I. Summary of Proposed Changes
Dept / Program / Anthropology / Prefix and Course # / ANTH 515
Course Title / Theories and Methods in Biological Anthropology
Short Title (max. 26 characters incl. spaces) / Theor & Meth in Bioanth
Summarize the change(s) proposed / New course
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name / Signature / Date
Requestor: / Randall R. Skelton
Phone/ email : / 243-4245
Program Chair/Director: / John Douglas
Other affected programs
Dean:
/ Chris Comer
Are other departments/programs affected by this modification because of
(a) required courses incl. prerequisites or corequisites,
(b) perceived overlap in content areas
(c) cross-listing of coursework / Please obtain signature(s) from the Chair/Director of any such department/ program (above) before submission
III: To Add a New Course Syllabus and assessment information is required (paste syllabus into section V or attach). Course should have internal coherence and clear focus.
Common Course Numbering Review: Does an equivalent course exist elsewhere in the MUS? Do the proposed abbreviation, number, title and credits align with existing course(s)? Please indicate equivalent course/campus ß http://mus.edu/transfer/CCN/ccn_default.asp / YES / NOX
Exact entry to appear in the next catalog (Specify course abbreviation, level, number, title, credits, repeatability (if applicable), frequency of offering, prerequisites, and a brief description.) ß
G 515 Theories and Methods in Biological Anthropology 3 cr. Offered autumn. A detailed review of the body of theory that is foundational for the study of human evolution, human variation, bioarchaeology, forensic anthropology, and primatology, along with a consideration of major methods used to analyze data in these fields.
Justification: How does the course fit with the existing curriculum? Why is it needed?
Over previous years it has become apparent that students who take the physical and forensic anthropology seminars (ANTH 510, 511, 512, 513) are not prepared in terms of background theory in biological anthropology. Therefore, we have created a new team-taught course that covers these bodies of theory and which we want to make a prerequisite for the other physical/forensic seminars. This allows us to revise these seminars under the assumption that we don’t have to teach the basic theory, thus allowing us to go into greater depth in the subject matter of the seminar. We are teaching this course for the second time this semester (as ANTH 595: Special Topics).
Are there curricular adjustments to accommodate teaching this course?
We rotate the task of being lead instructor, so that each of us teaches this course instead of another one every third year.
Complete for UG courses. (UG courses should be assigned a 400 number).
Describe graduate increment (Reference guidelines: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/Grad/UG.htm)ß
Fees may be requested only for courses meeting specific conditions determined by the Board of Regents. Please indicate whether this course will be considered for a fee. / YES / NO
X
If YES, what is the proposed amount of the fee?
Justification:
IV. To Delete or Change an Existing Course – check X all that apply
Deletion / TitleCourse Number Change / From: / Level U, UG, G / From:
To: / To:
Description Change / Repeatability
Change in Credits / From: / Cross Listing (primary program initiates form)
To:
Prerequisites / Is there a fee associated with the course?
1. Current course information at it appears in catalog (http://www.umt.edu/catalog) ß / 2. Full and exact entry (as proposed) ß
3. If cross-listed course: secondary program & course number
4. Is this a course with MUS Common Course Numbering? If yes, then will this change eliminate the course’s common course status? Please explain below.
5. Graduate increment if level of course is changed to UG. Reference guidelines at:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/Grad/UG.htm
(syllabus required in section V) / Have you reviewed the graduate increment
guidelines? Please check (X) space provided.
6. Other programs affected by the change
7. Justification for proposed change
V. Syllabus/Assessment Information
Required for new courses and course change from U to UG. Paste syllabus in field below or attach and send digital copy with form.ßAppended at the end of this document because this form won’t allow me to paste it here.
VI Department Summary (Required if several forms are submitted) In a separate document list course number, title, and proposed change for all proposals.
VII Copies and Electronic Submission. After approval, submit original, one copy, summary of proposals and electronic file to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, .
Revised 11-2009
Anth 595: Method and Theory in Biological Anthropology
Fall 2010 TR 9:40-11:00 SS 252
Instructor Contact Info
Prof. Ashley McKeown (lead inst) Prof. Randy Skelton Prof. Noriko Seguchi
Email:
Phone: 243-2145 (but email is better) 243-4245 (but email is better) 243-2668
Office: SS 225 SS 226 SS 207
Office Hours: MW 1:30-2:30 & by appt MWF 8:00-8:50, TR 11-12 TR 1-2
Required texts:
· Mieke JH, Relethford JH, Konigsberg LW, 2011. Human Biological Variation, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press.
