This course is designed to provide the student with an introduction to the principles and methods by which research projects in biological anthropology are devised and executed. The course consists of two modules. The first half of the course covers quantitative analyses. In this module, students will learn about applying statistical analyses in biological anthropology (and cognate disciplines). Emphasis will be placed on conducting replicable analyses. The second half of the course covers research design. In this module, students will learn how to write a proposal for conducting research in biological anthropology (and cognate disciplines). Emphasis will be placed on developing a proposal with robust theoretical, methodological, analytical, and ethical underpinnings. The aim of this course is to prepare students who are considering Honours in Biological Anthropology, though it does not require a commitment to Honours and is open to other students with interests in quantitative analyses and research design.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. understand and explain the basic concepts that underlie quantitative analysis, including statistics and replicability;
2. use a statistical software package to carry out statistical analyses;
3. identify and convey an appropriate research problem; and
4. develop a research proposal with robust theoretical, methodological, analytical, and ethical underpinnings.

Research-Led Teaching

The course is divided into two modules of six weeks each. In Module 1 (weeks 1-6), students will learn the cornerstones of statistical analysis, as applied to research in biological anthropology. In Module 2 (weeks 7-12), students will learn the principles of research design, and acquire the skills necessary to develop a research proposal for research in biological anthropology. The capstone assessment, it an actual research proposal.

Field Trips

None

Additional Course Costs

None

Examination Material or equipment

You will need scanning software on your computer or phone to produce PDF files to submit for Take-Home Tests 1 and 2. A calculator is useful, but students will not need a fancy or expensive one. The calculator on your computer will suffice.

Required Resources

Students will be instructed on how to use statistical software, either an open access (free) one, or one that is provided for free to ANU students via Information Commons computers. Access to a computer with internet connection will be necessary.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• individualized written feedback on the take-home exams.
• class-wide verbal feedback on the take-home exams.
• individualized and formative written feedback on the problem statement.
• written feedback on the proposal.
• individualized written feedback can be sought from the convenor in student consultations.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

READINGS:

Required readings for this course include: (a) readings from the course textbook in Weeks 1 through 5; (b) required articles in Weeks 6 through 12; and (c) independent readings to support your Problem Statement and Proposal.

(a) Textbook Readings: All statistics readings for Weeks 3-7 are from the Handbook of Biological Statistics (3E) which is available for free online (http://www.biostathandbook.com/ ).

Week 1: Data Analysis Steps; Kinds of Biological Variables; Probability; Hypothesis Testing; Confounding Variables.

Week 2: Central Tendency; Dispersion; Standard Error; Confidence Limits.

Week 3: Chi-Square Goodness of Fit; Exact Test Goodness of Fit; Chi-Square Test of Independence; Fisher’s Exact Test; Cochrane-Mantel-Haenszel Test.

Week 4: Independence; Normality; Homoscedasticity; Two-Sample t-Test; Kruskal-Wallis Test; One-Way ANOVA; Paired t-Test; Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test.

Week 5: Regression & Correlation; Data Transformations; Curvilinear Regression; Spearman Rank Correlation; Simple Logistic Regression; Multiple Regression.

(b) Required Articles: These will be available on the course Wattle site:

Week 6: Parker TH, et al. (2016); Smith RJ (2019)

Week 7: Ellis TJ, Levy Y (2008)

Week 9: Pautasso M (2013)

Week 10: Blaxter L, Hughes C, Tight M (2006)

Week 11: AAPA Code of Ethics (2003); Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018)

(c) Independent Readings: You should be developing a list of independent readings related to your research topics as part of your Problem Statement and Research Proposal assessment items. For more information, see the ‘Problem Statement and Proposal Guide.’

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction
2	Basics of Statistical Analysis
3	Contingency Tables	Take-Home Test 1
4	Comparisons
5	Correlation/Regression
6	Advanced Topics	Take-Home Test 2
7	Research Design and Research Problems
8	Theories, Models, and Hypotheses	Problem Statement due
9	Literature Reviews
10	Data Collection/Methods
11	Research Ethics
12	Preparing for Research
13	Semester End	Proposal due

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities/tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Take-Home Tests	40 %	*	1,2
Problem Statement	10 %	24/09/2024	3
Proposal (3000 words)	40 %	30/10/2024	3,4
Tutorial Participation	10 %	*	1,2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Requirements for earning participation marks is outlined above.

Examination(s)

Requirements for the two take-home exams is outlined above.

