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Practicing Archaeological Science

Module description

This module gives you the opportunity to apply skills learned during years 1 and 2 in a practical way to real archaeological assemblages and datasets. This module will differ from the Archaeological dissertation in that there will be a strong focus on team working, collaborating with other students to demonstrate a range of professional and technical skills relevant for practicing techniques of archaeological science in commercial and academic contexts. The module will be assessed via a final individual report that each student prepares independently and gathers together data produced by all members of the class.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to give you the opportunity to apply skills learned during years 1 and 2 in a practical way to real archaeological assemblages and datasets. There will be a strong focus on team working, collaborating with other students to demonstrate a range of professional and technical skills relevant for practicing techniques of archaeological science in commercial and academic contexts.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate ability to link data produced using a variety of archaeological science techniques and an awareness of the strengths and limitations of these techniques.
• 2. Work to an agreed set of methods, producing results based on the analysis of archaeological samples that can be effectively integrated with the work of others.
• 3. Prepare and deploy appropriate illustrative material that enables and/or supports data interpretation.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Show awareness of the broader archaeological context to the sample sets being analysed
• 5. Deploy bibliographic skills and demonstrate an awareness of the foundational literature underpinning the specific scientific techniques being used.
• 6. Evaluate conflicting opinions and alternative interpretations of the same data.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Demonstrate ability to work as part of a team
• 8. Produce a substantial written report, relying partly on the work of others, that effectively conveys the results produced by the group as a whole.
• 9. Write clearly and concisely in good English demonstrating knowledge of scientific writing conventions.

Syllabus plan

1. Introductory lecture providing overview of module, the sample sets and archaeological site(s) to be investigated.
   
   
2. Sessions for preparing samples; gathering and analysis of data
   
   
3. Students present the data they have collected to each other; all data is made accessible to all students in the group
   
   
4. Students prepare final individual report summarizing the results of the group research.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Brothwell, D. R. and Pollard, A. M., Eds. (2001). Handbook of archaeological sciences. Chichester, John Wiley and Sons.

López Varela, S. L. (ed.)(2018). The encyclopedia of Archaeological Science. JohnWiley & Sons, Inc.

Pollard, M., Batt, C., Stern, B. and Young, S. M. M. (2007). Analytical chemistry in archaeology. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Pollard, A. M. and Heron, C. (2008). Archaeological Chemistry. Cambridge, The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Key words search

Archaeology; Science; practical;