Anthropology

Sustainability

Anthropology 1L
Biological Anthropology Lab

Anthropology 2 Cultural Anthropology

Anthropology 19G
Surviving the Future: The (Re)emergence of Sustainable Cultures

Why You Couldn't Get Into a Class

Anthropology 1

Introduction to Anthropology: Biological

Overview | Objectives | Learning Strategies | Expectations | Grading | Make-Up Work and Extra Credit | Quizzes | Exams | Essay Exams | Final Project | Schedule | Lecture Slides: Password Protected

Introduction to Anthropology: Biological

ANTHR1 Section 62726, Fall 2009 M 6:00 – 9:05 pm, Room 431
Instructor: Michelle Y. Merrill           Office: Room 429C
Office Hours: M 4:30 - 5:50pm in 429C and 9:05 - 9:15pm in 431 or 429C
Tu 5:30 - 6:30 pm in 429C Th noon - 12:15 pm and 5:30 - 6:15pm 429C
F 12:05-12:30pm in 431 or 429C & other times by appointment
Contact Info

Printer-Friendly Syllabus (as PDF)

COURSE OVERVIEW

Biological Anthropology is the study of humans as biological organisms: our biological diversity, our evolutionary relationships to other organisms, and our origins. The study of living primates, human variation, and the fossils of human ancestors and related species is a lively endeavor, with new discoveries frequently sparking debates over novel hypotheses about the evolution of our species.  Controversy and intrigue season the history of this fascinating discipline. 

The material in this course is divided into three parts. Part I covers the basics of evolution and natural selection, as well as the fundamental genetics necessary for understanding the mechanisms of inheritance. Part II introduces our closest living relatives, the primates, and presents an evolutionary framework for the study of ecology and social behavior in humans and other animals. Part III covers the hard evidence of primate and human evolution (the fossils and artifacts that record the history of our species), and reviews the extent and origins of modern human diversity. Each section of the course contributes to an overall understanding of human biology, human origins, and the process of evolution.

Like any introduction to a natural science, this course can be very challenging for some students. There is a lot of new vocabulary to absorb. Grasping important concepts and recalling key information may seem difficult. However, I believe that each of you can be a successful student in this course.

To succeed, you must keep up with the readings and study at home, ask clarifying questions when you are confused by material in the readings and lecture, listen carefully, participate in class, and exercise your critical thinking skills.  While it is not my role to make the class easy for you, it is my responsibility and my privilege to help you rise to the challenges that the class may present, and to enjoy the journey of discovery you will share with your classmates.  I cannot guarantee you will come to love this field as much as I do, but I assure you that what you learn in this class will provide you with an important framework for looking at your fellow humans, how we came to be the way we are, and how we fit into the natural world.

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Course Objectives

Like Cabrillo College itself, this course seeks to honor the core values of “academic freedom, critical and independent thinking, and respect for all people and cultures.”  In upholding these values, we will explore the basics of Biological Anthropology as a discipline.  Specifically, students will learn to:

1. apply the basic theories of evolution and evolutionary processes
2. accurately employ the terms and theories used in Mendelian genetics
3. identify the major divisions in primate evolutionary, taxonomic, locomotor, behavioral, ecological and social variation
4. present the differences and similarities between human and non-human primates
5. explain how studies of modern primates can illuminate our understanding of human evolution
6. describe the fossil evidence for primate evolution, especially human evolution, and identify key fossil species
7. assess important techniques and technology used in the study of fossils
8. critique contrasting models of human evolution
9. explain modern human variation and its relevance to culture and social conditions

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Learning Strategies

Class Discussion and Lectures

Preparing for and participating in class discussions are keys to success in this class (and in most college classes). I prefer to make class interactive when possible. I urge you to do the readings for the week and review your notes from the previous lecture before coming to class. Ask questions in class, via email, on Blackboard or during office hours about anything that is unclear!

Common Courtesy and Common Sense

Students frequently discover that not everyone shares their personal beliefs, experiences, and convictions. Respect for many points of view is required in this class. Disagreements are healthy and help us to learn, and in fact are essential to the process of science, but students must maintain a respectful attitude and courteous conversation at all times. My goal as an instructor is not to convince you to hold a particular opinion on controversial issues, but to encourage you to think critically and with an open mind about the facts, evidence, ideas and theories presented in class.

