This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2005-2006 (archived)
Module ARCH1041: SCIENTIFIC METHODS IN ARCHAEOLOGY
Department: Archaeology
ARCH1041: SCIENTIFIC METHODS IN ARCHAEOLOGY
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 1 | 20 | Available in 2005/2006 | None. | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- None; only available to students taking the BSc (Hons) Archaeology [F402] or to students in the Faculty of Science.
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combinations
- This module is only available to students in the Faculty of Science. In addition, Applied Archaeological Methods (ARCH1081) may not be taken after or with this module.
Aims
- This module will provide students with a grounding in a range of scientific methods and techniques used in contemporary archaeology through a critical examination of case studies which stress the significance of scientific techniques appropriate to archaeological questions.
Content
- Students will be taught the basic principles underlying the scientific techniques used in archaeology by means of a series of case studies.
- The module will include the following topics: dating, environmental archaeology, archaeological prospection, human remains in archaeology, and archaeological materials.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- By the end of the module, students will have gained an introductory knowledge of the fundamentals of archaeological science.
Subject-specific Skills
- Basic familiarity with a wide range of biological, physical and environmental methods used in archaeology
Key Skills
- To gain direct experience in essay writing
- Use of the Library
- Tutorial work
- Problem solving
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- TEACHING & LEARNING: Lectures; tutorials; self-guided learning.
- ASSESSMENT: Examination; essays; short-answer test.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 22 | 2 Per Week with Gaps | 1 Hour | 22 | |
| Tutorials | 3 | 1 Hour | 3 | ||
| Preparation and Reading | 175 | ||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 100% | Written examination | 3 hours | 100% |
Formative Assessment
Two essays of approx 2,000 words. One short-answer test.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.