INTERMEDIATE COLLEGE WRITING COURSE REVIEW FORM
(FORMERLY APPROVED WRITING) 4-15
Please attach/ submit additional documents as needed to fully complete each section of the form.
I. COURSE INFORMATION
Department: Anthropology
Course Number: 310
Course Title: Human Variation
Type of Request:
New
One-time Only
Renew
Change
Remove
Rationale: Course will be continued in the Anthropology Department, with a continued
emphasis on writing within the anthropology discipline.
II. ENDORSEMENT / APPROVALS
* Instructor: Meradeth Snow
Signature _Meradeth Snow______ Date_9/23/15 ________
Phone / Email: x2668, meradeth.snow@umontana.edu
Program Chair: Tully Thibeau Signature _______________________ Date____________
Dean: Chris Comer
Signature _______________________ Date____________
*Form must be completed by the instructor who will be teaching the course. If the instructor of
the course changes before the next review, the new instructor must be provided with a copy of
the form prior to teaching the course.
III. OVERVIEW OF THE COURSE PURPOSE / DESCRIPTION
Provide an introduction to the subject matter and course content:
The goal of this course is to examine biological explanations for how variation arises among
humans, as well as how studies of human variation influence society, both past and present. We
will consider genetic, phenotypic, sex, and behavioral differences among humans, as well as the
theory, methods, and ethics involved in scientific studies of humans. Throughout the course
students will be expected to explain human variation from a biological perspective; to
understand, interpret and react to current and future human biological studies; to research and
explain in writing a specific topic of interest; and to intelligently discuss multiple topics and
readings related to human variation studies.
IV. LEARNING OUTCOMES
Provide examples of how the course will support students in achieving each learning outcome

Use writing to learn and synthesize new concepts.
Yes If yes, how will student learning be supported?
Both the essay assignment and short written participation assignments will foster student
engagement with lecture material, enabling them to better understand and retain
information. Additionally, through these writing assignments, students will gain practice
in synthesizing their own interpretation of different concepts (such as the US Census and
race).

No If no, course may not be eligible
Formulate and express written opinions and ideas that are developed, logical, and
organized.
Yes If yes, how will student learning be supported?
The short written participation assignments are designed as open-ended questions
pertaining to class topics (such as “how would you define ‘race’?”), in order to allow
students to formulate logical responses, and incorporate their own opinions into what has
been covered in lecture. The longer essay assignment and associated outline are both
designed to enable students to write clear, logical, and well-supported arguments on a
topic of their choice relating to the concept of human variation at the genetic level.

No If no, course may not be eligible
Compose written documents that are appropriate for a given audience, purpose and
context
Yes If yes, how will student learning be supported?
The essay assignment is designed to be written with their classmates as their intended
audience. Through this focused audience students are asked to explain material that will
allow their classmates to best understand the research they carry out. This aids in their
perception of how to write for a specific audience, namely their peers. Additionally, the
guidelines for the outline and paper are formulated to ensure students are following the
physical anthropology format that has been established through the American Association
of Anthropology and American Association of Physical Anthropologists.

No If no, course may not be eligible
Revise written work based on constructive comments from the instructor
Yes If yes, how will student learning be supported?
The students are asked to submit their final paper (8-10 pages) to the professor for
constructive feedback before the deadline for the course. Additionally, the students are
invited to re-submit their outline, based on feedback.
No
If no, course may not be eligible

Find, evaluate, and use information effectively and ethically
( description of information literacy outcomes appropriate for each class level)
Subject librarians are available to assist you embed information literacy into your course
Yes If yes, how will student learning be supported?
The research paper for the course must be supported by at least ten sources that the
student must find outside of class readings. The students are instructed on locations
where they might find sources, and how to effectively utilize them to make an argument
and avoid plagiarism. To encourage student research, a meeting is arranged with the
Anthropology librarian to demonstrate additional resources for the students and aid them
in obtaining information for their research papers.

