Anthropology 207-300: Honors Introduction to Archaeology

Dr. Nora Reber                                                            MWF
10-10:50 AM

SBS 100 F                                                                   Spring
2007

X-7734                                                                        RL
2007

Office Hours:  MW 3:30-4:30, TR 10-11:30                 [email-masked]

And by appointment                                                     http://www.uncwil.edu/people/rebere

Course
Description:  This class is a
detailed introduction to general archaeology.  General archaeology covers the history
of modern humans on the planet for the past 30,000 years or so.  This class will not, therefore, attempt
to cover all of this period.
Instead, we will take a thematic approach to the past, centering around
domestication and farming and its effect on archaeological cultures from the
New and Old Worlds, with some emphasis on North America and China.  We will also discuss the history of
archaeology and archaeological thought (the two are not necessarily the same),
with a brief unit on archaeological methods and dating techniques.  The main goal of this class is to see
and understand how knowledge about past people can be learned from their
material remains.  To fulfill these
goals, this class is structured in lecture/seminar format, with class
discussions and small-group activities.

Evaluation:  Grading in this class will be based on
in-class and take-home written assignments (25%), a term paper of 5-10 pages
(25%), a midterm (15%), a final (25%), and a class participation/attendance
grade (10%).

Grading is on a modified bell curve, meaning that my classes
will always average between a C+ and a B, unless an exceptionally brilliant
class shows up.  Above average
grades will, obviously, do better; below average will do worse.  99.9% of all failures are from a failure
to show up and learn anything.
In-class assignments and homework do matter!

Attendance: In
general, you should give Dr. Reber a valid or creative excuse before an absence.  More than three absences without a good
excuse will lead to progressive reductions of the class
participation/attendance grade.
Classwork from excused absences must be made up if you want credit for
it, as described below.

Makeup Work:  Assignments not turned in on time due to
an excused absence may be turned in for full credit for up to two weeks after
the original absence.  After that,
10% of the points are deducted per week.
Assignments not turned in on time due to an unexcused absence may be
turned in for half credit up to two weeks after the original absence, and after
that 10% of the points are deducted per week.  An excused late assignment turned in
four weeks late is worth 80% of the original point total.  An unexcused assignment turned in four
weeks late is worth 30% of the original point total. Simply put—MAKE UP
ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN TWO WEEKS!!
Excused long absences due to illness, family problems or other disasters
should be negotiated with Dr. Reber—notify her by e-mail as soon as you
know you have a serious problem.

Exams:  A midterm and final exam are given in
this class, which together make up 50 % of the grade.  The midterm exam will be held on Friday,
March 2 with a review session on Wednesday, February 28.  Material covered until Friday, February
23 will be covered on the midterm.
The final will be held on Wednesday, May 2 at 11:30 AM-2:30 PM.  Two-thirds of the final will cover the 2nd
half of the class.  The remaining
1/3 will cover essential concepts from the first half of the class.  The review session for the final will be
Monday, April 30, the last day of class.
Do not attempt to take the final at any time other than that assigned
unless you have a very good reason.

Written Assignments:  A term paper has been assigned for this
class on a topic of your choice.  It
should be 10-15 pages long, typed, double-spaced, in 10-12 point font and with
1-inch margins.  Topics should be
chosen in consultation with Dr. Reber, and are due on February 12.  The papers are due April 4, but turning
in the paper early is deeply appreciated, and is worth a bonus to the class
participation grades.  Citation
should be in MLA or American Antiquity format—American Antiquity is a
typical archaeological format.  Late
term papers will be marked off 10% for every two days late, although extensions
can be negotiated ahead of time for good reasons.  If you negotiate an extension after the
due date, it will be marked off until the day on which you got your
extension.  Talk to me!

If your computer crashes, or a print-out is not possible,
you may turn the paper into me on disk; please do not turn them in
electronically without warning me in advance, as my e-mail account tends to
explode under pressure.

One-page written assignments will be given as in-class
exercises or as homework throughout the semester.

Reading Assignments:  the textbook for this class is Crabtree
and Campana’s Exploring Prehistory.  Readings
from this book, as well as others, will be given throughout the semester.  Additional readings will be placed on electronic
reserve, which can be found on the library website, and also on the class
website.   For the status of reserves, check the
website or Dr. Reber.  If reserves
have been lost, mangled, scrambled, de-linked or disfigured in a particularly
interesting way, e-mail Dr. Reber immediately!

Web Page:  The class web page is linked to Dr.
Reber’s personal web page, http://www.uncwil.edu/people/rebere.  The syllabus, course assignments,
related links, and text of assignments will be posted on this site, as well as
a brief schedule of readings and class topics coming up.  Occasional web bonus points will be
posted on the web page that will not be mentioned in class.  The finer points of the class schedule
will ALWAYS be posted, and may be viewed as official; Dr. Reber posts dates and
information on the web so that she doesn’t have to remember
it—always check the web first!

Odds, Ends, and Pet
Peeves:  Please turn off cell
phones in class!!

Please back your papers up to disk, CD, or flash memory when
writing them.  You have no idea how
much pain and suffering this will save you…but I do!

Wikipedia does not count as a source on a term paper, as by
definition everything in it is public knowledge, and therefore not sourceable.  It can be a good place to start
research, however.

Point totals will be handed back twice during the
semester—at the midterm and before the final.  Anyone wanting point totals at any other
times should ask Dr. Reber.  Grades
and point totals may be sent via e-mail if you give permission.  Please keep in mind that basic
mathematics applies to the grades—even if you turn in late assignments
for 50%, you will need a B in other categories to get a C in the class.  Since 10 bonus points are offered per
semester, point grubbing is, well, pointless and will be ignored.

Plagiarism is defined as using someone else’s work
without citing it, and can be divided into direct copying, mosaic copying, and
insufficient attribution.  It hurts
three groups of people:  the person
plagiarized, as their work has been stolen; classmates, since it unfairly sets
the curve and unrealistically raises the performance bar; and the plagiarist,
since you can’t get a decent education stealing other people’s
work.  The minimum penalty is a
complete rewrite for a potential high grade of C and a long discussion with Dr.
Reber about exactly why it is a bad idea.
The potential maximum penalties are decided by the Judicial Board or
Dean of Students.  Don’t do
it!!