Exams

~ sample midterm exam on-line:
MA-mid-f2008.doc
MA-mid-f2008.rtf

~ sample final exam on-line:
MA-final-f2008.doc
MA-mid-f2008.rtf

~ Sample Exam Questions

     ~ optional take-home question

Grading

Criteria for Grading College Papers

General Information

Exam Times
     ~ midsemester
     ~ final

Makeup Exams

Check your grade on the web at eGradebook

Use "The Curve" to figure out your letter grade

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Midsemester Examination

• The f2009 Midterm Exam will be on Thursday, 22 October 2009, 2:00 - 3:15 p.m., from now
  
  
  • 4 questions from a choice of 7
    
    
    • optional take-home question
      
      
  • sample midterm exam on-line
    • MA-mid-f2008.doc
    • MA-mid-f2008.rtf
      
      
  • (up to 400 points = 33.3% of the final grade)
    
    
  • This will be an open-book exam
    
    
    • You may bring and use your texts, dictionary, thesaurus, a writing handbook, class handouts, notes, outlines, drafts, and memos
      
      
    • You may also use references and materials from your other classes, with the caveat, of course, that you properly cite any sources you use
      
      
    • You may bring and use your laptop
      
      
      • the exam will be available in the "General Purpose Course Folder" in your WebDrop folder in both .doc and .rtf formats
        <https://webdrop.d.umn.edu>
      • but you must upload your exam to your WebDrop folder at the end of the exam period
        
      • REM: Be sure to have your batteries charged
        
        
      • Please be prepared to upload the entire exam as one file, if you can, including the optional take-home question if you choose to do that question
        
        
      • NOTE: It does not work simply to type in the .rtf extension on an existing .wps file. You must load the original document and then resave it as a .rtf file type
        • see detailed information on the WebDrop information page
      
      
      
  • The exam will cover materials up to and including Day (01) of Week 07: text materials, in-class videos, lectures, and E-mails. That includes Chs. 01 - 05 from Mexico, and Chs. 01 - 03 and Ch. 09 from The Maya
    
    
    • Topics include:
      
      
      • Mesoamerica: The Area and the People
        
        
        • including Rural-Urban Patterns in Central Highland Mexico
          
          
      • Basic Terms and Concepts in American Archaeology
        
        
        • Kirchhoff handout (just know what this is about)
        • stages handout
        • Time Line and Stages (Periods)
          
          
      • The Lithic, or Early Hunters Stage
        
        
        • Class Slides -- The Lithic Stage
          
          
      • The Archaic, or Incipient Agriculturalists, including Tehuacán
        
        
        • Class Slides -- The Archaic Stage
        • Tehuacán handout
          
          
      • The Preclassic Period
        
        
        • Class Slides
          • Introduction to the Preclassic
          • Late Preclassic
          • Middle Preclassic
          • Early Preclassic
            
            
      • Video and AV materials from class
        
        
      • Major class-related materials that you may have received on E-mail may be included on the exam

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Final Examination

• The f2009 Final Exam will be on Monday, 21 December, 8:00 - 9:55 a.m. in Cina 214, from now
  
  
• 40%
  
  
  • You will have the choice of 6 of 13 questions
    
    
    • take-home exam question
      
      
      
• This will be an open-book exam
  
  
  • You may bring and use your texts, dictionary, thesaurus, a writing handbook, class handouts, notes, outlines, drafts, and memos
    
    
  • You may also use references and materials from your other classes, with the caveat, of course, that you properly cite any sources you use
    
    
  • You may bring and use your laptop
    
    
    • the exam will be available in the "General Purpose Course Folder" in your WebDrop folder in both .doc and .rtf formats
      <https://webdrop.d.umn.edu>
    • but you must upload your exam to your WebDrop folder at the end of the exam period
      
    • REM: Be sure to have your batteries charged
      
      
    • Please be prepared to upload the entire exam as one file, if you can, including the optional take-home question if you choose to do that question
      
      
    • NOTE: It does not work simply to type in the .rtf extension on an existing .wps file. You must load the original document and then resave it as a .rtf file type
      • see detailed information on the WebDrop information page
    
    
    
  • The final exam will cover materials from the entire semester, i.e. it will be cumulative, but with emphasis on the materials covered since the midsemester exam. Focus on the textbooks, in-class videos / movies, and lectures
    
    
  • Major class-related materials that you may have received on E-mail may be included on the exam

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You may have the entire class period for the exam.
Your exam must be turned in or uploaded to your WebDrop file
no later than 5:15 p.m.

This exam is available in electronic form
from the General Purpose Course WebDrop Folder at
<https://webdrop.d.umn.edu>

If you are uploading a file to WebDrop call it something like
your emailname_CE_exam2

do not use the characters "

'

#

:

Upload all four of your questions in one file.
Do not upload them separately in four files.

This is an open-book exam.  You may bring and use your texts, dictionary, thesaurus, a writing handbook, class handouts, notes, outlines, drafts, memos, and a Ouija board.  You may also use references and materials from your other classes and the web, with the caveat, of course, that you properly cite any sources you use.

You may bring and use your laptop but you must upload your exam to your WebDrop folder at the end of the exam period <https://webdrop.d.umn.edu>.  Please upload the entire exam as one file, including the optional take-home question if you choose to do that question.