No If no, course may not be eligible
Begin to use discipline-specific writing conventions
Yes If yes, how will student learning be supported?
Citation formatting and utilizing scientific writing conventions are both aspects of the
research paper assignment and conform to the guidelines provided by the American
Association of Anthropology.

No If no, course may not be eligible
Demonstrate appropriate English language usage
Yes If yes, how will student learning be supported?
Papers and assignments are all graded with an eye to English language usage, and all
students are encouraged to follow established guidelines. A portion of the grade for both
the final paper and outline is based on proper use of grammar and language, which the
students are informed of ahead of time. The University Writing Center resources are
announced to all students who might seek additional help in this area, and a
representative of the Center also comes to one of the lectures to go over basic paper
format, research, and inform students of the services available to them.
No
If no, course may not be eligible
V. WRITING COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Enrollment is capped at 25 students.
Yes
No
If no, list maximum course enrollment.
Explain how outcomes will be adequately met for this number of students.
Justify the request for variance.

Which written assignments will include revision in response to instructor’s feedback?
A first draft of the final paper is due from students before the final paper is due to allow
the instructor to read and give feedback on drafts in time for these to strengthen their final
paper. Additionally, the outline assignment will also be able to be re-submitted based on
feedback.
VI. WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
Please describe course assignments. Students should be required to individually compose at least
16 pages of writing for assessment. At least 50% of the course grade should be based on
students’ performance on writing assignments. Clear expression, quality, and accuracy of
content are an integral part of the grade on any writing assignment.

Formal Graded Assignments
Research paper: (8-10pgs)—20% of grade
Outline: (2-3 pgs)—5% of grade
Problem set: (3-5pgs)—10% of grade
Midterm exam (essay format for approximately half)—(~5pgs) 25% of grade
Participation: (6pgs)—10% of grade

Informal Ungraded Assignments

Attach a sample writing assignment. Include instructions / handouts provided to students.
Please find the final paper instructions attached.
VII. ASSESSMENT
I will participate in the University-wide Program-level Writing Assessment by requiring
students in this course to upload a sample paper to the designated Moodle location. Please
clearly communicate the requirement to your students and include language on your syllabus
(sample below).

This course requires an electronic submission of an assignment stripped of your personal
information to be used for educational research and assessment of the writing
program. Your paper will be stored in a database. A random selection of student papers
will be assessed by a group of faculty using a rubric developed from the following
writing learning outcomes.

