided "low stakes" grading. A midterm and final exam will be used to help you synthesize your learning.
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Course Outcomes:
For most students, this will be the first class in Archaeology you have taken. As a result, by the end of the class, you can expect to be able to:
- Follow key debates and developments in human evolution and social/cultural change from the first tool using hominins to the archaeology of the contemporary past.
- Understand some of the key strengths and limits of archaeological data, methods and concepts for exploring and accounting for these changes.
- Question the assumptions and examine the biases of paleoanthropological and archaeological interpretations by both professional and avocational archaeologists, physical anthropologists and enthusiasts.
HEALTH SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS FOR ARCHY 105
If you are sick with any transmittable illness, please stay home, even if you are fully vaccinated. If you are not sure if you may be contagious - but have reason to believe you may be - wear a mask in class.
The covid-19 threat is not over, despite the reduction of risk made possible by vaccinations and boosters. Your instructor is immuno-compromised and in all likelihood so are several students. We would very much appreciate your consideration to wear a mask in the classroom and lab sections when you have a sore throat, cough or feel unwell.
Contact your Instructor/TA for instructions on how best to keep up with course material during any absence. Recorded lectures can be shared on a case-by-case basis.
LECTURE MECHANICS.
Class time will be devoted to lecture, open discussion, small group discussion, activities and occasional movies or video clips. We intend to provide plenty of opportunity for, and indeed to encourage, student interaction in the course.
Lecture slides will be provided after each lecture (as soon as possible) and can be used to study for quizzes and tests. Every class opens with an outline of topics to be covered in the session and questions you should be able to answer afterwards. At the start of each class, you will have opportunities to ask questions about previous lectures or other aspects of the course.
Discussion sections (so-called “Quiz” sections) will be used for extended discussions about reading and other class material, review, and occasional “lab” activities (e.g., learning to identify manufactured stone tools from rocks).
CANVAS
Canvas is the online courseware platform used in this (and most UW) course(s) and will be the central location for all information, assignments, and performance updates for the course outside of the lecture time. Canvas provides a single location for you to find the course syllabus, assignments and quizzes, reading and review materials, etc. This site will be updated regularly. Check your Canvas account often to see what is coming up.
**Pro Tip: Almost all course material will be organized chronologically on the Modules page for the course. Go there for a link to reading/discussion assignments, online quizzes, any videos or recordings introduced in lecture (or, rarely, lecture recordings themselves), etc.
You can also set Canvas settings to send course notifications to your phone or other mobile device by downloading the Canvas App and setting notifications for the app. More detailed instructions can be found HERE.
If you are not already reading this syllabus on our canvas courseware site, you will find the Archy 105 Canvas Course at:
https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/1745177
REQUIRED READING
There is no required textbook for this course. Instead we will provide all reading materials as online PDF files or html links in Canvas. Usually these will be posted at the top of a Discussion prompt with cues for your Reading Reflections. Assigned readings need to be completed on the dates for which they are listed, along with any associated Reading Reflection posts. Readings are/will be mostly short, popular, but authoritative, magazine articles, book chapters, and perhaps a few non-technical academic articles.
Readings will generally be posted at least the week before they are due. One consequence of not using a textbook is the need (and opportunity) to hand-pick resources to supplement and facilitate lectures and discussions. Its an ongoing process! Also, given the immense scope of the course topic and inevitable limits on what can be covered, I want to direct some of the course content towards particular student interests. (Be sure to complete the Student 'quiz' survey due the first Sunday of the quarter).
You will find a list of Recommended Textbooks and Other Readings that complement the course. Please let me (Prof. Fitzhugh) know if you have recommendations of other relevant books and articles!
READING REFLECTIONS
Reading Reflections are responses you are required to post after completing assigned readings. You will find prompts on each assignment to help you focus on what we think is particularly important or to encourage you to think beyond the reading to broader issues of course relevance. These reflections will often prepare you for discussions in an upcoming 'quiz' section or lecture class, and they will always be useful review for exams. To receive credit your entry need not be long, but it should be thoughtful, individual, and demonstrate honest engagement with the assigned reading.
We will often have in-class/ in-section reading discussions or exercises that build from readings. You want to come to class prepared! We don't assign much or long readings in this class. You can handle it!
