Presenting the Past

Using the right media, archaeologists can and must educate and excite the people who need their information. Larry Zimmerman’s earnest guide to reporting archaeological findings argues that communication is one of archaeology’s primary tasks. He offers advice on working with colleagues, identifying audiences and creating dynamic, jargon-free prose. He offers easy pointers for developing and writing effective CRM reports, conference papers and articles in general-interest magazines. Students should benefit from Zimmerman’s frank advice about citations and style, as well as his discussion of diverse audiences. Practicing archaeologists should also learn much from the discussion of electronic media and new ways to reach non-academic audiences.