Compose written documents that are appropriate for a given audience or purpose






Formulate and express opinions and ideas in writing
Use writing to learn and synthesize new concepts
Revise written work based on constructive feedback
Find, evaluate, and use information effectively
Begin to use discipline-specific writing conventions (largely style conventions like
APA or MLA)
Demonstrate appropriate English language usage
The rubric score points are: (4) advanced, (3) proficient, (2) nearing proficiency, and (1)
novices. This assessment in no way affects either your grade or your progression at the
university.
VIII. SYLLABUS
Attach syllabus and send digital copy with form to faculty.senate@mso.umt.edu.
The syllabus must include the list of Writing Course learning outcomes above.
Submission
Example of writing assignment for section VI:
Anthropology 310, Fall Semester 2015
Research Paper Directions
Please read these instructions carefully and seek out your instructor for further clarification!
Topic
Your research paper will be written on a topic of your choice—something of interest to you
within the realm of human biological variation, including all topics covered in this course. To aid
you in selecting your paper topic, a list of suggestions can be found below. This list is by no
means exhaustive, and you are welcome to be creative. I highly recommend choosing a topic that
interests you, as you will be spending a considerable amount of time researching and writing this
paper.
You are encouraged to talk to your instructor about your topic to ensure it is suitable. You should
have your specific topic chosen by the midterm, and a significant amount of research completed
before you turn in your outline.
Outline (5% of total course grade)
The goal of the outline is to ensure that your research is on schedule for you to complete your
paper to the best of your ability. The outline will be a one to two page, typed document outlining
your research paper. They key here is detailed. Each paragraph you plan to write in your research
paper should have a line on the outline that specifies the main topic of that paragraph and a brief
description. Single words to outline entire topics will not suffice. While some changes will occur
between your outline and your final paper, your outline should reflect the majority of your
research and the main points you will cover in your paper.
Included in your outline should be an annotated Works Cited that will allow you to demonstrate
why you are including each resource in your research and paper. This should be done for all
sources you have at the time your outline is due (with a minimum of 5 resources). These
annotations are not summaries but should describe and evaluate the source in the context of your
project. Your annotations for each resource should include:
1. A brief description of the main point of the source material (one-two sentences).
2. A brief description of the relevance to your topic and how you will use it in your paper.
An example from a textbook, for a paper written on lactose tolerance:
Molnar, SJ.
2006
Human Variation: Races, Types and Ethnic Groups, 6th Edition. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Outlines the biochemical reasons for why certain adults can break down lactose in a
broad sense, and how it is related to human variation. Also outlines the differences
between lactose tolerance and galactosemia. Briefly notes the possible evolutionary
aspects related to the distribution of the enzyme, but not in great detail.
Your grade on your outline, which is five percentage points toward your final grade, will be
based on the research done, and the clarity and depth of ideas you presented. Your outline will be
due at the start on class on November 19th. You will be allowed to re-submit your revised
outline based on your professor’s comments and advice to obtain a better grade or additional
guidance on your paper.
Presentation (5% of total course grade)
It is important that you leave college with the ability to synthesize and present research you have
accumulated. For this reason, a brief, five-minute presentation will be required of each student at
the end of the semester, covering the topic of your paper. These presentations will also be
possible subject matter for the final exam and attendance is highly recommended.
You will need to include several things in your presentation:
1. Your name
2. Paper topic (as briefly as possible)
3. Why you chose your topic
4. The main points you found during your research
5. Your main conclusion
The Paper (20% of total course grade)
Your first draft of your paper should be submitted for feedback on December 1st.
Your final paper should be submitted at the start of class on December 10th.
The research paper should be approximately eight to ten pages (no longer than 12 pages), double
spaced, 12 point Times font, 1” margins—it is very obvious if you stray from these guidelines. It
must include literature citations, which are not included in the page count. It should consist
primarily of new information not presented in class.
The format of the paper itself should conform to a standard research paper: introduction stating
your thesis/argument, body paragraphs discussing what you found while researching your topic
and how it fits with your thesis, and a solid conclusion tying everything together. Please be sure
to edit your paper carefully (better yet, have someone else edit it, too), to ensure it makes sense
and is free from typos.
Sources used to write your paper should include journal articles and books. No generic websites
such as Wikipedia are allowed. Should you need to use a website for basic reference material
please have it approved. For in-text citations and Works Cited page, you should use the
guidelines set out by the AAA, which can be found in pdf form on their website
(http://www.aaanet.org/publications/guidelines.cfm). At least ten citations are required for your
paper, although some topics may have more than this number. Your final Works Cited page will
not require citations to be annotated like they must be for your outline.
When starting your research, Google Scholar is an excellent resource to help find papers on your
topic. The advanced search option is quite useful. I also recommend looking through the
references of related journal articles, and the course textbook, for other places to find
information. A link to useful electronic library resources has also been included on the top of the
moodle site.
Grading
You will be graded on:
1. Level of scholarship reflected by the paper
2. Relevance to the course
3. Clarity and thought put into the paper
4. Support provided for your thesis
5. Writing style and clarity
6. Mechanics (spelling and grammar)
Late papers will be subtracted 20% of the total grade you receive for each day past the deadline.
Possible Paper Topics
Remember, pick a topic that is interesting to you!