WEEKLY QUIZZES
Expect 8 online quizzes throughout the quarter. These will cover material since the last quiz or exam up to and including the date that the quiz opens. Quizzes will cover material from lectures and in-class activities, any scheduled films, and assigned readings. After Quiz #1 (open Wednesday 9/25 and due Sunday, 9/30), Quizzes will open on Friday afternoons and close the following Tuesday evenings.
These graded quizzes exist for two -- and only two -- reasons:
1. To encourage you to regularly review and get feedback as needed on course concepts and evidence, and
2. To provide plenty of low stakes grading opportunities so you can evaluate your performance and make adjustments well ahead of exam time.
The lowest quiz grade will be dropped from the final grade. **Starting with Quiz 2, Quizzes must be submitted by the deadline to receive credit unless there is a legitimate emergency.**
EXAMS
We will have one Midterm and one Final Exam. Exams will include a combination of short questions (true/false, multiple choice, matching, identifications, short answer and short essay). Students may construct study guides for each exam by compiling 1) the "Questions of the Day" posted at the start of each lecture, 2) the reading reflection prompts, 3) movie study guides, and 4) weekly quizzes.
Exams will require you to bring Scantron "bubble" scoring sheets (purple) and Examination Booklets ("Bluebooks" or "Greenbooks" available from UBookstore outlets, many campus convenience stores, and in vending machines in Suzallo Library and elsewhere). Don't wait until the morning of the test to get a booklet! And don't forget several sharp/working pencils/pens.
- Midterm: Wednesday Oct 30, during class time, in Smith 211
- Final: Wednesday, December 11, 8:30-10:20am in Smith 211
GRADING
Canvas presents grades on a 100% scale. Grades will be converted to GPA grades according to a standard formula (below).
- Tuesday Discussion Section: 35% of the course grade, made up of:
- Reading Reflections: 20%
- Participation/Active Engagement: 15%
- Weekly Quizzes (8 offered, drop lowest): 25%
- Midterm Exam: 20%
- Final Exam: 20%
Late Policy: Quizzes must be submitted by the due date. Other assignments will be accepted late with 5% drop in grade per day. Get things done on-time!
Grade Scale Equivalents:
- Letter 4 pt 100pt average
- A 4 98-100
- A 3.9 96-97
- A- 3.8 94-95
- A- 3.7 92-93
- A- 3.6 91
- A- 3.5 90
- B+ 3.4 89
- B+ 3.3 88
- B+ 3.2 87
- B 3.1 86
- B 3 85
- B 2.9 84
- B- 2.8 83
- B- 2.7 82
- B- 2.6 81
- B- 2.5 80
- C+ 2.4 79
- C+ 2.3 78
- C+ 2.2 77
- C 2.1 76
- C 2 75
- C 1.9 74
- C- 1.8 73
- C- 1.7 72
- C- 1.6 71
- C- 1.5 70
- D+ 1.4 69
- D+ 1.3 68
- D+ 1.2 67
- D 1.1 66
- D 1 65
- D 0.9 64
- D- 0.8 62-63
- D- 0.7 60-61 (Pass)
- E 0 0- 59 (Fail/Unoff. WD)
A Caution about Canvas Grade Reporting: Canvas presents grades in two ways, depending on whether or not you have checked the box to "Calculate based only on graded assignments" on your Grades page for the course. Incomplete/unsubmitted auto-graded components like on-line quizzes don't automatically convert to "0." We often don't convert such uncompleted components to "0" until the end of the quarter. While selecting the 'graded-only' option is useful for estimating your grade based on assignments submitted and graded, your grade may appear higher than it actually is if you have incomplete work. This is unfortunate when students make strategic choices later in the quarter based on inaccurate understanding of their true grades. Always uncheck that box when trying to see your grade in the context of all graded components of the class! That is most helpful late in the quarter when most assignments have come due and you can estimate what components remain ahead (like the final exam).
DISABILITY RESOURCES
We want to make sure that everyone has the resources to succeed in this course. If you have established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS)Links to an external site., please communicate your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course. We receive those notifications, but may not have time to reach out promptly. Please reach out if you have any concern or lack of clarity about how your accommodations will be made in this class.
If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are encouraged to contact DRS at 206-543-8924 or uwdrs@uw.edu or disability.uw.edu. DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.
CONDUCT AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
We trust that all students in this course will participate in the class with respect towards each other, visiting speakers, and the instructing team. The University of Washington is a place for learning through openness, consideration of diverse viewpoints and respectful dialog. Nothing about the past or its interpretation in the present is free of perspective, bias, or dispute. A successful course requires that we start from the presumption that we come to this class with diverse backgrounds, beliefs, biases, and privileges, and that we engage with the course material and each other with generosity and curiosity.
