Required for all first and second year graduate students in archaeology. Three hours of seminar discussion of major issues in the history and theory of archaeological research and practice (229A), and of the research strategies and design for various kinds of archaeological problems (229B). To be offered alternate semesters.

Class Description

ANTHRO 229B is a required graduate seminar for archeology students. In ANTHRO 229B, our focus will be on the process of conducting archaeological research: how to frame research questions, define specific strategies for creating data appropriate to address those questions, and how to carry out the research in the field, museum, and laboratory, including writing a research proposal, negotiating permits and contracts, and defining and writing reports. Your central product in this class will be a research proposal written according to the standards of the National Science Foundation (NSF) for their Doctoral Dissertation Improvement grant program. The NSF is the major governmental agency in this country that regularly funds archaeological research, both at the senior and doctoral levels. The ability to present a fundable research proposal to the NSF is not only a pragmatic necessity for most archaeologists; it can serve as a model to develop proposals for other funding sources. During the seminar, we will consider how the basic pieces required for an NSF proposal can be adjusted to assemble proposals for these alternative sources. But most importantly, the exercise of thinking through a proposed research project—from defining the broad anthropological question, to working out specific objectives and developing a plan and budget—is essential in learning to become a practicing archaeologist. The emphasis of the seminar is pragmatic, building on the work already accomplished in Anthropology 229A.