Research design
All archaeologists must develop a research design prior to field work. The research design is structured around one or more research questions that organize the work and suggest the appropriate methods. Please read pp. 13-19 of the Colorado Cultural Resource Survey Manual (click link). I suggest separate headings for similar information and complete sentences/paragraphs, not bullet points with sentence fragments. Your final submission should not be a repeat of the questions below followed by your answers. As you write your research design, consider your audience to be the Colorado Archaeology and Historic Preservation Office. Archaeologists there will likely expect answers to the questions below. Note: there are photos of our research site on Canvas.
Resources for examples and descriptions of a research design:
1) What is the project name? Use: Manitou Experimental Forest Cabin
2) Where and what is the area to be investigated? Include a map.
3) What is/are the specific research questions we will attempt to answer?
4) Why is the research question worth answering? Who might care about our answers?
5) How does our project contribute to existing archaeological and/or historical knowledge?
6) How does our proposed work fit into existing research?
7) What previous archaeological or historical research has been conducted in the area? What, in general, were the findings?
8) What specific methods (documentary, sampling, etc.?) will we use to answer our research questions? (Note: as discussed in class, the Towner and Creasman article provides a helpful description of most of our methods (re-read it!), but it is more detailed than we need at this stage. Review the readings for Tuesday, 5 Sept. for a description of the methods.)
9) What types of archival research materials will be used and what are the limitations of these materials?
10) Based on the site location and context and background research, what are your expectations about the kind, number, location, character, and condition of the cultural resources we will encounter?
12) How will resources be recorded?
13) How will the field data be processed and maintained for future analysis and reference?
14) How will you present the results of your research?
Resources for examples and descriptions of a research design:
- Guidelines for Archaeological Research Designs essential!
- Re-read the Towner and Creasman article (it presents their research design, methods, and results)
- See "DAP Research Design" (Canvas)
- See NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, pp. 18-19 (Canvas)
1) What is the project name? Use: Manitou Experimental Forest Cabin
2) Where and what is the area to be investigated? Include a map.
- Describe the environmental characteristics of the area to be investigated.
- How will these characteristics affect what we find?
- Why was this area chosen as an area to be investigated (the area was selected to assess the historic significance of the cabin and to provide a learning experience for students in an archaeology course at Colorado College.)
3) What is/are the specific research questions we will attempt to answer?
4) Why is the research question worth answering? Who might care about our answers?
5) How does our project contribute to existing archaeological and/or historical knowledge?
6) How does our proposed work fit into existing research?
7) What previous archaeological or historical research has been conducted in the area? What, in general, were the findings?
8) What specific methods (documentary, sampling, etc.?) will we use to answer our research questions? (Note: as discussed in class, the Towner and Creasman article provides a helpful description of most of our methods (re-read it!), but it is more detailed than we need at this stage. Review the readings for Tuesday, 5 Sept. for a description of the methods.)
9) What types of archival research materials will be used and what are the limitations of these materials?
10) Based on the site location and context and background research, what are your expectations about the kind, number, location, character, and condition of the cultural resources we will encounter?
12) How will resources be recorded?
13) How will the field data be processed and maintained for future analysis and reference?
14) How will you present the results of your research?
rubric
If completed as part of a team, upload to Canvas only one document per team. The research design should be double-spaced, include the names of all team members completing the report, and need not exceed four pages.
Remember to cite all your sources, using a consistent format. Everything that is not common knowledge should be cited in your bibliography.
9-10 points. The research design is exceptional. All questions above are answered and integrated into a coherent and well-organized document. The document is clearly written and understandable by an audience with a general archaeological background. The research design is pleasing to read and the potential results are compelling, interesting, and justify the time and effort of an archaeological investigation.
8 points: The research design meets all expectations. All questions above are answered and integrated into a coherent document. The document is mostly clearly written and understandable by an audience with a general archaeological background. The research design is readable and the potential results may be interested and justify the time and effort of an archaeological investigation.
6 points: The research design meets minimal expectations. Most questions above are answered and integrated into the document. The document is unevenly written and some sections are not understandable by an audience with a general archaeological background. The research design and the potential results are not compelling nor interesting and the project may not justify the time and effort of an archaeological investigation.
< 6 points: The research design does not meet minimal expectations. Some questions above are answered; some are not. The document is uneven in clarity and some parts will be confusing to an audience with a general archaeological background. The research design is difficult to read and the potential results do not justify the time an effort of an archaeological investigation.
Remember to cite all your sources, using a consistent format. Everything that is not common knowledge should be cited in your bibliography.
9-10 points. The research design is exceptional. All questions above are answered and integrated into a coherent and well-organized document. The document is clearly written and understandable by an audience with a general archaeological background. The research design is pleasing to read and the potential results are compelling, interesting, and justify the time and effort of an archaeological investigation.
8 points: The research design meets all expectations. All questions above are answered and integrated into a coherent document. The document is mostly clearly written and understandable by an audience with a general archaeological background. The research design is readable and the potential results may be interested and justify the time and effort of an archaeological investigation.
6 points: The research design meets minimal expectations. Most questions above are answered and integrated into the document. The document is unevenly written and some sections are not understandable by an audience with a general archaeological background. The research design and the potential results are not compelling nor interesting and the project may not justify the time and effort of an archaeological investigation.
< 6 points: The research design does not meet minimal expectations. Some questions above are answered; some are not. The document is uneven in clarity and some parts will be confusing to an audience with a general archaeological background. The research design is difficult to read and the potential results do not justify the time an effort of an archaeological investigation.