Conduct in the class that disrupts the learning environment of others or the instructor’s ability to teach is not acceptable. The University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121) defines prohibited academic and behavioral conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable as they pursue their academic goals. Allegations of misconduct by students may be referred to the appropriate campus office for investigation and resolution. More information can be found online at https://www.washington.edu/cssc/for-students/student-code-of-conduct/ and https://www.washington.edu/cssc/facultystaff/academic-misconduct/
The University takes academic integrity very seriously. Behaving with integrity is part of our responsibility to our shared learning community. If you are uncertain whether something is academic misconduct, ask your TA or Instructor. We are always happy to discuss questions you might have. Acts of academic misconduct may include but are not limited to:
- Cheating (working collaboratively on quizzes/exams and discussion submissions, sharing answers and previewing quizzes/exams)
- Plagiarism (representing the work of others as your own without giving appropriate credit to the original author(s)- a specific form of cheating): Students commonly misunderstand this standard. Any use of source material from another creator without proper crediting is plagiarism. That can include any reuse of three or more distinctive words in sequence from an uncredited source. It is also plagiarism to change the a number of words into their synonyms, but otherwise reproduce the ideas and sequence as produced by the source author. Use your own words to paraphrase another persons ideas ... and cite them. Or use quotation marks if repeating the exact words is important for conveying some meaning (as in the particular quote helps you make your point about the biases or a quoted author, etc). For more on what constitutes plagiarism, see the UW Sociology Dept's summary and links to more extensive definitions and examples of plagiarism and clear guidelines on how to avoid it.
- Unauthorized collaboration (working with each other on assignments that are not indicated to be collaborative)
Special note on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for class assignments:
For the purposes of this course, use of ChatGPT or other AI tools for generating draft or final text for assignments is considered plagiarism. For more information, see the Vice President for Student Life's memo on AI tools and Academic Integrity: https://www.washington.edu/studentlife/2023/10/11/ai-tools-and-academic-integrity/.
Engagement in these or other behaviors prohibited by the Student Conduct Code will be referred for investigation and adjudication. Students found to have engaged in academic misconduct may receive a zero on the assignment (or other possible outcome) and repeat offenses will result in a failing grade (0) for the course.
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).”
SAFETY
Call SafeCampus at 206-685-7233 anytime – no matter where you work or study – if you wish to anonymously discuss safety and well-being concerns for yourself or others. SafeCampus’s team of caring professionals will provide individualized support, while discussing short- and long-term solutions and connecting you with additional resources when requested.
Safe Campus: http://www.washington.edu/safecampus/
- 206-685-7233
UW Police: http://police.uw.edu/
- Emergency: 911
- Non-Emergency: 685.UWPD (8973) TTY
- Anonymous Tips: 685.TIPS (8477)
FOOD SECURITY
If you or a member of your UW community faces food insecurity, we encourage you to visit the UW Food Pantry or otherwise seek support through the Any Hungry Husky program: https://www.washington.edu/anyhungryhusky/
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
Since before the Covid-19 pandemic, students have struggled to manage elevated levels of anxiety, depression, low-esteem and other kinds of mental distress. In many cases, academic and social success is made more challenging by poor mental health, contributing to a reinforcing spiral that can be hard to overcome without support. Fortunately, finding ways to treat stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions can support success in the classroom and social life, leading to positive feedback in self-confidence and better mental condition. The UW recognizes that students are struggling with mental health and seeks to provide a range of supports. We strongly encourage you to reach out if you struggle with any mental health symptoms that are undermining your success in class, at workd, and/or personal life. You can find a range of options through the UW Mental Health Resources page: https://wellbeing.uw.edu/mental-health/mental-health-resources/
UNIVERSITY OPTIONS IN CASE OF DIFFICULTY COMLETING COURSEWORK
Of course we hope that you will work with us as early as possible to overcome any challenges you discover in your efforts to keep up/complete the course requirements. Please understand that there is a limit to the amount of make-up work we can provide, and the University has additional options available for students who find themselves unable to complete the work required to finish a class within the quarter it is taken (e.g., S/NS grade conversion, Incomplete, Current Quarter Drop, Former Quarter Drop). Let me know if you have a question about using these options or contact your advisor or the RegistrarLinks to an external site. for more information.