Anth 336 New World
Prehistory
Dr. Darlene Applegate
Fall 2006
Course
Syllabus
NOTE: The
printed and amended course
syllabus that is distributed and updated in class is the ultimate
authority for
this
class and supersedes information posted in this on-line syllabus.
Instructor Contact Information
Email:
darlene.applegate@wku.edu
Office:
FAC 280
745-5094
Lab:
Rock House
745-6511
Office Hours: Tuesday 8:00-11:00 am in FAC 280;
Monday and Wednesday 4:30-5:00 in Rock House; or by appointment
Course Objectives
New World Prehistory surveys archaeological evidence of prehistoric
cultural developments in three culture areas: North America,
Mesoamerica, and Andean South America. Emphasis is placed on the
peopling of the New World; periods of significant cultural changes
during which domestication, sedentism, and complex society developed;
the relationship between environment and cultural development;
chronological units employed by archaeologists in each culture area;
diagnostic cultural characteristics of each area; representative sites;
and examples of early civilizations. When possible, we will examine
hypotheses and theories that address major cultural changes in each
culture area.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will
• learn the temporal frameworks used in the study of
New World prehistory.
• understand the environmental milieu of culture
areas and recognize the relationship between landscapes and cultural
adaptations in prehistory.
• become familiar with cultural components that
distinguish each culture area.
• learn of the origins of and explanations for
sedentism, food production, and complex society in the New World.
• understand the cultural contributions made by
prehistoric peoples of the New World.
• investigate a subject related to New World
prehistory and present the findings in an expository research paper.
Course Materials
The required text is The Human Past,
edited by Chris Scarre (2005, Thames and Hudson, 0500285314).
Additional readings may be assigned. Videos related to course content
are shown regularly throughout the semester.
Course Schedule
The course is divided into four units. Every effort will be made to
adhere to the following schedule, but the instructor reserves the right
to make adjustments as necessary. Changes to the course schedule will
be announced in class.
Unit 1 Introduction and
Peopling of the New World
WEEK
TOPICS
READINGS
OTHER
1
Basic Terms and Concepts,
Chapter 1
Culture Process
Theories
Chapter 5
2
Peopling of New World: When?
pp. 166-173
3
Peopling of New World: How?
Time article
Paper Proposal
Due
4
Peopling of New World: Who?
Smithsonian article
Video
Midterm Exam 1 (Friday, September 22)
Unit 2 North America
WEEK
TOPICS
READINGS
OTHER
5
The Arctic and Subarctic
Snow article,
pp. 710-1
6
The Eastern Woodlands
pp. 311-2,
321-30, 678-91 Video
7
The Great Plains
pp. 307-11, 330-1, 703-6
8
The American Southwest
pp. 317-21,
692-703 Video
9
The West: Northwest Coast,
pp. 311, 331-3,
706-9 Video
California, Great Basin
Midterm Exam 2 (Wednesday, October 25)
Unit 3 Mesoamerica
WEEK
TOPICS
READINGS
OTHER
9
Food Production
pp. 313-6, 595-601
10
Diagnostic Traits
Chapter 16
Paper Outline Due
11
Early Civilizations
Chapter 16
Video
12
Midterm Exam 3 (Monday, November 13)
Unit 4 Andean South America,
European Contact
WEEK
TOPICS
READINGS
OTHER
12
Food Production
pp. 334-47, 641-5
13
Diagnostic Traits
Chapter 17
14
Early Civilizations
Chapter 17
Video
15
European Contact
pp. 636-8,
712-4 Video
Retrospect
Chapter 19
Final Paper Due
16
Final Exam (Thursday, December 14, 10:30-12:30)
Course Information
There are no prerequisites for the course. The course is a restricted
elective of the archaeology concentration in the anthropology major. It
may be used as an elective by anthropology minors and by anthropology
majors pursuing other concentrations.
New World Prehistory, which provides an overview of the prehistoric
archaeological records of North, Central and South America, fulfills
the General Education Category E (World Cultures and American Cultural
Diversity) requirement. It will assist students in attaining the
following General Education goal:
• an appreciation of
the complexity and variety in the world’s cultures.
Course objectives support this General Education goal in the following
ways:
• recognizes the
contributions of the various world cultures to humanity and identifies
the ways in which these cultures are interrelated and interdependent
through discussions, readings, and videos about the archaeological
evidence of prehistoric and/or early historic cultural developments in
New World culture areas (the Arctic/Subarctic, the Eastern Woodlands,
the Great Plains, the American Southwest, the American West,
Mesoamerica, the Andes).
