Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
it? How it ages? Morphological differences that can hint at ancestry or the distance between
populations (biological distance)? Sex differences? Trauma? Its DNA? Do you prefer juvenile
skeletons to adult ones? Is there a particular bone that is your favorite?
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What about the
teeth? Think about and write down your top three interests with regard to the skeleton.
See
Table 2.4
for example questions. Next take this exercise a step further and ask yourself
if there is a particular time period or area of the world to which you are drawn. Are you inter-
ested in the lifeways of prehistoric or historic people? If so, do you find the prehistory of Peru
particularly attractive? Have you always been enthralled by historic European cultures or
perhaps ancient Egypt? Or maybe you prefer prehistoric North America? Perhaps you are
less drawn by prehistoric or historic questions and instead find yourself more attracted to
applied biomedical or forensic queries. Rank your answers in a hierarchy according to
your preference or curiosity.
Read Articles and Narrow it Down
Once you have made your two lists of interests, you need to start reading some articles that
cover your top three areas of interest on each list. Previous findings essentially provide a road
map for researchers, outlining what is already known and what is still needed to fill in the
blanks
d
this will help you with learning about possible research questions you could ask.
Three or four articles/chapters in each area should be sufficient for this part of the process.
As you're reading, keep track of your response to each article (did you find it engaging/not
as engaging as something else, did it create more questions for you?). In addition to reading,
think about which areas you found most interesting in the classes you've had and are taking
now. What were the specific topics that kept your attention the most and sparked the most
questions for you? This will help you determine which of the areas on each of your lists
you find the most engaging. At this point
d
congratulations! You have at least narrowed
down the broad area in which you wish to focus your research. It is
absolutely imperative
that you find whatever topic you decide on to be exciting
d
so choose carefully. You will be
spending a lot of time working on each aspect of the project and if you are not passionate
TABLE 2.4 What Do You Find Most Interesting About the Skeleton?
Bones on a cellular level?
Trauma?
Its growth and development?
Chemical signatures locked inside?
Evidence of health/disease?
Cranial/postcranial morphology?
Agents of postmortem change?
Juvenile or adult remains?
Its DNA?
The biological profile?
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The first author's is the sphenoid, in case anyone wants to know.
