Anthropology Question

Term Paper

FORMAT:

Introduction – Body – Conclusion – Works Cited

3,000-word minimum (10 – 12 pages, double spaced)

Title page

12 point Times New Roman font

One-inch margins

Double spaced

• Subtitles for each section

In-text citations as well as a separate Works Cited/References/Bibliography page

• Please use the citation style adopted by your Major. If your Major does not have an official style or if you are Undeclared, please use Chicago. You can find out how to implement citation styles here: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/resources.htmlLinks to an external site. 

PROMPT:

• The avenues in which we understand cultures from the past can be convoluted. Through doing intense research, we can see how history, archaeology, and oral histories only provide a smaller part of a larger story. For this term paper, you will choose a culture from the past to further investigate. Research online and using our college library to find out the ways in which this particular culture has been documented, paying particular attention to the DISCUSSION QUESTIONS below. Any culture chosen will need to have had some sort of archaeological intervention. You are free to choose any of the cultures we have gone over in class or find one of your own!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• Introduce this past culture. Who were they? From what time period? How did they fit into the global timeline? How far did their boundaries reach?

In what ways have their history been documented (historical documents, archaeological resources, oral histories, etc). Do these research avenues complement or contrast each other? How?

• What particular archaeological methods were used in the archaeological analysis of this site? Specific dating techniques? Survey? Excavation? GPR? Faunal analysis? How many archaeological sites are you discussing in your term paper to get a better understanding of this culture?

What interpretations we  can we make of the past culture based on the archaeological resources found? Provide concrete reasons.

• What are some pseudoscientific theories surrounding this particular culture? How mainstream/underground is the theor(ies)? In other words, is there a large following? What are some of the things that make these theories attractive? What are some of the ways these theories are a detriment to the understanding of the past culture? To human ingenuity?

Are there any present-day descendent communities associated with this past culture? What are their views of their ancestors? What are their views of archaeological research (for or against)?

• You must search out at least 5 scholarly sources to inform your analysis paper. The video short and textbook can also be used, but they will not count toward this minimum. Visit the Simplify Your Research! Video Series page to learn how to search for and choose the best scholarly sources.