• identifies
differences and similarities among the world’s cultural traditions and
social organizations through discussions and readings about culture
process.
Assignments
Following is a list of assignments for the course. Each is described in
more detail elsewhere in the syllabus and on the course web site.
Students should keep track of their grades on the assignments and track
their progress toward their target grades. Though it is unlikely, the
instructor reserves the right to add or eliminate assignments during
the course of the semester. If this is necessary, students will be
given prior warning during class. There are no extra credit
opportunities in this class.
Assignment
Points
Midterm Exam 1
100 points
Midterm Exam 2
100 points
Midterm Exam 3
100 points
Final Exam
100 points
Research Paper Proposal 25
points
Research Paper Outline
50 points
Research Paper
100
points
TOTAL 575 points
General Expectations
The educational endeavor is a two-way street. To insure a productive
and stimulating learning environment, students and instructors must
meet certain expectations.
It is my expectation that students will attend class regularly, prepare
for each class, exactly follow directions for completing assignments,
complete assignments on time, participate meaningfully and respectfully
in class, ask questions, monitor their performance, and seek assistance
before matters get out of hand.
Students are expected to make themselves aware of the provisions set
forth in this syllabus. Students are expected to bring the syllabus to
every class meeting and to make any adjustments to the syllabus
announced during class. Students are strongly encouraged to review the
information in the syllabus on a regular basis.
Students should expect from me organized presentations, current
information on the subject, thoughtful evaluation of assignments,
timely return of graded assignments, access during office hours, and
guidance in completing course requirements.
Please come see me if you have any concerns during the semester.
Attendance Policy
The University attendance policy states that “registration in a course
obligates the student to be regular and punctual in class attendance”
(WKU 2005-2007 Undergraduate Catalog, p. 28; emphasis added). In
addition, if an instructor “determines that a student’s absenteeism is
inconsistent with the instructor’s stated policy” the instructor may
“request that the Academic Advising and Retention Center arrange a
counseling session with the student” (WKU 2005-2007 Undergraduate
Catalog, p. 28).
Punctual arrival to class is expected. Students who arrive to class
late are expected to find out what they missed.
Class attendance is tracked with sign-in sheets. Students are
responsible for making sure they sign the attendance sheet each day.
Students who are present but forget to sign the attendance sheet will
be recorded as absent.
In order for an absence to be excused, all of the following
requirements must be met.
1. The excuse must be
a legitimate reason for missing class. Legitimate excuses include
serious illness, death in the family, University-sanctioned activities,
out-of-town job interview, jury duty, and religious holidays.
Non-legitimate reasons for missing class include but are not limited to
chauffeuring friends, airplane reservations, family celebrations,
meetings with other professors or advisors, work, and unsanctioned
University activities.
2. Written documentation must be given to the
instructor and will be kept on file.
3. Written documentation must be submitted at the
next class meeting after the absence.
If you are absent from class, it is your sole responsibility to find
out in a timely manner what you missed. You are responsible for
learning the material you missed. If you are absent on a day when an
assignment is due, it is your responsibility to insure that the
assignment is submitted on time. It is not possible to make up some
missed class work like videos.
Though your grade will not be lowered for unexcused absences, they will
likely contribute to poor academic performance in this course.
Attendance policies related to exams and other course assignments are
explained elsewhere in the syllabus.
University policy states that “Students who, without previous
arrangement with the instructor or department, fail to attend the first
two class meetings of a course meeting multiple times per week or the
first meeting of a class that meets one time per week MAY be dropped
from the course [by the instructor]; however, students are responsible
for officially dropping any course for which they have enrolled.”
According to University policy, “excessive absenteeism may result in
the instructor’s dismissing the student from class and recording a
failing grade, unless the student officially withdraws from the class
before the withdrawal deadline” (WKU 2005-2007 Undergraduate Catalog,
p. 28). So if you don’t attend class, don’t satisfactorily complete the
course requirements, and don’t withdraw by the scheduled date, you will
fail the class.
