Comparative Civilisations

Research Project

Research Report & Presentation

The Museum of Anthropology at UBC is interested in creating an exhibit titled Ancient
Civilisations. They would like your expert opinion on what to present!
Students will work individually to research this topic with attention to one of the Civilisations
that we have not covered in depth in this course. Only one cultural group can be chosen (see list
below).

Students must:
- Choose a cultural group
- Prepare a research report on chosen people
- Prepare a topic proposal to present before
representatives of the MOA

Research Report Format:

o Title Page: researcher name, date, class.
o Introduction: Who belongs to this cultural group? Where are they from? When did it
appear in recorded history? What have they contributed to modern society? How do they
compare with other ancient cultures?
o Overview and Analysis: A detailed overview of the social structure, culture, political
system, economy, technology, and military of the selected cultural group.
o Proposal: Why does this cultural group deserve attention? Why does it deserve the
attention of the wider Canadian public?
o Conclusion: reflect back on your research; summarise everything covered.
o Visuals: relevant pictures, diagrams, maps, and/or charts/graphs throughout report.
o Bibliography: If you rely on any sources of information, be sure to list it in the following
format: Author, Title of Source, Year of Publication.

Criteria for Presentation (topic proposal):

o Design: business name, logo, dress the part, and visuals
o Visuals: pictures, PowerPoint and/or posters, models, maps, charts/graphs, video, etc.
o Proposal: Why does this cultural group deserve to be displayed in a museum? Why does
it deserve the attention of the wider Canadian public?
o Background: Who belongs to this cultural group? Where are they from? When did it
appear in recorded history? What have they contributed to modern society? How do they
compare with other ancient cultures?
o Overview: A general overview of the life of the selected cultural group.
o Conclusion: Summarise main points of proposal
o Performance: Delivery of speech, eye contact, facing audience, volume, enthusiasm, etc.

Choice Topics:

Feudal Japan
Ancient Persia
The Byzantine Empire
The Ottoman Empire
The Meso-American cultures of the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas.
The Vikings
The Emperors of China

Inquiry Project Rubrics

A. Research Report
Needs Work
(0)
Title Page

Missing all
required
elements and
lacks quality.

Introduction

Insufficient
writing on
background of
cultural group.
Report lacks
depth of
research.

Quality of
Information

Overview and
Analysis

Proposal &
Conclusion

Visuals

Insufficient
writing on
analysis of
cultural group.
Insufficient
writing on
projection and
conclusion.
One or less
photo, chart,
diagrams, graph,
etc.

Minimal
Expectations
(2)
Missing any of
the required
elements.

Meeting
Expectations
(4)
Missing one of
the required
elements.

Background on
cultural group
lacks details.

Somewhat
explains the
background of
cultural group.
Report goes
into some depth
based on
research.
Provides a
satisfactory
analysis of
cultural.
Somewhat
realistic and
reflects on your
research and
report.
Three of the
following:
photos, charts,
diagrams,
graphs, etc.

Report is
superficially
based on
research.
Provides a
superficial
analysis of
cultural group.
Unrealistic
and/or minimal
reflection
evident.
Two of the
following:
photos, charts,
diagrams,
graphs, etc.

Exceeding
Expectation
(6)
Includes all
required
elements and is
of superior
quality.
Fully explains
the background
of cultural
group.
Report goes
into a lot of
depth based on
research.
Provides an indepth analysis
of cultural
group.
Realistic and
fully reflects on
your research
and report.
More than four
of the
following:
photos, charts,
diagrams,
graphs, etc.
TOTAL: ___ /36

B. Promotion Presentation:
Needs Work
(0)

Delivery

Eye Contact

Volume

Introduction
& Proposal

Information
of Overview

Conclusion

Visuals

Minimal
Expectations
(1)
Delivery needs
Presenter
work.
rushes and
lacks
enthusiasm;
needs to speak
more clearly.
Presenter mainly Presenter lacks
faces board and
posture and
does not have any avoids eye
eye contact with
contact.
audience.
Presenter cannot Presenter
be heard at all.
cannot be
heard easily.
Presentation is
Presentation is
lacking in a
lacking in some
majority of the
of the areas
areas required.
required.
Presentation
Presentation is
lacks depth of
superficially
research.
based on
research.
Presentation is
Presentation is
missing the
missing
highlights of the
highlights from
key ideas and
presentation
fails to have any
and fails to
conclusion
have a proper
presentation.
conclusion
presentation.
No visuals
A lack of
evident.
visuals such as
pictures, video,
etc.

Meeting
Expectations
(2)
Presenter
somewhat
rushes, lacks
enthusiasm, but
speak clearly.

Exceeding
Expectation
(3)
Presenter
doesnt rush,
shows
enthusiasm,
and speaks
clearly.
Presenter has
Presenter has
okay posture
good posture
and eye contact. and eye contact.

Presenter can
be heard
somewhat.
Presentation
includes all the
required
elements.
Presentation
goes into some
depth based on
research.
Presentation
highlights
mostly all key
ideas mention
and concludes
but not with a
strong final
statement.
Includes some
visuals such as
pictures, videos,
etc.

Presenter can
be heard easily.
Presentation
has a strong
introduction.
Presentation
goes into a lot
of depth based
on research.
Presentation
highlights key
ideas and
concludes with
strong final
statement.

Includes a lot of
visuals such as
models,
pictures, videos,
etc.
TOTAL: ___ /21