Classroom etiquette regarding portable electronic devices is not unlike takeoff and landing on an airplane – they should be turned off and stowed away.  Cell phones and pagers should be OFF at all times (an exception may be made for caretakers who can keep their phones/pagers on vibrate for emergency situations, provided the instructor is notified ahead of time).  You should have nothing in your ears other than hearing aid devices if needed. 

You may use a recorder for lectures, as long as it is unobtrusive (though in my experience, paying attention and taking notes during lecture is more useful).  Calculators, PDAs, and laptop computers are permitted during lectures provided they aren’t making much noise; such devices are neither needed nor permitted during exams.

Other behavioral norms are expected to minimize classroom disruptions and avoid disturbing your fellow students. Arrive on time for class. Do not begin packing your things and preparing to leave until the instructor has indicated class is actually finished. Do not interrupt the instructor or your classmates while they are speaking, but by all means DO raise your hand when you have a question or comment. Basically, use a little common sense, try to imagine what is likely to annoy your instructor or your classmates, and then avoid doing those things if you wish to remain in class.

Using Website and Blackboard

While this is a traditional “lecture” class, we will be using web resources and Blackboard (some call this “blended learning”). There are three main goals motivating this requirement: 1. to allow you to develop and practice your skills online (as a crucial aspect of professional development for most jobs requiring a college degree), 2. to provide a venue for sharing learning experiences with classmates outside of the limited time of lectures, and 3. to maximize the learning experience during lectures, by providing more time for face-to-face interaction with the instructor and your classmates. (Trust me, Blackboard does not save me a whole lot of time as an instructor – it’s definitely not for my benefit.)

I have used Blackboard, WebCT and Moodle for previous classes, but this will be the first semester where I will be using it for quizzes and exams, and making more use of its interactive features. Please do review the student tutorials available on your “My Blackboard” page (in the bookmark list to the right). Please be patient if there are glitches – just let me know right away if you encounter problems once you are logged onto the Blackboard site.

You can access Blackboard from the Cabrillo homepage or here . I may continue to use my standard website for posting some non-interactive materials – be sure to check here also.

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Grading

I believe that the grade a student receives should accurately reflect their comprehension of the material and their completion of course objectives.  While I would be overjoyed if this meant that all of you would receive “A” grades, and would be happy to award them if you genuinely demonstrated you deserve them, I suspect that there will be a range of grades in this course that will reflect the efforts of each individual student.  Some of you may fail, but I will have given you opportunities to succeed if you are willing to take responsibility and put in genuine effort.  It is your responsibility as a college student to talk with me about options or strategies for improving your performance in the course.

Your grade will be based on your performance on quizzes, mid-term objective and essay tests, a final project and a final exam (see descriptions below). I do not wish to stack the deck against those who have test anxiety or weak writing skills.  Therefore, your mid-terms will be weighted toward whichever portion of the exam (objective or take-home essay) was your best performance for that section.  For instance, if your objective mid-term for Part I was 80%, but your essay score for Part I was 60%, you would get 12 points (80% of 15) on the objective and 6 points (60% of 10) on the essay for a total of 19 points (out of a possible 25).  Similarly, if your in-class (finals week) final was 60% and your final project scored 95%, you would receive 6 points on the in-class final and 19 points on the project for a total of 25 points (out of 30).  Grades on course components will be calculated as follows:

100-90 points = A
89-80 points = B
79-70 points = C
69-60 points = D
59-0 points = F

Note that my approach to grading is not managed well by Blackboard (do not take the Blackboard “My Grades” total as accurate). Contact me if you want to verify your progress in the class.

Course grades may be reduced by one letter grade for each four tardies, each three early departures or major disruptions, and/or each two absences (e.g. If you are late 5 times, are disruptive 5 times and are absent twice, you could be dropped 3 whole letter grades).

