ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE: HOW CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS, AND BIOLOGY INFORM THE PAST

ARC2SCI

2020

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

In this subject, students will learn about how scientific techniques (from chemistry, physics, biology, biochemistry and informatics) can be applied to answer archaeological questions. In order to understand how these techniques work, students will learn relevant concepts of the physical sciences, and how these techniques often need to be modified due to the unique nature of archaeological materials. A range of commonly applied techniques will be discussed and how they can contribute to archaeological data such as paleoenvironmental reconstruction, scientific dating, materials analysis and bioarchaeology. Students will gain an understanding of how to interpret scientific data (accuracy, precision, sampling and statistics) and how this is used in archaeological interpretation. Students will be encouraged to understand and criticise scientific data used in archaeology and use their improved scientific literacy in the academic and practical realms.

School: Humanities and Social Sciences (Pre 2022)

Credit points: 15

Subject Co-ordinator: Colin Smith

Available to Study Abroad/Exchange Students: Yes

Subject year level: Year Level 2 - UG

Exchange Students: No

Available as Elective: No

Learning Activities: N/A

Capstone subject: No

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites: Students must have completed at least 60 credit points or obtain the subject coordinators permission

Co-requisites: N/A

Incompatible subjects: ARC3SCI

Equivalent subjects: N/A

Quota Management Strategy: N/A

Quota-conditions or rules: N/A

Special conditions: N/A

Minimum credit point requirement: N/A

Assumed knowledge: N/A

Career Ready

Career-focused: No

Work-based learning: No

Self sourced or Uni sourced: N/A

Entire subject or partial subject: N/A

Total hours/days required: N/A

Location of WBL activity (region): N/A

WBL addtional requirements: N/A

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

Graduate Capabilities

COMMUNICATION - Communicating and Influencing

DISCIPLINE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Creativity and Innovation

INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Research and Evidence-Based Inquiry

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Ethical and Social Responsibility

Intended Learning Outcomes

01. Locate and appropriately use relevant sources investigate and present justifiable arguments about the validity and usefulness of scientific techniques applied to archaeological questions.

02. Explain and discuss common archaeological science techniques used in the field. The principles behind the techniques and what they are used for and their limitations.

03. Examine and analyse scientific data applied to archaeological problems, generating arguments based on appropriate graphical and numerical manipulations

04. Demonstrate an understanding of current trends and arguments in areas of archaeological science and how these areas have contributed to archaeological knowledge by composing a well justified argument using correct referencing

Melbourne (Bundoora), 2020, Semester 1, Blended

Overview

Online enrolment: Yes

Maximum enrolment size: N/A

Enrolment information: N/A

Subject Instance Co-ordinator: Colin Smith

Class requirements

Laboratory ClassWeek: 10 - 22
One 1.00 hour laboratory class per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via blended.

LectureWeek: 10 - 22
One 2.00 hours lecture per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via blended.

Assessments

Assessment element	Comments	Category	Contribution	Hurdle	%	ILO*
On-line quizzes (through LMS) supplied regularly through the semester (750 words equivalent)	N/A	N/A	N/A	No	20	SILO1, SILO2, SILO3
Two 750-word workshop assignments	N/A	N/A	N/A	No	40	SILO1, SILO3
One 1500-word essay	N/A	N/A	N/A	No	40	SILO1, SILO2, SILO4