NOTE:    If you normally generate a .wps file (from the Microsoft Works word processor) please turn in your paper as a .rtf (Rich Text Format) document. ( It does not work simply to type in the .rtf extension on an existing .wps file. You must load the original document and then resave it as a .rtf file type.)

 

Answer FOUR (only 4) [on the midsemester, 6 on the final] of the following 8 [on the midsemester, 13 on the final] questions.

[On the midsemester exam you need to answer only 4 of 13 questions. For the final exam you will need to answer 6 of 18 or 20. One of the questions in each exam can be the optional take-home question.]

Keep in mind that there is more than one approach you can take in answering these questions. Total possible points for each of the questions is 100. Follow these guidelines:

• Organize your answer before you begin.
  
  
• Be sure to state:
  
  
  • What or who something is
  • Where it occurred or is located
  • Why it is important
  • When it occurred
  • How it happened or how it works
    
    
• State YOUR position or approach clearly.
  
  
• Cite specific examples or references to support your statements.
  
  
• Mention problem areas or other relevant materials which you would like to consider further in a more thorough statement.
  
  
• Summarize your argument or discussion.
  
  
• Wherever appropriate use materials from more than one region of the world.
  
  
• Remember that each of your responses should have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
  
  
• Do not discuss any topic at length in more than one question.

 

1. Coe devotes a chapter in Mexico to X. Describe X and its importance in Mesoamerica.

or something like

Ch. X of Mexico discusses "Z" [where Z = items listed in the "Contents" sections of the texts]. Describe Z and discuss its importance in Mesoamerican prehistory and history.

 

2. Discuss the X people (or culture). As part of your answer include some discussion on how they were like, and how they were unlike the Y.
   
   

3. Identify 5 (only 5) of the following things / ideas in three or four sentences each (20 points each):
   • A
   • B
   • C
   • D
   • E
   • F
   • G
   • N
     
     

4. Compare and Contrast any two of the following sites, but do not choose any which you may have discussed in another question:
   • A
   • B
   • C
   • D
   • E
   • F
     
     

5. Compare and contrast any two of the following individuals:
   • A
   • B
   • C
   • D
   • E
   • F
   • G
   • N
     
     

6. It has often been said that modern Mesoamerica can only be understood in terms of its past. A major aspect of the modern day people of Mesoamerica is their X, which has its base in the "high civilizations" of ancient Mesoamerica. These civilizations, they point out, developed independent of cultures in the Old World and were among the most advanced of the world. Discuss X and indicate what you think the relevance of this might be to modern-day Mesoamerica.
   
   

7. Discuss the X Stage as it was manifested in the Mesoamerican culture area. You may include in your answer comparisons with the cultures of North or South America, but do not include materials you might have discussed in another question.
   
   

8. Describe the prehistoric developments from the Preclassic to the Post Classic in one of the following areas. Do not select any site or area you have focused on as part of any other question.
   
   
   • A
   • B
   • C
   • D
   • E
   • F
     
     

9. Discuss the main aspects of modern theory on X in Mesoamerica. Include in your discussion the ideas, mechanism, results, etc., of X as presently understood.
   
   

10. Coe uses the word/term "X." For example, a section of The Maya is called "X." Discuss the concept of "X" as Coe uses it in The Maya and Mexico. Be sure to include examples in your discussion.
    
    
    
11. This last section of Chapter 5 of Mexico ("The Preclassic Period: Early Civilizations") reviews this Stela, and images of it have appeared a couple of times in class.
    
    
    • A. Discuss this discovery and its importance and significance to studies of Prehistoric Mesoamerica.
      
      
    • B. Discuss the importance of this discovery to world archaeology.
      
      

      Photo by STANISLAW IWANISZEWSKI

12. The following discovery was announced last week, and was covered as a feature of the Texas A & M Anthropology in the News WebPage. Assuming everything in the story is true, (A.) how does this discovery relate to the "Early Hunters" discussed by Coe and Koontz in Mexico, and "The Earliest Maya" discussed by Coe in The Maya? (B.) Will this discovery likely change anything in prehistoric Mesoamerican studies?

    [If a question like this is included, an abstract or short version of the article will be provided.]
    
    
    
    

optional take-home question

NOTE: Essentially you may make up ONE question total. You may either do that as a take-home and bring it to class with you, or you may do that in class the day of the exam. If you elect to do the optional take-home exam and bring it with you to class, then you must choose three (3) additional [5 additional on the final] of the remaining questions presented on the actual exam, as they are presented on the exam.

If you have submitted an Extra Credit report or paper, your optional question must be on a topic other than that of your Extra Credit project(s).

13. If you do not like these questions, make up and answer a question of your own choice relating to a topic having to do with Ancient Middle America which you have not considered in your other answers. (If you think these questions are fantastic but simply prefer to make up one of your own, go ahead.) Answers should contain specific information supporting your position. Both your question and your answer will be evaluated.

If you elect to make up and answer a question, you may prepare your question and answer in advance and bring them with you to the exam. If you prepare your question and answer in advance you only need to answer three midterm exam questions [five final exam questions] in class.