Instructor 

Dr. Darlene Applegate
darlene.applegate@wku.edu
Office 280 FAC 745-5094
Rock House Lab 745-6511
 

Course Objectives  

Directed Study is available for superior junior and senior students who wish to conduct individual, intensive reading and research in a specific area of anthropology in close cooperation with supervising faculty. Submission of such projects to student sections of regional professional meetings is encouraged.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will

• become familiar with professional literature on a specific topic in anthropology.

• learn how to compile a reading list for a specific topic in anthropology.

• gain experience in formulating a research question, devising and implementing an appropriate analytical methodology, and composing a report of investigations.

• gain experience writing in a professional manner.

Course Materials   

Course materials are selected in consultation with the instructor.
 

Course Information 

This course is offered fall, spring and summer semesters; numbers are limited each semester, however. Enrollment in this course requires a course pass, which is obtained in the Department of Modern Languages and Intercultural Studies in FAC 251 and must be completed in consultation with the instructor. Signatures of the instructor, the other anthropology faculty, and the department chairperson are required for the course pass.  Once enrolled, meeting times with the instructor are set up on an individual basis.
 

Types of Projects 

Directed Studies typically take one of two forms, a research project or a research paper.

Research Project

Original research projects involve working with archaeological collections, skeletal collections, human subjects, or nonhuman subjects in order to answer a research question. Under the instructor's guidance, students identify a research question, develop a methodological program for investigating the question, conduct the research, and write a report of investigations.

The instructor is prepared to assist students in completing research in prehistoric archaeology, cultural resource management, bioarchaeology, forensic anthropology, and modern human biological variation. Other possible subjects of study are historic archaeology and primatology.

Previous research projects directed by the instructor are:

Archaeoastronomy at the Shiloh Mounds Site, Tennessee by Michael Blair (1999) [with physics department]

Inventory and Analysis of Prehistoric Human Remains from Crystal Onyx Cave (15Bn20), Barren County, Kentucky by Adrienne Asbell (1999)

Patterns of Prehistoric Landscape Use Along Drakes Creek in Warren, Simpson and Allen Counties, Kentucky by Jennifer Furlong (2000)

Inventory and Analysis of Prehistoric Human Remains from Rogers Discovery (15Bn55), Barren County, Kentucky by Kimberly Cockrel (2000)

Archaeological Methodology in Cultural Resource Management by J. Mitchell Warren (2000)

Research Paper

Some students chose to do a research paper on a topic of interest to them. Research paper topics are often subjects not offered in our current curriculum or subjects about which students want to learn more (beyond what is covered in class). This project has two components: (1) compilation of an extensive reading list on the topic, and (2) composition of a detailed research paper. Research papers are typically at least 20-25 pages long (excluding supporting material).

The instructor is prepared to direct research papers in archaeology, physical anthropology, and cultural resource management; papers related to linguistic anthropology (especially language and culture) are also possible.

Previous research papers supervised by the instructor are:

The Socio-Economic Impact of Cahokia on the Eastern Woodlands  by Elizabeth Manley (1999)

Mayan Archaeology in Honduras  by Martin Schenck (1999)

Methods and Theories of Historic Archaeology by Aaron Kiser (2000).

Academic Dishonesty  

"The maintenance of academic integrity is of fundamental importance to the University. Thus it should be clearly understood that acts of plagiarism or any other form of cheating will not be tolerated and that anyone committing such acts risks punishment of a serious nature" (WKU Catalog 1999-2001:28).

Academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, will be dealt with in accordance with University policy. "Students who commit any act of academic dishonesty may receive from the instructor a failing grade in that portion of the coursework in which the act is detected or a failing grade in the course without possibility of withdrawal" (WKU Catalog 1999-2001:28). Sanctions may also be brought against the perpetrator. Students are responsible for understanding what constitutes cheating and plagiarism; the University descriptions are provided below.

"No student shall receive or give assistance not authorized by the instructor in taking an examination or in the preparation of an essay, laboratory report, problem assignment or other project which is submitted for purposes of grade determination" (WKU Catalog 1999-2001:28).

"To represent written work taken from another source [book, journal, web site, lecture, lab, or other source whether it is prepared by the instructor, a guest speaker, or a classmate] as one's own is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense. The academic work of a student must be his/her own. One must give any author credit for source material borrowed from him/her. To lift content directly from a source without giving credit is a flagrant act. To present a borrowed passage without reference to the source after having changed a few words is also plagiarism" (WKU Catalog 1999-2001:28).

Students must take special care to exactly quote and/or accurately paraphrase each source that is cited in a written assignment.
 

Course Schedule

Specific assignments and due dates for directed studies are designated on an individual basis in consultation with the instructor.
 

Syllabus Modifications

The instructor reserves the right to modify anything in the syllabus, with prior warning via an in-class announcement, during the course of the semester. Students are responsible for being apprised of any such modifications and for recording such modifications on their syllabi.