Any of the individuals we discussed during the history portion of the class.
A particular element of the Eugenics movement (period, person, eugenics today, etc.).
Evolutionary theory (such as mutations) and how it relates to human variation.
Investigate a particular disease and discuss the genetic and environmental factors that
influence it.
Examine the genetic/biological evidence suggesting a homeland of origin for a specific
group (Native Americans, Lapps, Ainu, Basques, etc.).
Examine new techniques for studying human variation (genetic markers, new
technology).
Discuss how a particular genetic marker or biological trait is distributed as a cline
throughout a geographic region, and the associated selective force.
Using genetic evidence, discuss the peopling of the world, or a particular region.
Paper topics I have also seen: handedness (left/right handed), Carrie Buck, individual’s
family genetic background (country of origin), Tay-Sachs, genetic screening, stem-cells,
HIV resistance, ABO selective forces, sickle-cell anemia.
There are many, many topics possible, so if you are questioning what to do, please speak
with your instructor!
Writing Learning Outcomes
In order to obtain writing course credit toward graduation, you are required to submit your paper
to the University for additional evaluation. In order to complete this portion of the assignment
you will create a copy of your paper stripped of your personal information to be used for
educational research and assessment of the writing program. On your moodle homepage, a link
for the University Writing Assessment will provide you with the steps to submit it. Your paper
will be stored in a database. A random selection of student papers will be assessed by a group of
faculty using a rubric developed from the following writing learning outcomes.







