2000-2500 words. Due Tuesday 18 April by 3 pm. Worth 25% of final grade.

Hand in to the Anthropology Department at Vari Hall 2054.

Questions may be addressed to KD by email at arch@yorku.ca  

Submission: The exam is due Tuesday 18 April before 3 pm. Hand it in to the Anthro Dept., Vari Hall 2054. • Email attachments will not be accepted. • Do not slide your assignment under a door. The Anthro Dept counter hours are usually 9:30 am - 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm.  If the Anthro office is closed, use my secure drop box to the right of the Anthro Dept door at Vari 2054. • Late exams will be penalized 15% per day or part thereof, including weekends, unless a medical or counsellor’s note is provided. There can be no lenience with the late penalty.

General marking criteria include the clarity, thoughtfulness, and accuracy of your writing, the quality of your consultation of this course’s material, and your demonstrated comprehension of that material. You are expected to show understanding of the themes of the course, reasonable mastery of the content, and critical thinking.

Matters of form – such as correct answer format, spelling, clear and technically correct writing, proper referencing, and adherence to the length limit – will also be evaluated. Therefore, proofread your work carefully to ensure that there are no errors in spelling or grammar, and that your discussion unfolds logically and clearly. Check that you represented your sources accurately, and that you referenced fully. Give yourself adequate time to check and revise your work before submission… and to get it printed out in time. Please note: Try not to use clichés — e.g. “since the dawn of time” — and resist casual generalizations about human nature. Remember not to caricature ancient people. Use gender-neutral language, e.g. “ancient people” instead of “ancient man”, “humankind” instead of “mankind”.

Consult the course readings and your notes. You are not being marked for general opinions, but for your understanding of the material covered in this course, and your ability to use it in answering these questions. You must refer to material covered in this course, and do so specifically and meaningfully.  Be specific in your allusions to course content (texts, tutorials, lectures), and fully reference your answers. You may examine some additional sources if you wish, but it is not necessary, and you are advised to keep further research minimal. Also note:  Consulting previous years’ exams will not be helpful, as we have covered different material this year.

Plagiarism will not be tolerated, whether intentional or unintentional. You may of course speak to each other about the questions, but actual collaboration on your written answers will be noted as plagiarism and will not be tolerated. Obviously, the work submitted must be your own. It is also your responsibility to cite correctly.

Citation and Bibliography. You must cite the sources of your information, and enclose words in quotation marks if they are taken from another author. For all information cited or quoted, you must include a full reference in the bibliography. Review the course handout “Using Sources Correctly in Your Paper” and follow the instructions there. (You may also consult this site for information: www.yorku.ca/kdenning/+AllCourses/anthroref.htm )  For website citation, follow this format:  • Author's name if available – look for it!   •   Date of publication or update • Title or description of document  • Title of complete work in italics  •   Other relevant information (volume number, page numbers, etc.) •  ‘Retrieved on Apr xx, 2006’ •  Complete and correct URL for the web PAGE used, not just for the entire website.   To cite 2140 lecture notes, give the author (Denning), URL and the date. To cite the course kit: In your essay, say, e.g., (Course Kit #1: pg 22), and then in the bibliography, list it as:  Course Kit 1: full name of the chapter.

Required Formatting.  Double space between lines. Use 11 pt or 12 pt font. Leave margins of at least 1 inch. Number your pages. (Handwritten numbers are fine.)  Staple your paper through one corner.

Your Exam Must Include

è Title page, with your name, student number, Prof's name (K. Denning), TA’s name (Melanie Hammond, Ruth Hamill, Joëlle Reid, or Anne Hartman), course number (Anth 2140), word count (should be between 2000 and 2500 words, not including bibliography), the date, and the number of pages.

è Question 1. Formal essay. Target length 1000-1250 words. Worth 50% of exam.

è Question 2. Informal Essay. Target length 1000-1250 words. Worth 50% of exam.

1.  Formal essay  

Required form: Formal essay – clear academic writing. Cite literature we have covered in the course. Target length: 1000 – 1250 words. Worth 50% of exam. Structure your essay clearly, with a thesis and conclusion. 

In this course, we have explored biological evolution, the ancestors and relatives of Homo sapiens, modern human biological variation, the many different forms of human societies, and some historical processes like contact and conquest. We’ve also looked at methods for studying the past, and a little at the history and social context of archaeology, popular representations of archaeology and ancient people, and the past in the present. All things considered, what do you think: should the course be called “Humanity’s Journey”, or “Humanity’s Journeys”?  Why?  Unpack the question carefully, and justify your position carefully, citing specific examples. (Either position is acceptable; what matters is how well you address the question. If you cannot decide, then outline both points of view.)

2   Comments for a general audience on archaeology & palaeoanthropology

Required form: Informal essay – very clear prose for a general audience. You may write it as a dialogue if you wish. Cite literature we have covered in the course (that is, include references for me, but do not assume that your audience will have read them). Target length 1000-1250 words. Worth 50% of exam. Do only one of the following two options.

a)  Imagine that you have just landed a job at an educational summer camp for Grade 8 students. Your supervisor knows you’ve taken a course in “Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology”, and wants you to teach the kids about it. You have half an hour to tell them, as clearly as possible, the key points of the story of humanity’s biological and cultural evolution on earth. You must trace our development from our early ape-like ancestors all the way up to present day societies… but resist the temptation to simplify the story too much! What would you say? You may write this as a lesson plan, or write the talk as you would actually give it. Avoid jargon. Sketches are welcome but not necessary. (Marks are given for content, not the beauty of the illustrations.) Target length 1000-1250 words.

b) Because you are an internationally renowned expert on archaeology and palaeoanthropology, who has recently written a popular book on the subject, you have been invited to be a special guest on a major TV talk show. (Your choice: Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Springer, Tyra Banks, Martha Stewart, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Dr. Phil, whoever.)  At best, you have a six minute appearance, at least two of which will be spent in hellos and goodbyes and congenial laughter with your host(ess)/audience/fellow guests over something inane. This leaves four minutes or, let us say, a maximum of 900-1050 words (talking fast!), to say something about archaeology and palaeoanthropology to the biggest North American audience you will ever have the chance to reach. What will you say to them? (Think: What do you most want the general public to know about archaeology and palaeoanthropology, and why should they care?) Use plain language to get your message across. At the end, add a brief postscript (100-200 words) for me, explaining why you told the audience what you did.  

N.B. If you wish, you may set up a dialogue with helpful questions from your host(ess). And if your choice is to be on Letterman, you may exceed the word limit to include a Top 10 list.

BONUS (OPTIONAL: Worth up to 5% extra on the exam)

Write an original poem or short story, or create an original work of art on a theme concerning palaeoanthropology and archaeology.  

NOTE: If you submit a work of art, please clearly label it with your name, and indicate whether you would like it returned, discarded, or whether you would be willing for it to be displayed in the future by the Anthro Department. (Your choice will not affect your grade!) If you choose “display”, please also indicate whether you would like it to be displayed anonymously or with your name. If you choose “return”, please include your email address and summer telephone number.