Due Dates
Two of the skills I expect that students will exhibit in college are
time management and responsibility. Therefore, I expect that all
assignments will be turned in at the beginning of class on the days
they are due. Be warned that I will not accept/grade assignments that
are submitted after the due dates, even if you have an excused absence
on the day an assignment is due. If you can’t be in class on a day when
an assignment is due, you need to submit the assignment early or have
someone turn it in for you on time. Students who need to submit
assignments early and can’t find me on campus may slide the assignments
under my office door or leave them in my mailbox in the department
office (FAC 237). Paper assignments will only be accepted by email if
the student submits a valid, written excuse to the instructor at the
next class session.
Under unusual circumstances, students may petition for an extension of
the due date for an assignment. The instructor reserves the right to
deduct points on assignments that are submitted on extension.
Extensions will be considered only if all of the following requirements
are met.
1. A written request
for an extension, explaining a legitimate reason why extra time is
needed, must be submitted to the instructor. (Computer failure, work
schedules, extracurricular activities, and an overload of work in other
classes are examples of unacceptable reasons for requesting an
extension.)
2. The student must meet with the instructor at least
three business days before the due date to submit and discuss the
written request. If the extension is granted, a new date will be
established.
3. The student must complete the assignment by the
new due date.
Grading Procedures
Numerical grades are given for each assignment. If curving is
necessary, it will be done on individual assignments; curving usually
involves adding points to the numerical grade earned by each student on
a particular assignment. Letter grades are not given for individual
assignments.
The final course grade is calculated by dividing the points earned by
the total points possible. This percentage is then translated into a
letter grade using the following scale.
A+ 97-100%
C+ 77-79%
A 93-96%
C 73-76%
A- 90-92%
C- 70-72%
B+ 87-89%
D 60-69%
B 83-86%
F ≤ 59%
B- 80-82%
Note that the use of the plus-minus grading system is part of a
two-year, university-wide pilot program. Pluses and minuses will not
appear on the official student transcript. However, on Topnet each
student will see his/her semester and cumulative GPA under the current
system and the provisional plus-minus system
Final course grades will not be curved. In some cases, students with
borderline percentages may be given the higher grade based on class
attendance, class participation, improvement, and/or attitude.
Tests and Testing Policies
Four exams (three midterms and one final) are scheduled over the
semester. Exams cover material presented in lecture, readings, and
movies. While exams are not comprehensive per say, it is assumed that
students will build and draw upon a foundation of material from
previous tests.
Each test is worth 100 points and consists of objective (multiple
choice, true false, matching, fill in, map and artifact
identifications) and subjective (short-answer and/or long-answer essay)
questions. Review material is posted on the course web page about one
week prior to each exam.
Students are expected to arrive on time for tests. To insure that you
arrive on time, I suggest that you set two alarm clocks (one battery
operated), have a friend call you, and leave home early enough to beat
traffic and find a parking place. In the case that a student is
excessively late in arriving to take a test, the instructor reserves
the right to deny that student the opportunity to take the test with no
possibility of a make-up exam. If a student arrives late to an exam and
other students have already completed and turned in their tests, then
the tardy student will not be permitted to take the exam and will not
be given a make-up exam.
To insure security during tests, students will be instructed to place
all their materials in a closed book bag under their desks. Students
wearing ball caps must remove them or turn them backwards. Once a
student starts an exam, he/she cannot leave the testing room for any
reason until the exam is turned in. Students cannot get into
their book bags during the test, unless permission is granted by the
instructor.
In compliance with university policy, students with disabilities who
require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or
services) for this course must contact the Office for Student
Disability Services in DUC A-200 of the Student Success Center in
Downing University Center. The OFSDS telephone number is 745-5004 or
745-3030 V/TDD. Please do not request accommodations directly from me
without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student
Disability Services. Students should inform me in writing of
accommodation needs at least three days in advance of each scheduled
test date.
Full attendance on exam days is expected. However, the following
policies will apply in those special cases when a student has a
legitimate and documented reason for missing a scheduled exam.
Early exam policy: Students who know they will be absent from
class on an exam date for a legitimate reason (University-sanctioned
activity, out-of-town job interview, jury duty, religious holiday) must
make arrangements at least three days before the scheduled test to take
the exam early. Written documentation of the reason for missing
the test and a written request for an early exam must be
submitted. Early exams will be scheduled at the instructor's
convenience.
