Introduction to Biological Anthropology - University of Alberta

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ANTHROPOLOGY Faculty of Arts

13-15 HM Tory Building www.arts.ualberta.ca/anthropology Tel: 780.492.3879492.2000

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2H4 [email protected] Fax: 780.492.5273

Introduction to Biological Anthropology Anthro 209: A1

Fall 2015: Tory 1-93 MWF: 9:00-9:50 PAMELA MAYNE CORREIA

OFFICE: TORY 1-46

OFFICE Hours: By appointment Teaching Assistants:

Jennifer Miller ([email protected]) Office Hours: Wednesdays 1-2pm Ruth Urlacher ([email protected]) Office Hours: Thursdays 10-11am

Labs: One 1hour lab/week on either Thursday or Friday in Tory 1-33 3 Tutorials: Sept 25, Oct. 9, and Nov 27 (2-3pm) (these are available for extra review of lab items and to ask questions – not required) Course Objectives & General Content

This course provides an introduction to biological anthropology through an overview of human evolution, adaptation, and variation. Human evolution will be approached through the current evidence from the fossil record. Human adaptation material will stress the biological and behavioural responses to environmental stresses, in both living and prehistoric populations. Topics of discussion include the principles of evolutionary theory, the fossil evidence for human evolution, diseases in antiquity, and forensic anthropology.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you have the appropriate prerequisites for this course. If you have alternative courses or experience assessed by the instructor to fulfill the function of the formal prerequisites, you must complete a special consent form available from the Anthropology Department. Failure to do so may create difficulties when you want to graduate.

Prerequisite: None.

Required Text:

Steckley, J., Introduction to Physical Anthropology, Oxford University Press, 2011

Reading List:

Links to the pdf’s for six readings will be posted on e-class as needed.

Course requirements

You are responsible for reading the appropriate sections in your text/readings or lab manual prior to class in order to be prepared for the material presented in lecture or lab.

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Examination Schedule:

Exam Topic Exam Date Exam Value

Midterm Lecture Exam: October 14^th, 2015 20% 30% 30%

Midterm Lab Exam: October 22/23^rd, 2015 20% 30% 20%

Final Lecture Exam: December 18^th, 2015 30%

Final Lab Exam: December 3/4^th, 2015 20%

Deferred Exam Date: January 6th, 2016 (must apply)

Student Responsibilities:

Regular and punctual class attendance is expected, and is necessary to enable the student to do well in the course.

Failure to attend a scheduled exam will result in a mark of zero, unless the instructor has been informed of extenuating circumstances. Students who miss an exam will have the weight of the exam transferred to the next exam. Only the final lecture exam will have to be written at a later date. If a lab exam is missed you are responsible to contact the instructor to make arrangements for this to happen. You must inform the TA of any exam timing conflicts at least a week prior to the exam. SPELLING will be counted on all exams.

Grading: As you are aware, the university uses a 4-point grading system (see the University Calendar, Section 23.4). Marks will be calculated as raw

percentages and then converted to the 4-point system for the final grade. Cut- off points will be set at that time.

Be Aware of these Dates!

October 30^th, 2015: last day to drop class (double check calendar) January 6^th, 2015: date of deferred final exam

Any of the information presented through lecture or lab or the required textbook is fair game for examination. You are encouraged to arrive at your labs having read the material for that day, or you will find that there is a lot of information to absorb in the time. Be prepared! The more that you know before you enter the lab, the more you will get out of viewing the skeletal material and fossil hominids.

If you have any concerns or problems with the course material, please do not hesitate to come and see me to discuss it. I want you to do well and learn some interesting “stuff” about the human variation and evolution. ☺

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Policy about course outlines can be found in ' 23.4(2) of the University Calendar. (GFC 29 SEP 2003).

Undergraduate Student Grading System

The U of A uses a letter grading system with a 4-‐point scale of numerical equivalents. Although marks will be calculated as percentages and then converted to letter grades using the conversion table (below), in accordance with the University guidelines a student’s final grade will be based on both absolute achievement and relative performance in class. For a detailed

explanation of the grading system, see Section 23.4 in the University Calendar (www.registrar.ualberta.ca/calendar).

Grades reflect instructors’ judgments of student achievement. When

determining your marks for exams I will take into account the quality of your answers and when assessing your final grade I may take into account the quality of your participation in class. The final marks associated with letter grades given in the table below are approximate, e.g., if the highest mark obtained in the course is 96%, I may assign that mark a grade of A+ rather than an A, especially if class participation has been good. I will not, however, assign a letter grade below that indicated in the table, e.g., a final mark of 60% will be assigned at least a C-‐ and will not be dropped down to a letter grade of D, irrespective of attendance or class participation.

Descriptor Letter Grade Approx. Final Mark (%) in this course

A+ 97-‐100

Excellent A 93-‐96

A-‐ 89-‐92

B+ 83-‐88

Good B 78-‐82

B-‐ 73-‐77

C+ 67-‐72

Satisfactory C 63-‐66

C-‐ 60-‐62

Poor D+ 56-‐59

Minimal Pass D 50-‐55

Failure F 0-‐49

“The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University

in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at www.ualberta.ca/secretariat/appeals.htm) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.” (GFC 29 SEP 2003)