Academic Honesty

Cheating on any class work or test, including plagiarizing on essays or projects, is grounds for an immediate failing grade in the class.  Plagiarism is simply defined as presenting someone else’s writing or ideas as if they were your own.  To learn about what plagiarism means and how to avoid it, please see the description at: http://www.cabrillo.edu/~sholt/MITPlagiarism.pdf or http://www.plagiarism.org/learning_center/what_is_plagiarism.html and review the links provided by the Cabrillo College Library at http://libwww.cabrillo.edu/depts/libraryinstruction.html. 

Make-up and extra credit work, in the form of outside reading and essays or other projects, may be available provided the student requests it no later than November 23rd. Extra credit essay questions about hominins will also be provided.  All extra credit work must be received by the start of class on November 30th. The assignments and their value are entirely up to the discretion of the instructor (whiners will receive less credit).  If you have had difficulty on a test, I recommend you meet with me immediately after the essay portion has been graded to discuss extra-credit options.

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Quizzes and Participation

There will be a quiz based on the reading assignment nearly every week. Any changes to the reading assignment for a given day will be posted here at least one week ahead. Any online quizzes will be available for at least five days – these are of course “open book” quizzes, and will usually consist of only a few short questions. There may also be in-class “pop” quizzes of one or two questions. While you are not directly graded on attendance, please bear in mind that quizzes and participation account for one-fifth of your class grade (this includes both in-class and online activities). In-class quizzes are unannounced, and usually begin right at the scheduled beginning of class time. They are based on the readings that are due by that date. You get at least half-credit on each quiz simply for taking it, and additional credit for correct answers. There are no make-ups on pop quizzes, so it is essential that you arrive on-time and keep up with the reading for every class.

You will also be expected to participate in online discussions and class activities. Failure to participate in these will be noted and result in lost participation points.

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Objective Mid-Term Tests and Final Exam

The objective portion of the mid-term tests will be a mix of matching, true/false, multiple-choice, short answer, fill-in and definition questions. They will focus on the material covered in the most recent part of the course (including information presented in lecture, readings, and movies).  However, some questions may require you to apply concepts and use vocabulary learned in earlier course sections.

The final exam will be similarly structured.  It will emphasize the last section of the course, but will also cover the important concepts from all four sections of the class.

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Mid-Term Essay Tests

You will also receive a set of essay questions based on the most recent part of the course. Short essays in response to those questions must be written independently by each student, but you will have access to your book and any other research material you wish. Direct quotes or copying are not allowed. Plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the essays, and may result in a failing grade for the class (see above). The essays will be due by the start of class on the due date: I will not accept late essay exams.

Midterm 1 Essay Questions from Spring 09

Midterm 2 Essay Questions from Spring 09

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Final Project

Final projects may be paintings, poems, presentations, sculptures, songs, stories, websites or any other appropriate expression of some facet of Biological Anthropology that you find interesting.  Team projects are possible: you will be required to discuss this with the instructor and submit peer evaluations for team participation. 

You will submit a brief description (1-5 sentences, including the medium and the anthropological theme) of your planned work a few weeks before the final project itself is due. 

Projects will be graded based on the effort and quality of the work, plus the relevance and understanding of the anthropological concept expressed.  Direct quotes or copying are not allowed (see above). You will also submit a cover sheet with an abstract and references.  Due dates will be announced in class and posted on the course website. Late projects will loose one letter grade for each day they are late.

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Tentative Course Schedule

Please note that these dates and assignments are subject to change.  Changes will be announced in class and posted on the course website.  It is your responsibility to make sure you are aware of any revisions. 

Readings and online quizzes should be completed before arriving in class on the date listed, so you are prepared for any in-class quizzes or discussion. In-class quizzes are not pre-scheduled, and may happen at any time; they may include information on the chapter assigned for that date and any previous chapters.

The textbook Essentials of Physical Anthropology by Jurmain et al. is optional. I do recommend this or any other introductory textbook in biological/physical anthropology, particularly if you have had difficulties with biology courses in the past, or have not had a class that covered basic (Mendelian) genetics and evolutionary concepts recently.

Required readings are from:

Annual Editions: Physical Anthropology 09/10. (2009) Elvio Angeloni (editor), McGraw Hill, Boston

My gratitude to Kristin Wilson and Jim Funaro for their contributions to and assistance in preparing earlier versions of this syllabus.

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