Make-up exam policy: Students who miss an exam because of
unexpected and unavoidable circumstances may be permitted to take a
make-up exam. Make-up exams may be a different format from the
regular exams. All make-up exams will be scheduled at the
instructor's convenience. Make-ups for missed exams are given
only if all of the following requirements are met.
1. The instructor is
notified by the student (not someone else) at least 24 hours prior to
the exam time. If you cannot reach me directly, leave a voice-mail
message or send an email.
2. The absence occurs for a legitimate and unplanned
reason, such as serious illness, death in the family, or auto accident.
3. The absence is documented in writing.
Exams typically are returned within one week of the test. Students who
are absent when exams are returned and who want to pick up their exams
must do so during the instructor's office hours.
Research Project
Each student will select a topic related to New World prehistory and
research that topic in the archaeological literature. Topics must be
cleared by the instructor.
The research project involves three assignments.
Research Paper Proposal - Early in the
semester each student will draft a one-page proposal that identifies
the research topic, explains why the topic was selected, summarizes the
main ideas of the paper, and identifies at least three reference
sources. The proposal is worth up to 25 points. It is due Friday,
September 15.
Research Paper Outline - By mid-semester each student will submit a
detailed outline of the research paper. The outline will include the
title, the main points of the paper arranged in a logical order,
supporting information for each main point, and at least five reference
sources. The outline is worth up to 50 points. It is due Friday,
November 3.
Research Paper - The final research paper is an expository piece with
8-10 pages of text. The final paper is due at the last class session on
Wednesday, December 6 and is worth up to 100 points.
The course web site has additional requirements for each of these
assignments, such as paper topic ideas, stylistic guidelines, citation
guidelines, and suggested reference sources.
Videos
Several videos related to course material are scheduled over the
semester. Full attendance on video days is expected, and missed videos
cannot be made up. Students are expected to record notes during and
after each video. The entire class will discuss the video content and
relate it to lecture material and readings. Students are responsible
for video information on the exams.
Web Notes
Since there is not enough lecture time to cover all topics related to
the prehistory of each culture area, additional notes are posted on the
course web site. This information relates to environmental
background, culture history, and early civilizations in each culture
area. Students are responsible for all web notes as they are
essential supplements to the lectures and readings.
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
2005-2007 Undergraduate Catalog, p. 26).
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
2005-2007 Undergraduate Catalog, p. 26). 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 2005-2007
Undergraduate Catalog, p. 26). Student work may be checked using
plagiarism detection software.
“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 2005-2007 Undergraduate Catalog, p. 26).
Note-taking Policies
An accurate and complete set of lecture notes is important for
performing well in this class. Many topics covered in class are not in
the text book, so lecture is the only source for information on such
topics. Suggestions for taking good notes include pre-reading,
pre-class preparation, listening for clue words, taping lectures,
comparing notes with other students and/or the text book, rewriting and
reorganizing notes, and asking the instructor for clarification in
class or during office hours. See the instructor for more specific
note-taking strategies.
Tape recording of lectures for the purpose of improving note-taking is
permitted only when a written request is made to the instructor and
when prior consent is given by the instructor.
The instructor considers lecture material (like any other course
material) to be intellectual property. Students who enroll in this
class are entitled to use this material for their personal education.
Students are not to sell lecture notes (and other class materials) to
other students or to note-taking services, online or otherwise; such
action constitutes copyright infringement and will be prosecuted.
Classroom Behavior
The instructor expects that all students will exhibit appropriate
behavior during class sessions. This means that students will not
sleep, read, talk with others, or work on other assignments during
class. Students should interact respectfully with others in the class.
Students with cellular phones or pagers must turn them off before the
start of each class, unless prior arrangements are made with the
instructor.
Important Dates
Monday, September 4
Labor Day holiday; no class
Tuesday, September 5
Last day to drop/add a semester
class without a grade
Monday, October 2
Deadline to apply for December
2006 graduation
Thur-Fri, October 5-6
Fall Break; no class
Tuesday, October 17
Last day to withdraw from a
semester class with a “W”
Wednesday, October 18
Priority registration for spring semester begins
Wed-Fri, November 22-24
Thanksgiving Break; no class
Saturday, December 16
Fall commencement
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.
Return to the New World
Prehistory
Home Page
Visit the Western Kentucky University
Home
Page, Western Online
Page composed by Darlene Applegate, darlene.applegate@wku.edu
Last updated on August 25, 2006
All contents copyright (c), 2006. Western Kentucky
University.