ANTHRO 3070: Professionalization in Archaeology

Jump to Today

Instructor:

Dr. Christina Warinner, Department of Anthropology

Course Time: 

MW, 1:30-2:45pm 

Course Summary:

All good research begins with a strong foundation. This course is aimed at providing you with the foundational knowledge and basic tools you need to succeed as a professional archaeologist. Aided in part by guest speakers from within and beyond Harvard, this course emphasizes collaborative research, presentation, publication, grant proposal writing, conflict resolution, and other skills to help you complete your PhD and to be competitive on the job market afterwards, and to navigate the complex intellectual, social, and personal demands of academia.

Course Structure:

The course is divided into five themes that cover different aspects of professional development:

Theme 1: Getting organized and collaboration

Theme 1 of the course will focus on organization and the establishment of good professional practices. Topics covered include: roles of a researcher; research tools; collaborative writing; reference management; CV; online profiles, websites and social media; and communication etiquette and professionalism.  

Theme 2: Conferences and publishing

Theme 2 of the course will focus on the two main forms of scholarly communication: conference presentation and publication. Topics covered include: conference networking; the elevator pitch; podium presentations; conference posters; journal selection; titles and abstracts; cover letter to the editor; submission and review; proofs; online access and preprint servers; press and media; and journal peer review.

Theme 3: Proposals and grant writing

Theme 3 of the course focuses on obtaining research funding. Topics covered include: funding agencies; direct costs, indirect costs, and budgeting; hypotheses, aims, and goals; IRBs; grant writing.

Theme 4: When things go wrong

Theme 4 of the course focuses on problems and solutions. Topics covered include: overcoming imposter syndrome; being a good colleague; recognizing bias; power and responsibility; sex and gender harassment; inequality and discrimination; and research ethics.

Theme 5: Secrets to success

Theme 5 of the course focuses on things you can start doing now to make your graduate school experience more productive, enjoyable, and successful. Topics include: developing healthy writing habits; managing pressure and anxiety; work-life balance; fostering an effective student-mentor relationship.

Required Reading:

There is no textbook for this course. Instead, selected articles, chapters, and online media will be posted to Canvas. 

Class Schedule:

Date

Topic

Required Reading and Media

1/25

Welcome and overview: Why are we here?

 

1/27

The basics: roles of a researcher; online research tools; getting organized; email and other forms of communication; collaborative writing; reference management

Assignment: Encyclopedia entry (due 2/3)

2/1

Curriculum vitae, bio, and elevator pitch

Assignment: CV and bio (due 2/5)

2/3

Websites and online media

Assignment: ORCID, Google Scholar profile; Harvard OpenScholar webpage (due 2/10)

2/8

Presentations: Podium and Poster

Assignment: Begin Presentation Project (due 4/7)

2/10

Publications: Selecting a Journal

Assignment: Read assigned article, look up PNAS guide to authors; identify formatting problems (due 2/17)

2/17

Publications: Titles and Abstracts

Assignment: Write missing title and abstract (due 2/22)

2/22

Publications: Cover Letter to the Editor

Assignment: Write the cover letter to the editor due (2/24)

2/24

Publications: Submission and Response to Reviewers

Assignment: Write the response to reviewers (due 3/3)

3/3

Publications: Proofs

Assignment: Correct the proofs (due 3/8)

3/8

Publications: Press and Media

Assignment: Write press release (due 3/10)

3/10

Publications: OA and Preprint servers

 

3/15

Writing a peer review: How to do it

Assignment: Read and write review (due 3/17)

3/17

Writing a peer review: Philosophical reflections and the future of peer review

 

3/22

 Proposals and grants: Grant selection

Assignment: Select funding source and read instructions; determine eligibility 

3/24

 Proposals and grants: Structure

Assignment: Decide on a topic

3/29

 Proposals and grants: Budgets

Assignment: Make draft budget 

4/5

 Ethics and IRB

 

4/7

 In-class presentations and poster session

Due: In class presentation

4/12

 Conferencing: Strategies and networking

 

4/14

 Managing the student-mentor relationship

 

4/19

 Pressure, anxiety, work-life balance

 

4/21

 Being a good colleague; recognizing bias; confronting harassment

 

4/26

How to start writing - developing healthy habits

 

4/29 to 5/5

Reading period

 

5/6 to 5/15

Exam period

Due: Grant application (5/8)

Grading:

Your grade is based on the 1000 points available for the course. 900 points and above = A, 800 points and above = B, etc. A curve may be applied.

  1. Participation, 100 points
  2. Organization Assignments, 175 points
    • Encyclopedia entry, 50 points
    • CV, 100 points
    • Online website and profiles, 25 points
  3. Presentations, 150 points
    • Elevator pitch, 50 points
    • 15 minute podium presentation or poster, 100 points
  4. Publication Project, 325 points
    • Formatting, 25 points
    • Title and abstract, 50 points
    • Cover letter, 50 points
    • Response to reviewers, 25 points
    • Proofs, 25 points
    • Press release, 50 points
    • Peer review, 100 points
  5. Grant Application Project, 250 points

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due