Faculty Syllabus

General Education Competencies

• Civic and Cultural Awareness - Analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society; comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among people, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices.
• Critical Thinking - Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating, and applying information.
• Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning - Applying mathematical, logical, and scientific principles and methods.
• Written, Oral, and Visual Communication - Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.

Course Evaluation

Grading Scale

A - >90%

B - 80-89%

C - 70-79%

D - 60-69%

F - <60%

How to Earn Your Grade

• Orientation Quiz (10%): Read through the course syllabus, the course expectations, and the course Blackboard page. Students should complete the Orientation Quiz during the first week of class before moving on to the course content. The Class Orientation Quiz is required to certify your attendance and must be completed by Tuesday, Feb 24th at 5:00pm, or you will be dropped from the course.
• Research Paper (20%): The Research Paper Module will teach you how to find, read, and cite scholarly sources for archaeology using the APA citation style. You will practice these skills within the module by completing a quiz and a short written activity. Then, you will demonstrate your understanding of these concepts by writing a 3-page academic research paper about the Lower Pecos Canyonlands region of Texas. 
  • APA Format Quiz- suggested due date: Sunday, March 8th  (5 points)
  • Scholarly Sources Activity- suggested due date: Sunday, March 29th (5 points)
  • Research Paper- required due date: Sunday, April 12th (10 points)

• Weekly Content Modules (50% total): Complete the Content Modules to earn points towards your desired grade. There will be a multiple-choice quiz in each module covering each textbook chapter or weekly topic. These quizzes are open-book/open-note and may be taken two times to improve your score. You will need to turn these in weekly.

• Discussion Boards (20% total): For each textbook chapter or topic, there will be a discussion prompt in the Discussion Board for you to respond to. In addition to posting your response, you will need to reply to at least one other student. These are required and due weekly.

• Optional Writing Assignments (5% bonus to final grade if you complete each one (each one is worth 1%)): There are five short (2-page) Writing Assignments to choose from. Detailed instructions and a grading rubric for each Writing Assignment are available on Blackboard. You must include references and use the APA citation style. The Writing Assignment topics are:
  • La Belle Shipwreck
  • Archaeological Dating Methods
  • Caddo Society
  • Ethics and Repatriation
  • Pompeii and Herculaneum

*These are due Sunday, May 3rd. 

Course Policies

Communications with Instructor: The best way to contact me is by email at mandy.newport@austincc.edu. Please feel free to email me with questions at any point in the course. I will check emails at least once per day and I will respond to student emails within 24-48 hours. Please note that on Mondays- Thursdays, I am generally only able to respond to student emails/messages in the evenings (after 6:00pm).

Virtual office hours (over Zoom) are available by appointment - please email me to schedule. Since all of my classes are online this semester, I do not have an office on campus.

All class information will be posted on Blackboard. I will also send regular updates and reminders via your ACC email, so be sure to check it frequently for any class updates or changes to the schedule, etc. If you don’t regularly use your ACC email, log in and have it forwarded to your preferred email address. 

Attendance and Class Participation: Since this is an asynchronous online course, you will set your own schedule for reviewing the course materials and completing assignments. However, it is highly recommended that you keep up with the Course Schedule of content and assignments given at the end of this syllabus. Active participation in the course is expected of all students. Participation will be evaluated through completion of assignments and engagement with the Discussion Board, which you will need to keep up with weekly.

In the event of class cancellation due to an emergency, the student is responsible for communicating with the instructor during the closure and completing any assignments or other activities designated by the instructor.

Late Work and Grading Policies: Unless otherwise stated, all course assignments must be submitted for grading by 11:59PM on Sundays. No assignments will be accepted after this date.

• The Class Orientation Quiz is required to certify your attendance and must be completed by February 24th at 5:00pm or you will be dropped from the course. No late work will be accepted for this assignment.
• The Research Paper is due on Sunday, April 12th but late submissions will be accepted for partial credit if received in a reasonable amount of time. (-10% for each day it is late.)

The grading turn-around time is generally 1 week after assignment submission. However, grading may take longer at times due to official ACC holidays, instructor illness, or large volumes of assignments received within the same week. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Academic Dishonesty: You may use generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) in this course for limited support such as:

• Brainstorming topics or research questions.
• Generating outlines you then substantially revise.
• Editing for clarity, grammar, organization, and tone.
• Helping you understand course concepts (as a study aid).

You may NOT use AI to complete coursework for you. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Writing discussion posts, essays, or research papers in full or in part.
• Producing summaries/responses you submit as your own work.
• Creating citations, quotations, or “evidence” you did not personally locate and verify.
• Completing quizzes/exams or any other graded responses.

All submitted work must reflect your own thinking and writing. If you use AI for brainstorming or editing, you must still produce the content yourself and be able to explain and defend your ideas, interpretations, and sources. *I will use plagiarism/AI-detection tools as one method to review originality. If your work registers as 20% or more AI-generated content (as measured by Scribbr), it will be treated as a potential academic integrity issue and may result in a grade penalty, a required rewrite, or referral under the college’s academic integrity policy. https://students.austincc.edu/student-rights-responsibilities/academic-integrity-process/. When in doubt: If you are unsure whether a particular use of AI is allowed, ask before submitting the assignment.