(1st ed will work, but note page numbers in schedule are for 2nd ed)
· Brace CL, 2004. Race is a Four-Letter Word: The Genesis of a Concept. Oxford University Press.
· Freeman S & Herron JC, 2007. Evolutionary Analysis. Pearson/Prentice Hall.
(4th edition is current, any edition will do.)
Course Requirements
1. Takehome Exams - a midterm exam and a final exam.
>Each exam covers ½ of the semester and is worth 150 pts for a total of 300 points
>You will have 1 week to complete each take home exam (see schedule for available and due dates)
>Exam questions will be posted on Blackboard under ‘Exams’ and you will submit your exam answers via
BB’s digital dropbox
2. Assignments – 12 total
>There are 12 assignments each designed to take about 1 week to complete. The nature of these
assignments vary from topic to topic but are designed to have you interact with the material being
presented. Each assignment is worth 25 pts for a total of 300 points.
>You will have 1 week to complete each assignment (see schedule for available dates)
>If for any reason you are unable to complete one of the assignments by the due date, I will assign a
makeup assignment (but you will have only one make up opportunity).
>Assignments will be posted on Blackboard under ‘Assignments’ and you will submit the assignment as
directed in the assignment directions.
3. Research project/paper that addresses important theoretical and methodological issues in biological
anthropology.
>The research project/paper has multiple components: a proposal, a detailed outline with bibliography, and
the final paper.
>Each component has a different value (see below) for a total of 300 points.
-Proposal = 25
-Detailed outline =75
-Final paper = 200 pts
>The directions for developing each component of the research paper are at the end of this syllabus and in
supplementary material. See the course schedule for due dates for each component.
>The proposal and detailed outline will be submitted via BB’s digital dropbox. The final paper will be
submitted as a hard copy directly to McKeown by 4 pm on 12/9.
Overview of Grading Structure
Item / Date Available / Date Due / ValueMidterm Take Home Exam / Oct 14 / Oct 21 / 150 points
Final Take Home Exam / Dec 7 / Dec 15 / 150 points
Assignments (25 pts each) / See schedule / See assignment / 300 points total
Research Paper/Project / Aug 31 / See schedule
Final Version due 12/9 / 300 points total
TOTAL / 900 points
Course Schedule
Abbreviations: HBV= Human Biological Variation; EA = Evolutionary Analysis| BB=Blackboard | A=assignment
Section I: Introduction
Date Who Day Topic Reading
8/31 RS T What is method and theory in biological anthropology? EA Chapter 1
(A1 out) BB: Leslie & Little (2003)
9/2 AM R History of physical/biological anthropology HBV Ch 1
BB: Spencer (1982), Washburn
(1951), Walker (2008)
Section II: Evolutionary Theory
9/7 AM T Human Genetics & Inheritance (A2 out) HBV Ch 2
For a basic review, get an Intro to
Phys Anth text and read the
relevant chapters
9/9 AM R Evolutionary theory, population genetics & HWC HBV Ch 3:50-63
EA Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 6: 6.1 & 6.2
9/14 AM T Departures from HWC HBV Ch 3:63-68
(assortative mating & inbreeding) (A3 out) EA Ch 7: 7.4 & 7.5
9/16 AM R Evolutionary Forces: Mutation & Migration HBV Ch 3:68-69, 84-85
EA Ch 5, Ch 6: 6.9, Ch 7: 7.1
9/21 AM T Evolutionary Forces: Drift (A4 out) HBV Ch 3:76-83
EA Ch 7: 7.2 & 7.3
9/23 AM R Evolutionary Forces: Selection HBV Ch 3: 70-76, 85-88, Ch 7, Ch 12
Term Project/Paper Topic Proposal Due EA Ch 6: 6.3
BB: Gregory (2009)
Section III: Interpreting Human Variation
9/28 RS T Quantitative Traits and heritability (A5 out) HBV Ch 10, Ch11: 260-267
EA section on “Measuring
Heritable Variation” (9.3, 4th ed.)
