Physical Anthropology 101 Spring 2011 Syllabus
Professor Karen Markley Anthropology Department
Office Phone 714.992.7495 (email is the best way to reach me)
Email: (I do not accept papers by email)
Office Hours: (Appointments recommended) Office 1423-B
Tuesday’s and Thursdays 9:30-10:30, and 1:30pm-3:00pm
The syllabus, class schedule and Notes & Assignments Packet are critical sources of information for the successful completion of this course. These documents, along with announcements in class are your first source of information as to what is expected and required for this class. It is advised that you read and refer to your syllabus and class schedule on a regular basis(at least once a week), for any questions you have and for information as to what you need to do to successfully complete this course.
REQUIRED TEXT:
Biological Anthropology, 6th Edition, Michael Alan Park. San Francisco, CA: McGraw Hill Publishing Company, 2005. (This text is available for students on a 2 hour reserve in the library). You can order an E version, go to the McGraw Hill website-
Notes & Assignments Packet, Physical Anthropology 101, K. Markley, Spring 2011. FC Bookstore
Various Articles Assigned (see class schedule)- available at the Reserve Desk in FC Library and online.
SUPPLIES: Standard supplies needed for every class: notebook, pens, pencils, STAPLER, and access to a computerwith internet access. You will need a calculator after the first exam. A simple calculator is all that is needed, one that can multiply and divide. A small flashlight is helpful for when videos are shown. On quiz and exam days you will need to bring a Scantron Form No. 882-ES LOVAS, a #2 pencil, and a pen.
Student Learning Outcomes- Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
1. Identify and apply the key terminology, theories, theoretical orientations, methods and perspectives used in physical anthropology
2. Compare and contrast scientific knowledge with other ways of knowing and be able to apply scientific knowledge to the study of humans
3. Apply evolutionary theory, including the four processes of evolution in understanding how evolution works to shape populations of living organisms over time.
One touch of Darwin makes the whole world kin. George Bernard Shaw
What a trifling difference must often determine which shall survive, and which perish! Charles Darwin
Thinking is skilled work. It is not true that we are naturally endowed with the ability to think clearly and logically, without learning how, or practicing. People with untrained minds should no more expect to think clearly and logically than people who have never learned and never practiced can expect to find themselves good carpenters, golfers, bridge players, or pianists. Alfred Mander
REQUIREMENTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SEMESTER:
Student success requires that students start the class with college level reading and writing skills. To be successful students will need to be able to comprehend the text and articles and be able to write down their analysis of the text and articles. Student success will require the student be actively engaged in the class and to utilize critical thinking skills in learning class material.
Students are expected to come to class each day prepared to discuss assigned material, and turn in assignments due. The class schedule gives the dates for readings and assignments. Carefully READ this syllabus, and refer to the class schedule at least twice a week.
Readings: Students should come to class each day having ALREADY read assigned text and completed assignments. Lectures are given with the assumption that students have read assigned material. It is not expected that you will understand everything prior to coming to class, but I will lecture with the assumption you have read the material. The Notes Packet and class lectures give an overview of key points for quizzes and exams. Prior to class lecture, work to fill in the blanks in your Notes Packet. Come to class prepared to ask questions and engage in discussion. Class lectures will not necessarily cover all of the material in your text or articles. However, you are responsible for reading the assigned articles and chapters listed in your schedule.
Articles: There are a variety of articles assigned for the class. The articles are listed in the class schedule. Follow the instructions in the Notes Packet for article assignments and typing out the Main Idea Reviews (MIR’s).
Videos: Videos will be shown throughout the semester. Quizzes and exams will often contain questions from class videos. Note-taking during videos is advised.
Lectures: Lectures cover material from the text and material not found in the text. To successfully complete this class you will need to attend class regularly and take notes. If you miss class it is YOUR responsibility to get the notes from another student. I do not post my powerpoints, students need to come to class to take notes.
Papers and Assignments: The Notes Packet contains class assignments. All papers and assignments will be graded on the quality of the work and the following; papers must be typed (or neatly, legibly, printed if the assignment allows for this), contain your full name (as listed on your school registration), your class day and time (i.e. T/Th 10:30-12), stapled (no paper clips or folders). Your answers must be in order and readable (complete sentences). See the Class Schedule, and Notes & Assignments Packet for details on assignments.
