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.


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Page composed by Darlene Applegate, darlene.applegate@wku.edu
Last updated on August 25, 2006
All contents copyright (c), 2006. Western Kentucky University.