GUIDELINES FOR ESSAY ASSIGNMENT
Format:
• Use a 12-point font, and double space your text
• Title the file with your last name
Length:
• This essay should be between 600-700 words
• Title pages, citations and your reference list are not included in the word count
In-text citations and References page:
• APA style is required for your in-text citations and reference list
• If you are not familiar with APA style, this website should help:
https:
owl.english.purdue.edu/owl
esource/560/01/
• If you are using the course notes, you cite them like you would any other website in APA
style.
• Failure to cite your sources is plagiarism, and may result in an automatic 0 on an
assignment.
• You must reference your sources in the text and provide a complete list of references
cited. All material used must be referenced, whether it consists of an actual quote or
whether you have paraphrased a source; this includes the online notes.
• Simply providing a list of references at the end of your essay in insufficient.
Tips:
• Always define terms very early on. People have different ideas about certain words and
phrases, so tell the reader how you are using them in your essay.
• Be wary of which websites you consult. If you use information from an unreliable source
you’re likely to go off track or write things that simply are not accurate. In Anthropology,
things have changed significantly over the past few years and many sites are not cu
ent,
in spite of their ‘Last Updated On’ dates.
• Essays are about demonstrating your understanding of the topic. Keep this in mind as you
write. Always ask yourself how what you are writing is linked to the topic and how it
shows the reader that you understand the material. Make those points clear and explicit.
Readers should never have to guess at what you mean or how it is related to the question.
• Justify your statements. If you write something like, “Cultural adaptations help us survive
in different environments” you need to follow that up with an explanation of why that is
true. Simply stating it doesn’t demonstrate that you understand why that is the case.
Short essay assignment
Topic:
How did “culture” impact the course of hominid evolution; how did the changing cultural
ehaviour of early Homo influence biological evolution, resulting in modern Homo sapiens?
Make sure that you include two to three specific examples of ways in which culture has
changed the course of our evolutionary path from Archaic to modern, and explain clearly how
the examples you cite demonstrate the point you are making.
This assignment is
oken up into two stages (see course schedule for due dates):
Stage 1
• Write an introductory paragraph for the essay and very
iefly (point form is fine)
outline the examples you plan to use in the full essay. You must cite at least two
different sources in the text, and include a properly formatted reference list at the end.
All of this can be done on a single page.
• This is designed to make sure that you are on the right track with the content of your
essay, and that you know how to co
ectly reference your material.
• You will get feedback on this at least a week before the next stage is due.
Stage 2
• Write a 600-700 word essay, using the introductory paragraph you started in Stage 1.
Suggestions:
• First, what is culture? How are you going to define it for the purposes of the essay?
• Think about the various aspects of culture that make up the ancient hominin adaptive
strategy.
• Do use examples from throughout the course material provided. I want to see that
you’ve read the material and that you can pick out some of the key developments in
hominid evolution that were related to cultural adaptations.
• Explain your examples. Don’t just say “This is an example of culture influencing
evolution” – tell me why how this fits with the topic; tell me what changed because of
this cultural behaviour.
• Do not confuse “cultural evolution” with “culture influencing evolution” – they are not
synonymous. Cultural evolution is about how culture changed over time. This essay is
about biocultural evolution - how cultural behaviours resulted in physiological and
iological changes in the hominid line and not just how culture has shifted.
Submit your assignment to the folder designated for each stage.
Short Essay - Stage 1
Course: ANTH-1210-D01 - Human Origins and Antiquity
Total / 5
Overall Score
Content
Level 3
1 point
Level 2
0.5 points
Level 1
0 points
Criterion Score
Content and clarity / 1Introduces essay, clearly defines
keywords/topics, addresses each part of
the assignment
Unclear introduction and/or definitions,
addresses only part of the assignment
Does not address the components of the
assignment, does not define
keywords/ideas
Organization/References
Level 3
2 points
Level 2.5
1.5 points
Level 2
1 point
Level 1.5
0.5 points
Level 1
0 points
Criterion Score
Organization and editing / 2
References and format / 2
Main ideas are clear and
presented in a logical order.
Free of spelling, punctuation
and grammatical e
ors
Main ideas are presented but
need more focus/clarity.
Contains some e
ors in
editing/proofing
Organization is lacking. Main
ideas are unclear or absent.
Contains many e
ors in
mechanic
Follows all guidelines fo
formatting, length and
eferencing
Follows some, but not all, of
the guidelines for formatting
and referencing
Does not follow guidelines
for formatting and
eferencing
Level 3
4 points minimum
Level 2
2 points minimum
Level 1
0 points minimum
Short Essay - Stage 2
Course: ANTH-1210-D01 - Human Origins and Antiquity
Total / 13
Overall Score
Criteria
Level 6
6 points
Level 5.5
5.5 points
Level 5
5 points
Level 4.5
4.5 points
Level 4
4 points
Level 3.5
3.5 points
Level 3
3 points
Level 2.5
2.5 points
Level 2
2 points
Level 1.5
1.5 points
Level 1
1 point
Criterion Score
Content / 6Addresses each
component of the
essay question
clearly. Provides
justified examples
of concepts, and
logically explains
links between
concepts and the
examples used to
examine them.
Addresses each
component of the
essay question
clearly. Provides
examples of
concepts but may
not clearly explain
links between
concepts and the
examples used to
examine them.
Addresses some
components of the
essay question
clearly. Provides
examples of
concepts but may
not explain links
etween concepts
and the examples
used to examine
them.
Addresses some
components of the
essay question
clearly. Provides
examples without
explanation o
justifying thei
connection to the
concept.
Does not address
the components of
the assignment.
Provides examples
without
explanation o
justifying thei
connection to the
concept.
Does not address
the components of
the assignment.
Does not provide
appropriate
examples.
Clarity
Level 5
5 points
Level 4.5
4.5 points
Level 4
4 points
Level 3.5
3.5 points
Level 3
3 points
Level 2.5
2.5 points
Level 2
2 points
Level 1.5
1.5 points
Level 1
1 point
Criterion Score
New Criterion / 5Writing is clear and
concise. Sentences are
clear, structured and
focused. Sentences are
varied in kind, length
and effect. Well
organized
paragraphing. Word
choices are
appropriate, accurate,
precise and clear.
Writing is clear and
concise. Sentences are
clear, structured and
focused. Transitions
etween paragraphs
may need to be
smoother. Word choice
is imprecise or unclear.
Some sentences may
e wordy, rambling o
awkward. Sentence
length may be too long
or too short, or not
enough variation.
Transitions between
paragraphs may need
to be smoother. Word
choice is imprecise o
unclear.
Many sentences are
wordy, rambling o
awkward. Sentence
length may be too long
or too short, or not
enough variation.
A
upt transitions
etween ideas and/o
etween paragraphs.
Difficult for reader to
understand in terms of
word choice, sentence
structure, a
upt
transitions between
ideas and/or between
paragraphs.
Criteria
Level 3
2 points
Level 2
1.5 points
Level 1
1 point
Criterion Score
Editing/format / 2Follows all guidelines for formatting, length and
eferencing. Free of spelling, punctuation and
grammatical e
ors
Follows some, but not all, of the guidelines fo
formatting, length and referencing. Contains some
e
ors in mechanics: inco
ect spelling, inconsistent
or inaccurate punctuation, inco
ect gramma
Does not follow guidelines for formatting, length
and referencing. Contains many e
ors in
mechanics: consistently inco
ect spelling,
inconsistent or inaccurate punctuation, inco
ect
gramma
Level 4
11 points minimum
Level 3
8 points minimum
Level 2
5 points minimum
Level 1
2 points minimum