No Late Work Accepted- Assignments are due on the date listed in your class schedule (subject
to changes announced in class). I will only accept assignments IN CLASS on the DUE DATE. I do
not accept late work, emailed work, work turned into the mailroom or to my office. I offer extra
credit for students to make up missed assignments.
I realize we all have situations that come up, personal emergencies, technology problems, etc. and instead of allowing for late work I offer extra credit. If you have a situation that does not allow you to turn in your work in class, on the due date please do not ask for an exception to the policy. The extra credit options are available for you to make up lost points if you miss an assignment.
Exams: There will be three exams, consisting of multiple choice, matching, true/false, short answer/essay, and definitions. Exam questions will be based on assigned readings (text and handouts), video, lecture, and class assignments. I do not hand out a study guide for the class. You should develop your own study guide from; class lecture, Notes Packet, assignments, and video notes.
Missed Exams- Make up’s are granted on a case by case basis for emergency situations (major illness, car accident, etc.). To be eligible for a make up exam you must do the following: 1) Notify me by email within 24 hours (either prior to the exam or after the exam), 2) At the next class session bring a WRITTEN explanation as to why you missed the exam and any documentation (doctors note, police report, etc.). If your make up is approved you will likely be taking a different exam from the rest of the class (all essay, short answer, etc), and it will be given on the last day of class. On make-up exams a student cannot earn more than the average of their other exams. Only one make up per student, per semester is allowed. Missing an exam is grounds for a student being dropped.
Quizzes: There will be several quizzes during the semester. The quiz dates are in your class schedule (any changes to the dates will be announced in class). On quiz days you will take the quiz in the first 10-15 minutes of class. If you are late or absent you cannot make up the quiz, however, the lowest quiz score will be dropped for all students.
Class Credit: Class credit points include; in-class and out-of-class assignments, MIR’s, attendance, and class participation.
Student Services: FullertonCollege offers a variety of services to aid in studentsuccess. Look in the FC schedule of classes to find out about student services offered at FC. Services include; writing center, skills center, tutoring, library orientations, etc. If you are having difficulty in the class make an appointment to meet with me during my office hours early on in the semester to evaluate your options.
Classroom Discussion Guidelines and Rules
Learning is an active process and active participation is imperative. I encourage students to raise their hand and ask questions and make relevant comments. Please keep in mind that the anthropological study of humans will cover topics and information that may be shocking or unusual to you, and may present ideas that challenge your worldview. Students are expected to behave and speak in a respectful manner to the instructor and to other students. Below is a list of guidelines and rules for classroom discussions:
- Do: feel free to raise your hand, ask questions, and offer your perspective on a discussion topic.
- Do Not: make disrespectful or derogatory remarks about or to other students, the instructor, the peoples we study, or about class material. Do not talk while other students or the instructor is speaking. Racist, sexist, and/or homophobic remarks will not be tolerated. Everyone in the classroom has the right to be treated with courtesy and respect.
- Students who are disrespectful and/or disruptive will not be allowed to participate in class discussions and/or will be required to leave the classroom. Please advise the instructor if you are having any problems (i.e. if you feel that there is a student in class that is behaving disrespectfully).
- You can, of course, disagree in discussions and offer a conflicting view but class time cannot be used to: grandstand, moralize, engage in rhetoric, or speak off the subject.
Classroom Behavior: Common courtesy is the rule for classroom behavior. Don’t engage in behavior that interferes with the instructor’s ability to teach or other student’s ability to learn. Come to class prepared to listen, engage and discuss class material. If you consistently come to class to talk off topic or talk during class lecture, and/or to sleep you will be asked to leave. Turn off and put away all electronic devices. Laptops are allowed for taking notes, if you are seen doing anything else with your computer you will not be allowed to use it in class. Come to class on time and leave when class is dismissed. If you are consistently late or if you come and go during class time you may not be allowed to enter or re-enter the classroom. If you have an emergency that requires you leave early let me know ahead of time. Students who violate class and campus rules will be asked to leave the classroom and report to the Dean of Social Sciences before returning to class.
