ASB 301 MODULE 2 ASSIGNMENT 1: You Be the Bioarcheologist

Introduction to ASB 301 Module 2 Assignment 1

This How-To ASB 301 Guide aims to assist students in developing research questions and hypotheses from bioarcheological data. As part of the ASB 301 Module 2 Assignment 1, You, the Bioarcheologist, will take on the role of a bioarcheologist and use evidence from the Berkchister data to investigate historical health trends in Britain. The goal is to systematically test the evidence against various explanations while gaining insight into health dynamics.

Hypothesis #1

We will begin ASB 301 Module 2 Assignment 1: You Be the Bioarcheologist. After the analysis, form the first hypothesis.

• Identifying Evidence: Find indicators of changes in health outcomes over time in Berkchister data. Write this evidence out in a sentence.
• Formulating Research Question: Formulate a question about how changes in health outcomes are affected by factors such as social conditions, environment, and population demographics.
• Crafting Hypothesis: With the evidence available, hypothesize a specific direction of the relationship. Do not form a null hypothesis.

Example

Evidence Identified

When the Berkchister data are examined, there is evidence of a dramatic increase in signs of malnutrition through the prevalence of rickets. Results show a shift from 0% in Mesolithic samples (Level VI) to 12% Neolithic samples (Level IV).

Research Question Formulated

How does rickets increase through time from Level VI to Level IV correlate to dietary changes by agricultural activities?

Hypothesis Crafted

The shift from a hunter gatherer to an agricultural way of life accompanied by a decrease in dietary diversity and increase in dietary dependence on crop based diets also contributed to increased incidence of vitamin D deficiency and consequent rise in occurrence of rickets from Level VI to Level IV.

Hypothesis #2

Next, we will craft the second hypothesis as we did for Hypothesis 01.

• Identifying Evidence: Find another data set depicting the health changes. Explicit yourself in your documentation.
• Formulating Research Question: Develop another research question that explores the relationship between external factors and health changes in more detail.
• Crafting Hypothesis: Write down a hypothesis of the expected relationship in a direction.

Example

Evidence Identified

A rise in evidence of respiratory diseases is revealed by analysis, increasing from 0% incidence in the Mesolithic samples (Level VI) to 3.5% in the Bronze Age ones (Level III).

Research Question Formulated

What is the relationship between the rise in respiratory diseases from Level VI to Level III and changes in living conditions (increased indoor smoke exposure from new heating and cooking methods)?

Hypothesis Crafted

Increased indoor smoke exposure may have been a factor when communities made the transition from hunting and gathering to settled living with enclosed dwellings and fire based heating and cooking systems between the Mesolithic and Bronze Age, and with it, respiratory diseases may have increased.

Part II: Summary Report

• Analyzing Trends in Health: Give an overview of the trends gathered from the Berkchister Parish site.
• Examine whether health has improved, deteriorated, or not changed.
• Discussing Contributory Factors: Analyze social, environmental, cultural, or demographic factors that may have influenced those health trends.
• Cite your reading from the module accordingly.

Example

Summary

Analysis of the Berkchister Parish data suggests that, over time there was a general decline in general health standards in terms of the change from hunting and gathering to more settled agricultural societies. It is clear that diseases consistent with changes in diet (rickets) and living conditions (respiratory diseases) each increased markedly.

The agricultural shift has resulted in major dietary changes including decreased dietary diversity and increasing reliance on staple crops that are often lacking in the requisite nutrients leading to malnutrition and conditions such as rickets. At the same time the adoption of new heating and cooking technologies in more enclosed living environments probably increased the exposure to indoor smoke which aggravated respiratory conditions. The broader historical context of these health trends are supplied by the agricultural and dietary practices as well as sedentary lifestyles mentioned as a key factor for increased disease prevalence resulting from these environmental changes discussed in “Roberts and Cox (2007).”

This summary demonstrates the intricate interrelationship between cultural evolution, environmental modifications and health outcomes, and shows how bioarcheological research can disentangle these intricate associations. This assignment also helps students learn how historical shifts in lifestyle can affect health, and the need to use several types of data and to develop coherent hypotheses in bioarcheological studies.

Instructional Tips

• Ensure that you know what the whole assignment is about before you start.
• Watch the videos and read the materials on introductory and data presentation topics.
• Review relevant literature that you should be familiar with to understand the historical context.
• Review research design principles to strengthen your analysis.
• Make sure you review and complete your assignment before submitting it.

Closing

In ASB 301 Module 2 Assignment 1, you will be the Bioarcheologist and will complete a bioarchaeological research project in which you will have to integrate historical data with theoretical frameworks to form hypotheses that the bioarchaeological data can then inform to see if there is evidence of past health trends. By following this How To Owlisdom Guide, you will refine your analytical skills and gain deep insights into the historical factors that play a role in health.