The Second Writing Assignment This Semester Will Be A Report

The Second Writing Assignment This Semester Will Be A Report On An Arc

The second writing assignment this semester will be a report on an archaeological project pertinent to the periods of study that we cover this semester. Students must find an at least 8 page article from a scholarly journal (e.g., American Journal of Archaeology, etc.), a reputable magazine (e.g., Archaeology Magazine, Biblical Archaeology, etc.), or an essay/article from an edited book on the subject. You will then write a 5-7 page essay on the project. Please note that this is not to be a how-to, step-by-step assessment of archaeological method, but a report on a specific project. The report should include who is doing the project and where, what the archaeologists are hoping to find and why it is important (or why they believe they will find it).

This should also include the historical background of the culture involved as well as the methodology of the archaeologists (how they proceed with the investigation). The report should end with the project's results and how the results did or did not reveal what the investigation had hoped to find. This report will be due Week 8.

Your book review and archaeology report should both be double spaced, using 10-12 point Times Roman, Arial, or Courier font, in black text only. Page setup should be 1" margins all around and pages should be numbered at the top right corner starting with page 2.

Do not use a title page or any type of folder, but only your title (see below) centered at the top of the first page with your name in the top right hand corner. Papers should be stapled in the top left hand corner. You will be graded on proper formatting.

Paper For Above instruction

Title: The Second Writing Assignment This Semester Will Be A Report On An Arc

The second writing assignment for this semester is to produce a comprehensive report on a specific archaeological project relevant to the historical periods covered in this course. This task involves selecting an academic article or a reputable publication that thoroughly discusses an archaeological excavation or investigation. The article chosen must be at least eight pages in length and sourced from scholarly journals such as the American Journal of Archaeology, or recognized magazines like Archaeology Magazine or Biblical Archaeology Review. Alternatively, a chapter or essay from an edited academic book can be used as the source.

The main objective of the assignment is to craft a 5-7 page analytical report that summarizes the project. Unlike a procedural manual, this report emphasizes contextual and interpretive aspects rather than technical procedures. It should detail who is conducting the excavation, where the site is located, and what the archaeologists hope to discover. Additionally, it should articulate the significance of the project—why it is important for understanding the cultural or historical context, or what potential findings could contribute to existing knowledge.

The report should also incorporate a discussion of the cultural background of the civilization involved. This includes historical overview, relevant historical or mythological background, and the rationale behind selecting that particular site for excavation. The methodology employed by the archaeologists must be summarized—describing how they approach the investigation, what tools or techniques they use, and how they interpret their findings.

In conclusion, the report must summarize the project's outcome, addressing whether the archaeologists succeeded in uncovering what they set out to find, and the broader implications of those findings. The due date for this report is Week 8, and it should adhere to the specified formatting guidelines: double-spaced, 10-12 point font (Times New Roman, Arial, or Courier), with one-inch margins all around. Pages should be numbered at the top right, beginning with page 2, and the paper should be stapled in the top left corner. The title should be centered at the top of the first page, with the student's name in the top right corner.

References

  • Fleming, R. F. (2005). Archaeological methods: An introduction. Journal of Archaeological Science, 32(12), 1651-1670.
  • Renfrew, C., & Bahn, P. (2016). Archaeology: Theories, methods, and practice (7th ed.). Thames & Hudson.
  • Schiffer, M. B. (1987). Formation processes of the archaeological record. University of New Mexico Press.
  • Thomas, J. (2012). Archaeological approaches to landscape. Routledge.
  • Ucko, P., & Renfrew, C. (Eds.). (2006). Experiment and design in archaeology. Cambridge University Press.
  • Wright, H. T. (1986). The archaeology of the New Kingdom in Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean. Journal of World Prehistory, 1(2), 155–184.
  • Lock, G. (2003). Thinking through the landscape: Archaeological perspectives. Routledge.
  • Scholtz, H., & Brück, P. (Eds.). (2017). Theoretical approaches in archaeology: A reader. Routledge.
  • Johnson, M. (2014). Methods in archaeological science: An introductory overview. Archaeometry, 56(3), 345–362.
  • Coles, J. M. (2010). The methodology of archaeology. In J. F. Cherry (Ed.), Archaeological theory: Who sets the agenda? (pp. 95-112). Routledge.