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Department: Anthropology

Course No.: ANTH 294W

Credits: 3

Title: Seminar in Archaeology

Contact: Daniel S. Adler

WQ: W only

Catalog Copy: ANTH 2ZZ W. Seminar in Archaeology Three credits. Either semester. Prerequisite: ANTH 214. Consent of instructor required. Instructor: Daniel S. Adler.

Historical development of Archaeology and theoretical controversies, past and present, that shape the field.

Course Information: a. This course is designed to elevate the caliber of our students by exposing them to past and present theoretical trends within Archaeology. It will also allow them to forge clear links between archaeological practice and the theoretically driven process of archaeological interpretation.

b. Students will be required to read an assortment of papers arranged according to weekly topics. Based on these readings they will complete 10-12 weekly response essays no greater than 2 pages in length. Weekly discussions will follow a seminar format, with one or two students leading the seminar and the instructor moderating. A revised 15-page research paper will also be required. Course grades will be based on attendance and participation, weekly response essays, and the research paper; there will not midterm or final exams.

c. Relevant issues to be discussed include human ecology, mobility, gender, trade and craft specialization, ideology and religion, writing, social inequality, warfare, and systems of government and administration.

W Criteria:

1. Students will be required to submit weekly response essays (10–12 in total) no longer than 2 pages in length. Each student will provide a copy of their formal essay to each student in the class. A discussion of the week's readings, led by a different student or students will then ensue, with the instructor serving as moderator. In this manner the students will be required to do the readings carefully and construct a thoughtful essay summarizing their main points. The discussion is designed to help develop a more nuanced understanding of the weekly topics by considering the varied opinions of each student. This will be a weekly process of discovery guided by the instructor. The weekly distribution of each student's essay among his or her peers will promote dialogue between students outside the classroom and result in enhanced learning of the course material. This method has the added benefit of promoting respect, appreciation, and trust among the students. The instructor will read and comment extensively on each essay and return them the following week. A fifteen-page paper on a topic of the student's choosing will be assigned. The instructor will read and comment extensively on this paper and the student will be required to submit a revised version prior to the end of the semester. The W component of this course will comprise roughly 80–90% of the course grade. The remainder of the course grade will be based on attendance and participation; there will not be a midterm or final exam for this course.

2.The instructor will make extensive comments on each formal essay, according to guidelines for structure and content outlined in the course syllabus and discussed in class. Students who wish to may arrange to meet with the instructor outside of class to discuss his or her essay in detail.

3. Students will be required to complete a 15-page paper on a topic of their choice approved by the instructor. Following detailed assessment by the instructor students will be required to revise their paper prior to the end of term. Students will receive detailed comments on their unrevised paper in writing and during a scheduled meeting with the instructor.

4. This clause will be added to the syllabus and reiterated through the course; the writing component of the course represents 80–90% of the course grade.

Role of Grad Students: NA

Supplementary Information: I taught this course for four semesters (2003-2005) to sophomore and junior archaeology concentrators in the Department of Anthropology at Harvard University. It was a highly rated course that prepared our undergraduates for entry into the top graduate programs in the country and abroad (e.g., Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, Harvard, Univ. of Arizona, SMU, UPenn, GWU). I hope to help affect similar results at UConn.