Assessment Task 1

Take-Home Tests

Take-Home Test 1: Friday 9 August by 5pm via Wattle (worth 20% of grade in class)

Take-Home Test 2: Friday 30 August by 5pm via Wattle (worth 20% of grade in class)

There will be two take-home tests to assess your knowledge and ability in the statistical concepts and techniques we have learned in class. You are expected to work independently on the tests and submit your own independent work. You may consult your own notes and course materials, but you may not consult with classmates or classmates' notes, nor with anyone else to help you with the exam. You also may not use ChatGPT or other forms of generative AI. The exception is that you may email or speak with the course convenor if you have questions about the exam itself, but not the material being tested.

You must write neatly and show all your work. Illegible or difficult-to-read submissions will receive marks of 0. The exam will be made available on the course Wattle site on the Thursday of the exam after tutorial and will be due on Friday by 5pm. That means you have approximately one day to do the exam. Your answers should be submitted as a single PDF file of 5 or fewer pages in length (other file types will not be accepted). To do this, you will scan your answers using a proper scanner (available on campus) or a scanning app on your phone.

The test will be marked out of 100. As per University Policy, no late submissions or extensions are allowed on take-home exams.

Assessment Task 2

Problem Statement

The Problem Statement is a one-page (1 side of an A4 page) account of the research problem that you intend to tackle in your Research Proposal. It provides you a chance to get formative feedback on your proposal and the sorts of literature you have consulted to support it. The specific requirements of the Problem Statement are outlined in a separate document, that will be posted on the Wattle site called Problem Statement and Proposal Guide. The Problem Statement will be marked out of 100 based on the following marking criteria: quality of research problem, quality of references, quality of writing, and adherence to instructions.

Late submissions will be penalised by 5 marks per working day. Extension requests should be submitted via the portal on the course Wattle site before the submission deadline and should include documentation (e.g., a doctor’s note or a copy of your EAP). Extensions will only be approved in the very narrow range of situations outlined in ANU policy. Late submission is not possible beyond 10 working days of the deadline.

Assessment Task 3

Proposal (3000 words)

The Research Proposal is a formal proposal for a research project that you might conduct as an honours thesis research project in biological anthropology. The word count requirement is 3000 words, excluding the budget, literature cited section, the text of any tables/figures and their captions, and the explanatory appendix. You may be penalised for going over or under the word-count requirement. The specific requirements of the Research Proposal are outlined in a separate document, that will be posted on the Wattle site called Problem Statement and Proposal Guide.

The Research Proposal will be marked out of 100 based on the following marking criteria: quality of proposal, including strength of the research problem, quality of the literature review, and the appropriateness of the methodology and other aspects of the planned project); quality of references; quality of writing; and adherence to instructions.

Late submissions will be penalised by 5 marks per working day. Extension requests should be submitted via the portal on the course Wattle site before the submission deadline and should include documentation (e.g., a doctor’s note or a copy of your EAP). Extensions will only be approved in the very narrow range of situations outlined in ANU policy. Late submission is not possible beyond 10 working days of the deadline, except in the case where you have an approved application for Extenuating Circumstances.

Assessment Task 4

Tutorial Participation

Evidence of tutorial participation will be due on the Monday after the tutorial session by 5pm via Wattle. You will be given a schedule of tutorial activities on Wattle that will clearly indicate to which weeks this applies.

Tutorial participation will be assessed using written submissions of evidence of participation. On the days indicated in the schedule of tutorial activities (provided on the course Wattle site), you will have an activity that will be done during the tutorial hour. Evidence of participation (usually an activity sheet) must be submitted via the submission portal on the Wattle site by Monday at 5pm of the week following the tutorial activity. Tutorial attendance is mandatory. No make-up tutorial sessions will be offered. Tutorials are marked in the following way out of 2 pts. Tutorials that show evidence of proper engagement with the material will get 2 pts. Tutorials that show insufficient evidence of proper engagement will get 1 pt. Unsubmitted tutorial activities will get 0 pts.

No late submission of tutorials is allowed, except where you have an approved extension. Extension requests should be submitted via the portal on the course Wattle site before the submission deadline and should include documentation (e.g., a doctor’s note or a copy of your EAP). Extensions will only be approved in the very narrow range of situations outlined in ANU policy. Extensions of longer than 10 working days will not be approved.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin. Tutorial participation and take-home tests will use a Wattle submission portal that is not Turnitin. You will need to scan your take-home tests -- using a proper scanner (available on campus) or a scanning app on your phone -- to submit the tests.

Hardcopy Submission

Hardcopy submissions are not accepted in this course. When work is done in hardcopy, you will be required to scan it and submit as a PDF file.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

Late submission permitted for some assessments. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

Assessment items will be returned via the submission portals on Wattle.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assessment items is not permitted.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students