inductive and deductive reasoning inductive going from many individual facts to an explanation deductive from general to particular steps in scientific method define question choose problem develop hypothesis devise ways to test collect data test hypothesis reject revise retest cid 127 measurable deals with observable phenomena testable must be able to devise tests that are capable of disproving a hypothesis results must be repeatable by independent observers scientists self correcting 3 levels of theory in archaeology low level theory identifying material remains from an archaeological site cid 127 middle level theory interprets past human behavior high level theory seeks to explain patterns why is it important to survey how do archeologists determine where to dig what techniques are used site visibility desert easy to see many sites due to little ground cover shovel testing digging shallow systematic pits plow zone archaeology walking through fields after tilling non invasive techniques aerial photography and remote sensing remote sensing geophysical techniques used to detect subsurface features proton magnetometer anomalies in magnetic field soil resistivity electrical resistance ground penetrating radar GPR detects buried features benefits of non invasive archaeology reduce project s cost works in many places not useful in areas with high background noise can see linkages between features without disturbing the site low level theory necessary to make observations measurements and interpretations of artifacts ecofacts and features cid 127 middle level theory seeks to connect material record to past human behavior high level theory general overarching theory processual paradigm uses evolutionary and ecological generalizations formulates testable hypothesis post processual paradigm culture as an abstract force separate from biological relationships plow zone upper portion of a soil profile that has been disturbed by repeated plowing or other agricultural activity geographic information system computer program for storing retrieving analyzing and visually displaying cartographic information georeference to locate data in physical space landscape archaeology created by humans studies ancient human interaction with and modification of the environment cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127 cid 127