Anthropology of Complexity and Inequality:

Assessments
In-Class Assessment:
As this is a discussion based seminar course, informal assessments will take place during
every class period. Through discussion, students will demonstrate their engagement with course
material, including areas of difficulty. This will allow me as an instructor to guide student
understanding, provide clarification, and additional discussion topics. Though this assessment is
very informal, it will provide a continual means of assessing student learning and understanding.
Goals:
The goal of these discussions is for students to demonstrate understanding of and
engagement with the weekly required texts. While these discussions are integral to the learning
process, they will also facilitate instructor assessment of student understanding.
Objectives:
Upon completion of this activity, students will have a better understanding of the material
and how it applies to their own research. Furthermore, as an instructor I will gain a better
understanding of student progress.
Rubric:
As this will be an informal class activity, there will be no formal rubric. By listening to
and participating in class discussion, I can assess whether students are struggling with or
grasping course material. This will provide me with opportunities to see what topics need to be
reinforced, as well as which topics may be incorporated in future discussions to ensure student
understanding of major course themes and concepts.
Justification:
This assessment will help to ensure that students are meeting the course objectives laid
out in the syllabus, which include an understanding of past and present approaches to course
topics, and how these approaches may be applied to student research.
These discussions support my teaching philosophy, as I hope to continually foster student
engagement and participation. As an instructor, I see my role more as a facilitator of learning.
Particularly at the graduate level, I will employ less didactic methods, and instead encourage
student learning through discussion. Students will be encouraged to apply and demonstrate their
knowledge of material in these discussions. Furthermore, I hope to facilitate a classroom
environment where students feel comfortable discussing issues they are having with the material.
Out of Class Assessment:
As part of the requirements for their final papers, students will be required to meet certain
benchmarks along the way, including the production of an abstract. These abstracts will be due
early in the semester, and will consist of approximately 250 words stating the students paper
topic and main arguments.
Goals:

The goal of these abstracts is to hone in on a specific research topic early in the semester,
so that I can ensure student progress as well as make suggestions to improve or strengthen their
research trajectories.
Objectives:
For these assessments, the main objective from the students perspective is to identify a
topic for research that implements course concepts in a way that is directly relevant to their
graduate thesis or dissertation work. From an instructors perspective, the main objectives are to
ensure student preparation to begin research, and to identify areas where guidance may be
needed.
Rubric:
For these abstracts, students will receive a completion grade. At such an early stage, it
would be counterproductive to critically evaluate student research trajectories in a way that is
detrimental to their overall grades. As long as students produce a short paragraph delineating
possible avenues of research and argumentation, they will receive full credit.
Justification:
This assessment supports course goals and objectives in that it will be implementing
course materials and topics to their own research. Further, they will be able to apply relevant
ethnographic and archaeological cases to their region or topic of study, demonstrating
understanding of the course material.
This assessment also supports my teaching philosophy, as student driven research will
foster engagement and creativity. At the graduate level in particular, the ability to directly
incorporate class material and assignments into thesis or dissertation research is particularly
helpful, and encourages students to put forth maximal effort (as their topics will be of maximal
personal interest).