additional learning project
All learning is a choice. I'm impressed that you are considering doing more to enhance your learning about anthropology and archaeology in this course. In addition to enhancing your learning, your effort will help you practice identifying research questions for future courses. All students pursuing an additional learning project will meet during one or more afternoons (depending on the number of students involved) during the afternoon of 14 December (Friday of week 3) and if more time is needed, 17 December (Monday of week 4). You will present what you have learned during a 10-15 minute presentation to the group.
What do you want to do? Please schedule a meeting with me to discuss your project no later than the end of week 2. Please bring a one-page write up of your proposed project, answering the questions below, to our meeting.
1. Create a research question that follows this format: "I will (investigate, read, research, etc.) because I want to find out (what/why/how) ________________ so that I can better understand __________________."
Some examples:
"I will read the book, Po'pay: Leader of the First American Revolution by Joe S. Sando because I want to find out what Pueblo historians say about the Revolt so that I can better understand the perspectives of Native peoples."
"I will visit the FAC to closely observe, document, and interpret several objects (using the VTS strategies learned during the second day of the block) produced during the periods prior to and after the Pueblo Revolt."
"I will learn more about archaeology by attempting to write a culture history of an archaeologically known region from a limited set of archaeological data so that I can better understand how the past is reconstructed with material culture and environment information." [Note: Scott has an archaeology workbook/text that has some existing problem sets that are interesting and productive.]
"I will investigate job opportunities in anthropology and/or archaeology because I want to find out if the opportunities and limitations of a career/job in this field."
"I will research the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) because I want to find out what laws exist to protect the material culture of indigenous peoples and what the challenges are with implementing the law."
"I will visit the Fine Arts Center and conduct online research to find and document examples of changing pottery styles following the Pueblo Revolt (as described by Liebmann Chapter 6) because I want to see these design changes for myself so that I can better understand how nativism and revitalization movements were physically manifested through style."
"I will read three Final Reports from previous CC Field Archaeology projects because I want to find out how CC students are conducting archaeology and what they are learning about Colorado's past."
2. What methods will you use to conduct your research? For example, "I will read x, take notes on each chapter, and write a brief reflection on each chapter.
3. Describe/list your tentative bibliography for this project. In other words, what will you read/do to enhance your learning? For example, "I will read x, y, and z and talk to q to learn about NAGPRA."
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RESOURCES:
The primary archaeological journals I recommend are:
American Antiquity
Kiva: Journal of Southwestern Anthropology and History
Journal of Field Archaeology (also useful but not focused on the the Southwest, more on methods and results of interest globally).
Many ethnographies can be accessed through CC's library database page, eHRAF World Cultures.
I also recommend Anthrosource for sources that go beyond archaeology: Rely on the Anthropology Library Resource Guide, too.
Rubric for written submission.
Submit a 3 to 5 page single-spaced summary of your findings and submit on Canvas on the last day of the block. The format of your summary/synthesis can take many forms. You don't need to write a structured argumentative essay. Write what you want to remember -- it was your interest in the question that drove your research. Answer your question with clarity and structure and in a manner that reinforces your learning (e.g., writing is thinking!). Think of reading this document in a year's time; will it make sense? The purpose of the submission is for you to organizing and solidify your learning on your project - writing helps us clarify our thinking.