9/30 RS R Interpreting Intra- & Interspecies Variability HBV Ch 11: 267-290
· EA “Sexual Selection” Ch (ch 11, 4th ed)
EA first 2 sections of “Aging” chapter (13.1 & 13.2, 4th ed)
10/5 RS T Population and Species Formation EA “Speciation” chapter (ch16, 4th ed) EA section on “Macroevolutionary Patterns” in “Cambrian Explosion” chapter (18.3, 4th ed)
10/7 RS R Evolutionary Analysis (A6 out) EA first 2 sections of “Pattern of
Evolution” Ch (2.1 & 2.2, 4th ed)
EA first section in the “Evolutionary Trees” chapter (ch 4 in 4th ed)
10/12 RS T Phylogenetic Inference EA finish the “Evolutionary Trees” Ch (ch 4, 4th ed)
10/14 RS R Theory of working with individuals BB: Ackermann & Smith, 2007;
Midterm Exam Out-Due 10/21 Spradley et al., 2006
10/19 NS T Blood groups HBV ch 4
10/21 NS R DNA Markers HBV ch 9
Take Home Midterm DUE
10/26 NS T Adaptationism vs. Neutralism (A7 out) BB: Ch 1 in Human Biology, Morris
(1971), Kimura (1983), Livingstone
(1983), Ohta (1992, 2002)
10/28 NS R Population structure and population history (A8 out) HBV ch 13
11/2 T NO Class – Election Day
11/4 NS R Odontometrics BB: Stojanowski ( 2004)
Term Project/Paper Detailed Outline due
11/9 NS T History of the race concept (A9 out) Brace (2004)
11/11 R NO Class – Veteran’s Day
11/16 NS T Why race is useless for interpreting human variation Brace (2004); BB: selected
readings
Section IV: Biocultural Aspects of Variation
11/18 AM R Demography (A10 out) BB: Gage (2000)
11/23 AM T Paleodemography BB: Konigsberg & Frankenberg
(1994),
Milner et al. (2008)
11/24 R NO class – Thanksgiving Holiday
11/30 NS T Epidemiological Patterns (A11 out) BB: Chs 7, 8 from Human Biology,
Tishkoff and Verrelli (2003)
12/2 NS R Epidemiological Transition BB: Chs 7, 8 from Human Biology,
Merbs, (1992)
12/7 RS T The Evolution of Behavior (A12 out) EA “Kin Selection & Social
Take Home Final Out due 12/15 Behavior”, chapter (ch 12, 4th edition)
12/9 RS R Genetics and Behavior HBV Ch 14
Term Project/Paper Final Draft due
12/15 (10:10am-12:10) Take Home Final Exam Due
The Research Project/Paper
The main requirement of the term project/paper is that it must incorporate theory. In other words, it cannot be a merely descriptive analysis. A second requirement is that it must be in some way original. In other words, it cannot be a simple reworking of what someone else has said, but must show original thought, ideas, or methodology.
Some approaches that are acceptable include (but are not limited to):
· Compare/contrast theories for explaining a certain type of phenomenon (e.g. does migration or diffusion best explain allele frequencies on a landscape).
· Choose a particular theoretical stance (e.g. take the position that migration best explains allele frequencies on a landscape) and do an analysis of some data within this framework.
· Argue for one theoretical position or approach over another.
· Choose a major work by one of the contributors to biological anthropology theory and critique it in terms of other or newer theories that address the same phenomenon.
· Choose an analysis presented by a biological anthropologist in an article or book and critique/rework it in light of other theories and/or methods.
Some approaches that are not acceptable because they are not primarily theoretical or methodological.
These include (but are not limited to):
· Anything descriptive (e.g. how Neandertals compare to modern humans). However, in some cases this type of topic could be placed within a theoretical framework (e.g. show how Neandertals represent a cold climate adaptation vs how modern humans represent a warm climate adaptation). However, a student doing a project of this sort would have to be careful to go beyond the simple descriptions of theory found in an “Intro to Physical Anthro” textbook to actually apply theory in an original way.
· Any in-depth analysis of a phenomenon (e.g. what is sickle cell anemia). Although some analyses of this type might be able to be cast within a theoretical framework, in most cases the framework is too simple for this class (e.g. sickle cell anemia is an example of balancing selection).
There are three milestones associated with your project/paper. These are designed to get you working on
your project early and intensively throughout the semester:
1. The first milestone is to simply choose a topic and submit a 1 to 2 page description of it with at least 5 valid references. Due 9/23 in class.
2. A detailed outline. This is a detailed outline (Intro, Literature Review, Methods and/or Materials, Results and/or Conclusions) of your project with well developed material representing the larger body of information you intend to include in that section. You will also need a fairly complete bibliography listing the articles from which you will draw your theory and methods. Due Nov 4 by 4 pm.
3. The final version of your paper. Due 12/9 by 4 pm.