Skip to main content
Unit outline_

ARCO3101: Revealing the Past: Theory and History

Semester 2, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

The unit provides an introduction to theory and explanation in archaeology. By exploring changes in archaeological thought over time, in a historical context, students will come to better understand the diversity of contemporary archaeological practice and the various ways in which archaeologists seek to explain past societies. The focus of weeks 1-6 is on the historical development of archaeological thought and theory, from its earliest manifestations right up to the present day while weeks 7-14 focus on major themes, such as social organization and ethno-archaeology and exploring how archaeological theory is applied in order to understand humankind’s past and present.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Archaeology
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
12 credit points at 2000 level in Archaeology
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
ARCA2635
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Roland Fletcher, roland.fletcher@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Roland Fletcher, roland.fletcher@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 2 September 2024
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Essay
n/a
70% Formal exam period
Due date: 14 Nov 2024 at 23:59
3500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Participation Questions relating to lectures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Brief question to the lecturer relating to each of Weeks 1-5 lectures.
10% Multiple weeks One question each week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Outcomes assessed: LO1
Assignment Image Report
Further details will be given in class.
20% Week 09
Due date: 26 Sep 2024 at 23:59
15 images each with 40 word captions
Outcomes assessed: LO1

Assessment summary

  • Questions: One question is to be submitted online relating to each of Lectures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 by the day following the lecture.  Each question is worth 2 marks (i.e. 5 x 2, a total of 10).  Further explanation will be given in the first seminar.  The questions will be discussed in later seminars.
  • Seminar presentation: preparation for visual information for your essay topic.  An initial submission for Professor Fletcher’s comments will be required by 17 March with final submission by 13 May (5%)
  • Essay: An essay on a topic of your choice about the history and theory of archaeology.  It is important to consult the Unit Coordinator on the topic which you wish to study..

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

 

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Why Archaeological history and theory? (Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 02 Antiquarianism to the 19th Century CE. (Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 03 The foundations of Archaeology in the 19th Century. (Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 04 European-American Archaeology to the 1940s. (Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 05 World Archaeology to the 1980s (Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 06 Engagement Archaeology into the 21st century (Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 07 Theories of the Unexpected: Gobekli Tepe (Joseph Lehner); Easter Island (James Flexner) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 08 Theories of Civilisation: The Indus Valley (Alison Betts); The Khmer (Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 09 Theories of Urbanism: Swahili towns (Ioana Dimitru); Oppida (Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 10 Theories of Reconstruction: Knossos (Lesley Beaumont); Virtuality (Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 11 Theories of Deep Time: Kakadu (Tristen Jones); Deep Time (Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 12 Theories of Trauma & Resilience: Trauma (Charlotte Feakins); Collapse (Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 13 Archaeology: Where to? (Professor Roland Fletcher) Seminar (2 hr)  

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.

  • Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.

  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

None of the readings in the Reading List section are required readings.  The reading list is a reading resource list only.

 

Readings for each week's Tutorial will be available in the Modules section.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. understand the key elements of archaeological theory and explanation and how they have changed over time
  • LO2. understand why theory is important to the history and practice of contemporary archaeology
  • LO3. apply aspects of archaeological theory to explanation and practice in archaeology today
  • LO4. integrate literature review into archaeological argument building
  • LO5. exercise critical judgement and an increased capacity for rigorous and independent thinking
  • LO6. access, assess, organise and communicate knowledge and ideas with increased competency

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

How Student Feedback has been used to develop this Unit of Study. This has come from previous end-semester student evaluations and from individual discussions with student

Further information on the assessments will be given in the lectures.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.