Take-Home Final Examination
You've taken the course. Maybe the topics were mostly new to you, maybe not. Topics like ethics, professionalism, repatriation, heritage, international law, and contract archaeology. Now is the time for personal reflection. Write an essay describing what archaeology means to you, personally, in light of the issues we have discussed and debated in class. Another way of putting it is this: What does it mean to be an archaeologist? Presumably it is more than a job. What are the most important ethical values, responsibilities, and areas of concern? What makes archaeology worthwhile as a profession? And I mean to you—don't regurgitate chapter and verse from ethical codes or laws (although it may be relevant to mention them to show you are conversant with contemporary scholarship and debate).
One way you might approach this assignment is to think about your attitudes about the field before you took this class: perhaps (I hope, but maybe I'm wrong) your views have changed in some ways. Another approach might be to think about what are the essential things that make archaeology different from other disciplines or activities that concern themselves with the past (again, maybe you don't think there is any essential difference). I would pick 2-4 core ideas to discuss, no more, no less.
Don't panic. Don't freak out. Yes, I want you to be original. Yes, I want to know what you think. No, I don't want a recitation of facts. Your challenge is to find a way to crystallize your own thoughts, values, and beliefs while demonstrating that you are in firm control of the facts, issues, and debates. I don't want mere opinion, but informed, reasoned consideration.
This is not a research paper. No footnotes, please; no bibliography or references, either. You can mention laws, conventions, codes, people, etc., but do it in the text without wasting much space (I'll know what "1970 UNESCO Convention" means, for example, without the full title).
Practical matters: No more than 6 pages, double-spaced text. One-inch margins top, bottom, left, and right. No titles, headings, or subheadings. Work alone.