If we are going to teach creation science as an alternative to evolution, then we should also teach the stork theory as an alternative to biological reproduction. Judith Hayes
Time Obligation: Classes are designed with the understanding that the typical student will spend two hours outside of class studying and completing assignments for every one hour in class. Each student is different, some students will need to spend more time out of class to do well and others will spend less time. Students need to evaluate how they are doing to determine how much time they need to do well in class.
Attendance, Participation and Student Drops: Students may be dropped from the class by the instructor for the following: missing the first day of class, missing as many days as the class meets per week (either consecutively or non-consecutively), missing two or more quizzes, missing an exam. To successfully complete this class you must attend regularly. Do not call to tell me you are missing a class. If you miss class it is your responsibility to get the notes you missed from another student and to get any papers that you missed. If you have a serious situation that leads to your missing more than one class in a row then you should contact me by email and set up an appointment to meet me during office hours. If you stop attending class it is your responsibility to take the steps needed to drop the class. If you do not drop the class an F grade will be submitted by the instructor.
Emergency Response Message: Take note of the safety features in and close to your classroom, as well as the posted evacuation route. The most direct route of egress may not be the safest because of the existence of roofing tiles or other potentially hazardous conditions. In the event of an emergency it is imperative that everybody remain calm and take appropriate steps to deal with the situation.
American Disabilities Act: If you are a disabled student and you have need of special services, notify me at the beginning of the semester. FullertonCollege is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities, upon request of the student (in a timely fashion) and upon verification of a disability
Academic Honesty Policy: Students are expected to abide by ethical standards in preparing and presenting material which demonstrates their level of knowledge and which is used to determine grades. Standards include, but are not limited to the following areas: 1) Students shall not plagiarize, this includes: passing off as one’s own the ideas or words of another and/or using creative production without crediting the source. You may study together but you may not turn in the same work, make sure to use your own words in completing assignments, 2) Students shall not cheat, this includes: using notes, aides or the help of other students on tests or exams in ways other than those permitted expressly by the instructor. Instructors may deal with academic dishonesty in one or more of the following ways depending on situation: oral reprimand, assignment of an “F” on all or part of the exam, paper, or project, assignment of an “F” in the course, and/or reporting the student to the appropriate administrators for disciplinary action. Refer to the College Catalog for further details as well as ramifications of cheating.
About the Professor: As an educator I see my role as that of a facilitator. Iprovide students with the information and structure they need to successfully complete the class. I work to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing, what is expected of students. I come to class each day prepared to teach and engage students with class material. College coursework can be challenging. Students are tested on their acquisition of knowledge as well as their ability to critically reason in regards to class material. Critical reasoning skills are a primary goal in college coursework. If you are having difficulties in class make an appointment early in the semester to develop a plan of action for success. I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus, any changes will be announced in class.
The hypotheses we accept ought to explain phenomena which we have observed. But they ought to do more than this: our hypotheses ought to foretell phenomena which have not yet been observed. William Whewell.
Evolution does not reach any goal. It is simply the adaptation of a form to a certain environment. G.H. Mead
Keeping Track of your Grade: Successful students keep track of their grades. Monitoring your grade aids you in making decisions about study time, extra credit, and dropping the class, etc. I hand back papers, exams, and quizzes in a timely manner. Make sure to keep all of your papers until you have received your final grade at the end of the semester. In your notes packet there is information on how to calculate your grade, if you need further assistance set up an appointment during my office hours (bring your syllabus, and all papers, exams, etc. necessary to determine your grade). The following dates are important to keep track of (the class schedule has this information)
Last Day to Drop without a W ______Last Day to Drop with a W ______
EXTRA CREDIT: I do not accept late work, but I do give a few extra credit options for students to make up missed work. If a student does not miss any assignments they can use the extra credit option to bolster their grade (see your notes packet for information on extra credit options).
Grading for Physical Anthropology 101
To successfully complete this course you will need to achieve enough points to get a passing grade. Keep track of your points on the sheet below. Please Do NOT ask me about your grade, I do not calculate it until the end of the semester. Make sure to keep all of the papers you have completed in this class until you have received your final grade.
The following is a listing of the maximum points possible for each exam, paper, assignment, etc.:
Maximum PointsPoints Earned
Exam One: 100 points______
Exam Two:100 points______
Exam Three:140 points______
Quiz One: (drop lowest quiz score)10 points______
Quiz Two:10 points______