Anthropology 300 – Physical Anthropology

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 to 10:20am

Professor: Dr. Pamela Lindell Email:

Office: RN 217 Office hours: MW 12:20-1:20,

Office phone: 558-2316TR 10:30-11:30, and by appointment

Course Description: This course is an introduction to the science of physical anthropology. The topics to be covered will include: the field of anthropology; the scientific method; genetics and inheritance; natural selection; principles and mechanics of evolution; evidence of evolution; modern human variation; living primates; and the fossil evidence for human evolution.

Required text: Essentials of Physical Anthropology, 6th edition, by Jurmain, Kilgore and Trevathan

A less-expensive electronic version of the text can be purchased at

You must use the current edition of the textbook for readings and homework assignments. There is a copy on reserve in the library, and a copy available in the RISE office.

Student learning outcomes and objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to

  • demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of Physical Anthropology.
  • discuss the concept of evolution, and the evidence that supports it.
  • explain the nature of our relationship to non-human primates.
  • demonstrate an understanding of human variation.

Prerequisite: ENGWR 50 and ENGWR 59 or ESLW 310 and ESLR 310 with grades of “C” or better. This prerequisite is necessary due to the amount of writing that will completed in this class.

Attendance: Attendance is mandatory in order to stay enrolled in and pass this class. In accordance with college policy, any student who has missed 10% or more of the total class hours (5.4 hours for a 54-hour class) may be failed or dropped without prior notification, regardless of performance in other aspects of the course. Illness, car problems, family emergencies, etc. DO NOT qualify for excused absences. Excused absences are only provided for college-sponsored activities. It is the student’s responsibility to get notes for missed lecture material. The professor does not supply copies of lecture notes.

Special needs: If you take exams through Learning Disabilities, please notify the professor as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Cheating and plagiarism: Cheating and/or plagiarism (direct copying of sources without quotations or citations) is a serious violation of college policy and will result in the following: 1) The student will fail the exam on which s/he cheats or the assignment that was plagiarized. 2) The student will sit in the front row for all remaining exams. 3) The event will be reported to the administration. Repeated administrative reports result in expulsion from the college.

If you are aware that a fellow student is cheating, please report it to the professor. A student who cheats is robbing other students of their hard work, and is cheating him/herself out of an education.

A note on appropriate classroom behavior: All participants in this class will behave respectfully toward each other, the professor, and themselves. Be attentive and take notes. Students are encouraged to ask questions. Hate speech and disrespectful remarks will not be tolerated. Do not sleep in class, come in late or leave early, use cell phones during class, pass notes, or otherwise engage in disruptive or rude behaviors. Repeated engagement in such behaviors will result in a grade penalty and/or administrative interference as appropriate.

Grading method: Your grade in this class will be based on your total point accumulation as follows:

A – 360 to 400 points

B – 359 to 320 points

C – 280 to 319 points

D – 240 to 318 points

F – less than 240 points

The class is divided into four sections, as such:

Term 1: January 22 to February 14

Term 2: February 19 to March 13

Term 3: March 25 to April 17

Term 4: April 22 to May 15

It is possible to accumulate a maximum of 100 points per section. These points may be earned by completing any of the following:

  • One 100-point exam at the end of the section, which will be a combination of true/false, multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions.
  • Four 25-point homework assignments, one due at the end of each week.
  • One 50-point Powerpoint presentation submitted on cd-r, due at the end of the section.
  • Perfect attendance without tardiness or leaving early, for 25 points per section.

Extra points accumulated in one section may not be carried over into the following section.

Exams - Exams will be comprised of true/false, multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. They will be based on information from assigned readings, class lectures, and films. Study guides for the exams are available on my website at wserver.scc.losrios.edu/~lindelp

Homework Assignments – Homework papers must

* be at least 2.5 pages in length

* be typed using 12-point Times New Roman font

* be double spaced, but must not have extra spaces between paragraphs or

elsewhere

* have 1” margins at the top and bottom and 1.25 margins on the right and left

* have page numbers in the bottom right-hand corner

* have a title page with your name and the assignment title/number (your name

and the title of the essay will appear only on this title page and not on following pages)

* be stapled

* have indented paragraphs

* have correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation

* be comprised of an introduction, the body of the essay, and a conclusion

* include appropriate citations when a passage is quoted. Uncited quotes are

considered as plagiarized and may result in a failing grade. Quotes must appear

in quotation marks and be cited in the following manner if, for example, the

quote is on page 11 of the textbook: (Jurmain 2006:11).

Homework assignments will be graded based on the extent to which they meet the criteria listed above, and the quality and thoroughness of the answers.

