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Download: HRAF Jeoparody .PPT  | Note to Instructors & Categories

Note to Instructors

HRAF Jeoparody is an interactive class activity based on the Human Relations Area Files and the eHRAF Databases. The game runs in a fun, animated PowerPoint format complete with sound effects, transitions, and a “Final Jeoparody” round.

The knowledge required to answer the questions comes from a variety of sources. Some of the questions are general anthropology trivia, while the majority combine anthropological or cross-cultural topics with facts about HRAF or the eHRAF Databases.

Note: This game is not endorsed by, or affiliated in any way with, the TV game show, “Jeopardy!”. It is a parody game.

Gameplay

For introductory classes, it is recommended that students are encouraged to search eHRAF World Cultures or the HRAF homepage for answers “open-book” style during the game. Historical information about HRAF can be studied in advance at the links provided below for Category 1.

Instructors can start the timer manually at the bottom of each question slide after they have completed reading the prompt to the class. There are also a series of sound effects to click on at the bottom right-hand side of each question slide in response to correct or incorrect answers from the class. For online classes, students connecting via Zoom or another video-conferencing platform can be encouraged to type their answers in the chat box to facilitate synchronous gameplay.

True to the original Jeopardy TV show, the “answers” are the prompt, and player responses should come in the form of a question!

How to Use It

To play, download the file and open it in PowerPoint. Start the presentation from the first slide. Use the left or right arrows on your keyboard to scan through and announce the category titles until you arrive at the game board. Then, click on the requested dollar amounts to reveal the question prompt. To allow students enough time to answer, after reading the prompt, click on the timer button at the bottom of the slide to begin the response countdown.

Click again on the prompt text, or on “go to response” in the bottom right, to show the correct answer. Click on the home icon in the bottom center of the slide to return to the main board to continue playing. After all the categories have been completed, click on “Final Jeoparody” beneath the game board to enter the final round.

Technical Requirements

The game presents best on Windows or Mac running a version of PowerPoint 8 or higher. It is not optimized for Google Slides, Open Office, or Keynote. For online teaching via video conferencing platforms, instructors may share the screen in Presenter mode to host the game. Be sure to enable any video-conferencing or distance-learning platform to “push sound” to the audience in order to make use of the sound effects board at the bottom of the screen.

Categories and suggested study materials

Category 1: HRAF History

This category focuses on the history of the Human Relations Area Files at Yale University as an organization, and the development of the HRAF files that would later become the eHRAF Databases. The historical information needed to answer these questions can be found in the following HRAF materials:

• Timeline
• About HRAF – History and Development
• HRAF Choice podcast series

Category 2: It’s Classified

Questions about the subject, culture, and tradition classification and indexing systems that structure eHRAF. Some questions require naming the OCM subject and identifier code that matches the clue. Refer to the Browse Subjects tab in eHRAF World Cultures to find and explore descriptions of all the subjects. This category lends itself to “open-book” style exploration during the game.

Category 3: Notable Quotes

This category presents classic ethnographic quotations depicting a famous fieldwork description or theoretical idea. Responses may give the anthropologist who authored to quotation, and/or the name of the monograph where the quotation can be found. The level of detail required for a response is at the discretion of the instructor. Students may be encouraged to search for the exact quotation or parts of it in eHRAF during the game; for example, utilizing keywords in Advanced Search, or by Browsing Documents to find the full title quickly if they are already able to identify the author, region, or other “clues” on their own. For online classes, students can use the “Cite” button to paste the correct citation into a chat box during the game.

Category 4: Who, What, Where?

This category asks students to identify the name of a culture (ethnonym), its location, subsistence type, or other characteristics. Questions may also refer more generally to practice belonging to a cultural group or part of the world, such as Melanesia or Central America. Culture Summaries are one of the fastest places to locate an overview of individual cultures in eHRAF. Using Browse Cultures, students can jump to the culture they believe it is by entering the culture name in the A-Z index, or using the regional breakdown to narrow down their guesses.

Category 5: Sample Sampler

eHRAF World Cultures and eHRAF Archaeology contain several samples used by cross-cultural researchers to test hypotheses. Name the sample or sample type by its description or vice versa. Students can learn more about conducting cross-cultural research in Introducing Cross-Cultural Research.

Category 6: Anthro Potpourri

This category contains a mixed bag of general knowledge questions about all aspects of anthropology. The correct responses are not necessarily found in any specific place in eHRAF.

Final Jeopardy: Who said it?

Which anthropologist made this statement, and what were they describing?