Mark Hall sent this link to the ArchTheoMeth list.  I found the
implications of this discussion somewhat disturbing.  I think everyone
on Histarch might read this with equal disquiet.  In the first article,
Tom Howell (presumably a student reporter) discussed Paul Shackel's
research at New Philadelphia.  In the second, which was presumably a
letter to the editor about that article, Juliet K. Walker takes issue
with Paul's work.  Much in the letter confused me, since Dr. Walker's
comments seem to attribute several of Howell's phrases to Paul.
Indeed, I consider several of Paul's comments to be standard rhetorical
tools for archaeologists interacting with the popular media (i.e.
rediscovering).  At the same time, Dr. Walker seems to have read Paul's
NSF proposal text.  I'm not posting this to Histarch to embarrass Paul,
although I hope he might comment, but rather because I see such clear
parallels to my work with Mormon communities and so many other
situations we historical archaeologists regularly encounter.
Howell's first article:
http://www.inform.umd.edu/News/Diamondback/archives/2004/09/09/
news5.html
Dr. Walker's reply:
http://www.inform.umd.edu/News/Diamondback/archives/2004/09/14/
commentary6.html

With regards,
Tim Scarlett


Begin forwarded message:

> From: "mhall940" <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: September 22, 2004 12:16:08 PM EDT
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [ArchTheoMeth] Plagarism or just a tempest in a teapot?
> Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Sep 14, 2004
> Juliet E. K. Walker
> Digging deep in search of truth
>
> In the Sept. 9 article "Digging down deep" on university
> archaeologist Paul Shackel, I was quite disturbed by the professor's
> claim that he is "rediscovering" a town and a black historical figure
> based on "research that began two years ago." What disturbed me is
> that Shackel's presentation, as an example of his research, is in
> actuality based on information readily available from primary
> sources, which provide this specific information and are cited in my
> carefully researched and documented book, Free Frank: A Black Pioneer
> on the Antebellum Frontier. Indeed, the book is based on my
> University of Chicago doctoral dissertation, "Free Frank and New
> Philadelphia: Slave and Freedman, Frontiersman and Town Founder,"
> under the direction of John Hope Franklin. Both book and dissertation
> include copies of primary source documents from archival holdings, as
> well as the original maps, New Philadelphia town plat, census
> information on the occupational distribution of the townspeople,
> their geographic origin and oral history sources from Free Frank's
> family members.
>
> rest at
> http://www.inform.umd.edu/News/Diamondback/archives/2004/09/14/comment
> ary6.html
>