1A. Chapter 1, page 18, Critical Thinking (CT) questions 1, 2, and 4

2A. Chapter 2, page 40, CT questions 1, 3, and 4

3A. Chapter 3, page 62, CT questions 1 and 2

4A. Chapter 3, page 62, CT questions 3 and 4

1B. Chapter 4, page 86, CT questions 1, 3, and 4

2B. Chapter 12, page 336, CT questions 1, 4, and 6

3B. Chapter 5, page 108, CT question 2

4B. Chapter 5, page 108, CT question 4

1C. Chapter 6, page 142, CT questions 2 and 3

2C. Chapter 7, page 170, CT question 1

3C. Chapter 7, page 170, CT questions 2 and 3

4C. Chapter 8, page 214, CT questions 1 and 2

1D. Chapter 9, page 241, CT questions 3 and 4

2D. Chapter 10, page 273, CT questions 2 and 3

3D. Chapter 11, page 301, CT questions 2 and 4

4D. Chapter 13, page 358, CT questions 2 and 4

Powerpoint Presentations – Powerpoint presentations must

* be submitted to the instructor on a cd-r disc labeled with your name, the title of

the presentation, and the page reference (see next)

* be an informative presentation, centered around a thesis statement, about a

primate species or a topic discussed in your text during the assigned section,

with the page reference of the culture/topic noted on the disc

* include at least 20 Powerpoint slides

* have correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation, though bullet points can be

used

* include the thesis statement on the first slide

* include text on every slide

* include at least 10 slides with photos or graphics illustrating the text

Powerpoint presentations need not be presented to the class. Think of the professor as your audience.

If you are in doubt of your topic, please consult with the professor.

Powerpoint presentations will be graded based on the extent to which they meet the criteria listed above, the relevance of the thesis statement to material covered in the appropriate section of the class, ability of the presentation to support the thesis statement, information content of the presentation, and the relevance of photos and graphics to the information content.

What is a thesis statement? (quoted from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Writing Center website, at

“A thesis statement:

  • tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
  • is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
  • directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
  • makes a claim that others might dispute.
  • is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation”

______

The last day to drop full-semester classes is April 20.

Class Schedule:

Reading assignments must be read prior to the class for which they are assigned.

Class Section 1

Week 1: 1/22 & 1/24 – Introduction to Anthropology and the Scientific Method

Readings: Chapter 1

Homework 1A due on 1/24 by 8:10am and no later.

Week 2: 1/29 & 1/31 – The Development of Evolutionary Theory

Readings: Chapter 2
Homework 2A due on 1/31 by 8:10am and no later.

Week 3: 2/5 & 2/7 – The Biological Basis of Life
Readings: Chapter 3
Homework 3A due on 2/7 by 8:10am and no later.

Week 4: 2/12 – The Biological Basis of Life, cont.

2/14 – Exam; homework/Powerpoint assignments due by 8:10am and no later

(those not taking the exam may leave after submitting assignments)

Class Section 2

Week 5: 2/19 & 2/21 – Heredity and Evolution
Readings: Chapter 4

Homework 1B due on 2/21 by 8:10am and no later.

Week 6: 2/26 & 2/28 – Human Variation and Adaptation

Readings: Chapter 12

Homework 2B due on 2/28 by 8:10am and no later.

Week 7: 3/4 & 3/6 – Processes of Vertebrate and Mammalian Evolution

Readings: Chapter 5

Homework 3B due on 3/6 by 8:10am and no later.

Week 8: 3/11 – Processes of Vertebrate and Mammalian Evolution, cont.

3/13 – Exam; homework/Powerpoint assignments due by 8:10am and no later

(those not taking the exam may leave after submitting assignments)

Spring Break: 3/18 & 3/20

Class Section 3

Week 9: 3/25 & 3/27 – An Overview of the Primates

Readings: Chapter 6

Homework 1C due on 3/27 by 8:10am and no later

Week 10: 4/1 & 4/3 – Primate Behavior

Readings: Chapter 7

Homework 2C due on 4/3 by 8:10am and no later

Week 11: 4/8 & 4/10 – Primate Behavior, cont.

Homework 3C due on 4/10 by 8:10am and no later

Week 12: 4/15 – Hominid Origins

Readings: Chapter 8

4/17 – Exam; homework/Powerpoint assignments due by 8:10am and no later

(those not taking the exam may leave after submitting assignments)

Class Section 4

Week 13: 4/22 & 4/24 – Homo erectus and Contemporaries

Readings: Chapter 9

Homework 1D due on 4/24 by 8:10am and no later

Week 14: 4/29 & 5/1 – Premodern Humans

Readings: Chapter 10

Homework 2D due on 5/1 by 8:10am and no later

Week 15: 5/6 & 5/8 – Modern Humans

Readings: Chapter 11

Homework 3D due on 5/8 by 8:10am and no later

Week 16: 5/13 & 5/15 – The Human Life Course

Readings: Chapter 13

Homework/Powerpoint assignments due on 5/15 by 8:10am and no later.

Final Exam: Tuesday, May 20 at 8am (those not taking the final need not come to class)

Keep Track of Your Points

Section 1 Point Total ______(100 total possible @ end of section)

Section 2 Point Total ______(200 total possible @ end of section)

Section 3 Point Total ______(300 total possible @ end of section)

Section 4 Point Total ______(400 total possible @ end of section)

To calculate your grade at any given time, add your total number of points and divide it into the total number of points possible in the class so far. For example, if you have 160 total points at the end of section 2, 160/200 = 80, which is a B.

90 to 100% = A

80 to 89% = B

70 to 79% = C

60 to 69% = D

59% and below = F

1