Subject: Prehistoric Archaeology. Course: Bachelor’s Project. Study level: Fifth semester. Size of class: Individual supervision.
My motivation was a wish expressed by the student to write a Bachelor’s project on a topic from this field, as well as my own interest in developing as a teacher. I also thought that the process might form the basis of future teaching, research and publication. A successful process is a win-win situation for both the student and teacher.
Supervising a Bachelor’s project, which must demonstrate knowledge, analyse and seek information about a specific archaeological topic or issue.
The supervision followed an entire research process from the initial application for sampling permission to the submission of a proposal for a future publication. Throughout the process, the key learning objectives were to:
Supervision was mainly provided at the beginning of the process, when the supervisor was present during the practical activities. Another aim was therefore to ensure that during the process, the student should feel comfortable with their new knowledge and should take ownership of the project and the interpretation of results.
While involved in the activity, the student has identified 24 combs or unfinished combs of antlers or bone from medieval Odense using the method ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry). This work formed the basis of a discussion of comb production and resources in medieval Odense. The work of combining research with a Bachelor’s thesis may be divided into six elements, described in brief below:
Sampling permission: In many research fields, it may be necessary to apply for permission to conduct analyses, for instance for ethical reasons. In archaeology, it must be assessed if destructive analyses provide results that justify the destruction of invaluable prehistoric material. As early as possible, the student wrote an application for sampling permission to the relevant museum. Many museums have a standard form in which to insert relevant information. The student was given an example of a previous application and received feedback while preparing the application.
Sampling: Together with experts from the museum, the student took part in the sampling of material and helped document the sampled objects using photographs and various information sheets. During the sampling, the amount of sample material was discussed.
Laboratory work: The student attended a 4-day laboratory sequence with their supervisor (view a weekly schedule for the laboratory sequence here). This included a review of laboratory protocols, theory and safety rules, and the student practiced using basic instruments to be used during the analysis. The student then compiled a 72-hour long record for the purpose of identifying the archaeological samples in the presence of and supervised by a supervisor.
Data analysis: After retrieving the data, the student received an introduction to the data program in which the analysis of the results was to take place. The first samples were analysed jointly by the student and supervisor, and the student then conducted the data analysis.
Independent work: The student wrote a Bachelor’s project on the basis of the results. Following the data analysis, the student found literature on archaeology that placed the results in a context and formed the basis for discussing the application of the method within archaeology. This took place with a minimum of supervision.
Epilogue: The supervisor read the Bachelor’s thesis after the exam. The student and supervisor have collaborated with the local museum on an article, which has been published in the museum’s yearbook. On the basis of their thesis, the student wrote a draft as first author and received input from co-authors, supervisor and colleagues from the museum.
When joining a research-related supervision process, the student receives a much larger amount of subject-specific supervision than would otherwise be possible in Prehistoric Archaeology. The benefit for me as a supervisor is that a set of samples has been analysed which I would not otherwise have had a chance to study, and I become co-author of an article in the museum’s yearbook.
Moreover, as a teacher I have gained experience in supervising and organising a laboratory-based archaeological Bachelor’s project. During this process, I have learnt which parts might be difficult or easy and how laboratory-based teaching may be implemented at the university. So far, this supervision process has also resulted in a project to test the teaching and communication of the natural scientific method and the supervisor’s archaeological research to an upper secondary class at the Natural History Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen.
In a laboratory-based course, it is essential to consider the time frame. The student must not be delayed by faulty equipment or the like. This means that the supervisor must be in firm control of the process. It is therefore important to start the process as early as possible and to allow time for unpredicted events. It may be advisable to prepare how to handle any challenges in the laboratory, e.g. negative test results. Laboratory projects also usually require that financial aspects and collaboration agreements are in place before starting. The activity will probably be most successful for the independent enterprising student who enjoys challenges, as in this case where the students approached me out of their own interest.
Many hours were spent on the activity, but as is evident, this is justifiable since the outcome was large on a wide front and the activity forms part of the supervisor’s research. In a longer perspective, it would be possible to continue collaborating with interested students who might want to take part in thesis projects and even in work that is relevant to their studies. This would further justify a large investment of time in a Bachelor’s project.