Note: If you wish to build your writing skills, ACC offers free writing tutoring through the Writing Center: https://students.austincc.edu/writing-center/.  

Plagiarism also includes presenting the work or ideas from another source as your own without proper attribution (i.e. citation). The instructor will provide guidance regarding the proper use of citations for this course.

Withdrawal Policy: It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that their name is removed from the class roster should they decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should they feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, they should also verify that the withdrawal is recorded before the Final Withdrawal Date of February 26, 2026. The student is also strongly encouraged to keep any paperwork in case a problem arises. *Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status. Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a W) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.

Incompletes: An incomplete (grade of "I") will only be given for extenuating circumstances. What constitutes “extenuating circumstances” is left to the instructor’s discretion. If a grade of I is given, the remaining coursework must be completed by a date set by the student and instructor. This date may not be later than two weeks prior to the end of the following semester. A grade of I also requires completion and submission of the Incomplete Grade form, to be signed by the faculty member (and student if possible) and submitted to the department chair.

Students may request an Incomplete from their faculty member if they believe circumstances warrant. The faculty member will determine whether the Incomplete is appropriate to award or not. The following processes must be followed when awarding a student an I grade.

1. Prior to the end of the semester in which the “I” is to be awarded, the student must meet with the instructor to determine the assignments and exams that must be completed prior to the deadline date. This meeting can occur virtually or in person. The instructor should complete the Report of Incomplete Grade form.
2. The faculty member will complete the form, including all requirements to complete the course and the due date, sign (by typing in name) and then email it to the student. The student will then complete his/her section, sign (by typing in name), and return the completed form to the faculty member to complete the agreement. A copy of the fully completed form can then be emailed by the faculty member to the student and the department chair for each grade of Incomplete that the faculty member submits at the end of the semester.
3. The student must complete all remaining work by the date specified on the form above. This date is determined by the instructor in collaboration with the student, but it may not be later than the final withdrawal deadline in the subsequent long semester.
4. Students will retain access to the course Blackboard page through the subsequent semester in order to submit work and complete the course. Students will be able to log on to Blackboard and have access to the course section materials, assignments, and grades from the course and semester in which the Incomplete was awarded.
5. When the student completes the required work by the Incomplete deadline, the instructor will submit an electronic Grade Change Form to change the student’s performance grade from an “I” to the earned grade of A, B, C, D, or F.

If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.” Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is not frequently granted.

Course Climate Expectations: This is an inclusive and equity-minded course. I, as the course instructor, will do my best to respect you as an individual and as a member of diverse communities that include gender, LGBTQIA, cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, disability, socio-economic, as well as national origin/immigrant identities. Racist, homophobic, misogynistic, or other hate speech will not be tolerated in the classroom or on Blackboard. As students of this course, you are expected to:

• Demonstrate cultural relativism.
• Show respect for others’ views and statements.
• Disagree in a considerate manner.
• Honor and value the diversity of our learning community.
• Be open to the new perspectives and approaches raised in this class with the intention of expanding your knowledge.

Required Text

Renfrew, C., Bahn, P., & DeMarrais, E. (2024). Archaeology Essentials: Theories, Methods, and Practice (5th ed.). Thames & Hudson.

Where to purchase or borrow: This has been included in your tuition (even if your tuition is free). If you opted out of First Day Access, you can purchase the book at one of the following stores; it will be on Blackboard under Course Content.

ACC District Students, library.austincc.edu, Thames & Hudson USA, Amazon, TextbookRush, Biblio

Course Description (3 Credit Hours)

This course is the study of the human past through material culture. This course covers archaeological methods and theories for reconstructing ancient societies. Emphasis is placed on archaeological questions, scientific methods, and culture change. Topics may include the adoption of agriculture, response to environmental change, the emergence of complex societies, and ethics in the discipline. 

By the end of this course, the student:

• Will be able to describe what anthropology and anthropological archaeology are.
• Will understand the methods and theories of anthropological archaeology.
• Will understand the processes that affect the archaeological record.
• Will understand cultural diversity and how and why cultures change through time.

Prerequisites: Must meet ACC proficiency requirements in reading, writing, and math (see the course catalog or an advisor). The transferability of workforce courses varies. Students interested in transferring courses to another college should speak with their Area of Study (AoS) advisor, Department Chair, and/or Program Director.

Course Rationale

Introduction to Archaeology is designed to provide students with an understanding of the interaction of culture and biology as it relates to the evolution of hominids and cultural diversity. This course will allow students to apply general archaeological knowledge and skills to everyday life and their chosen careers, to apply the course towards an associate degree at Austin Community College, and to prepare them for success in upper-division courses in anthropology and archaeology at other institutions.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

• Cultural Relativism—Apply cultural relativism and understanding to issues of multiculturalism, globalization, or cultural difference. 
• Cultural and Biological Adaptation—Describe and analyze the ways that humans have adapted biologically and/or culturally to their surroundings over time (e.g., reflect on different subsistence strategies, types of social organization, or other variables, etc.)
• Research Methods and Theories—Explain, plan, and conduct original research based on observations and/or scholarly review of scientific writings using appropriate anthropological theories and methods