Compose written documents that are appropriate for a given audience or purpose
Formulate and express opinions and ideas in writing
Use writing to learn and synthesize new concepts
Revise written work based on constructive feedback
Find, evaluate, and use information effectively
Begin to use discipline-specific writing conventions (largely style conventions like APA
or MLA)
Demonstrate appropriate English language usage
The rubric score points are: (4) advanced, (3) proficient, (2) nearing proficiency, and (1) novices.
This assessment in no way affects either your grade or your progression at the university.
Syllabus for ANTY 310:
Anthropology 310: Human Variation
Fall Semester 2015
Instructor:
Dr. Meradeth Snow
Meradeth.snow@umontana.edu
Office Hours: 2-5pm Thursdays in 219 Social Sciences & by appointment
Class Information:
Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:10am-12:30pm in LA 106
Textbook & Readings:
1. Mielke, JH, Lyle W. Konigsberg, and John H. Relethford. Human Biological Variation.
2nd Edition. Oxford University Press; New York, NY.
2. Supplemental readings will be posted on the course Moodle site. These will provide
material for discussion in class and are required reading. Please note, you should read
each article critically: they are chosen more to make you think, and not for memorization.
The Purpose of Anthropology 310:
The goal of this course is to examine biological explanations for how variation arises among
humans, as well as how studies of human variation influence society both past and present. We
will consider genetic, phenotypic, sex, and behavioral differences among humans, as well as the
theory, methods, and ethics involved in scientific studies of humans. Through the course students
will be expected to explain human variation from a biological perspective, understand, interpret
and react to current and future human biological studies, and research. As this course fulfills a
writing requirement, students are also expected to complete written work on a specific topic of
interest and intelligently discuss multiple topics and readings related to human variation studies.
Grades:
Exams:
Midterm Exam: 25%
Final Exam: 25%
Research Paper:
Outline: 5%
In-class presentation: 5%
Research Paper: 20%
Problem Set: 10%
Participation: 10%
Online Materials:
This course will have a significant portion of the required materials posted to Moodle. It is
advised that you regularly check this resource to ensure you are up-to-date on what you might
need. Also, please note that your professor is not responsible for any trouble accessing the site
that may arise, especially the night before an exam.
Examinations:
The midterm exam will be primarily made up of term identifications, short answer, and short
essay questions. The final exam will be entirely composed of multiple choice questions.
The midterm exam will test your knowledge and understanding of material covered from the
start of class through Week 7. The final exam will test your knowledge and understanding of
material covered during weeks 8-15, including the presentations of student papers. Although the
final is not technically cumulative, many concepts are, and you may find terms and examples
from the first half of the class helpful on the final exam.
Research Paper:
Your research paper will be written on a topic of your choice—something of interest to you
within the realm of human biological variation, including all topics covered in this course. You
are encouraged to talk to your instructor about your topic to ensure that it is suitable. You should
have your topic chosen by the midterm, and a significant amount of research completed before
you turn in your outline.
The paper is composed of three parts: your outline, in-class presentation, and the paper itself.
Detailed instructions can be found on Moodle in the document labeled Research Paper
Instructions. Please note that an initial draft of your paper is due on December 1st, to obtain
feedback before your final paper is due. You are also welcome to bring drafts to my office hours
before this date.
This course requires an electronic submission of an assignment stripped of your personal
information to be used for educational research and assessment of the writing program. Your
paper will be stored in a database. A random selection of student papers will be assessed by a
group of faculty using a rubric developed from the following writing learning outcomes.
• Compose written documents that are appropriate for a given audience or purpose
• Formulate and express opinions and ideas in writing
• Use writing to learn and synthesize new concepts
• Revise written work based on constructive feedback
• Find, evaluate, and use information effectively
• Begin to use discipline-specific writing conventions (largely style conventions like APA
or MLA)
• Demonstrate appropriate English language usage
The rubric score points are: (4) advanced, (3) proficient, (2) nearing proficiency, and (1) novices.
This assessment in no way affects either your grade or your progression at the university.
Problem Set:
The problem set assigned to you will be distributed via Moodle and will cover information
presented during the first half of the course. You will be asked to apply formulas and reason out
problems applicable to human variation studies. A practice problem set will be distributed prior
to this for you to complete and which will be solved during week 6. You will be graded on your
work, how well it is labeled, your explanations, and the answers you obtain. You are welcome to
seek help from your instructor, but I warn against using other students as sources of help—group
work often leads to group-wide point loss. This problem set may take quite a bit of time; do not
wait until the last minute to begin!
Participation:
The participation portion of the class will be based on your contribution to classroom discussions
that will take place throughout the semester. These will be primarily composed of answering
written questions which will then be discussed as a group. Your attendance and thoughtful and
respectful analysis of the assigned readings for the classroom discussion will be counted toward
your grade. Several weeks will also have small assignments that will accompany the reading—
these will be announced widely in class.
Make-up or Missed Exams:
Exams will not be re-administered unless approval is obtained at least 24 hours prior to the
exam, with a legitimate excuse (such as health reasons, with a doctor’s confirmation). If you
miss an exam you must contact your professor within 24 hours, with a documented excuse, in
order to obtain permission to take the exam. If you know you will miss an exam ahead of time
you must make an appointment at least two weeks in advance to take it early.
Late Assignments:
Assignments submitted after the due date will not be accepted unless you have a documented,
legitimate excuse and have contacted your instructor within 24 hours of the due date. Please
contact your instructor well in advance if you know there will be a problem submitting your
assignment. Email submissions will never be accepted.
How to Succeed in ANTY310:
Those students who have completed my courses successfully often display similar tendencies. I
highly recommend taking these into account when judging what grade you hope to achieve in the
course. These include:
1) Attend every lecture and take notes on the material.
2) Ask questions when confused about a topic or concept, either in class or during office
hours, well before an exam.
3) Complete readings before class, annotating or taking notes while reading.
4) Participate in discussions of the material, either in class or with the TA and instructor.
5) Maintain a positive, self-motivated attitude.
Code of Academic Conduct:
With regard to academic dishonesty, this class has a zero-tolerance policy and will promptly deal
with any acts of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, or unauthorized help on
assignments, etc.) according to university policy. For further information on what falls into these
categories see: http://life.umt.edu/vpsa/student_conduct.php. If you have questions or concerns,
please feel free to contact your professor.
Students with Disabilities:
Students with disabilities may request reasonable modifications by contacting your instructor.
The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through collaboration between
students with disabilities, instructors, and Disability Services for Students (DSS). “Reasonable”
means the University permits no fundamental alterations of academic standards or retroactive
modifications. (For other options see http://www.umt.edu/disability).
Week
1 1
2
2 3
4
3 5
6
4 7
8
5 9
10
6 11
12
Date
9/1
9/3
9/8
9/10
9/15
9/17
9/22
9/24
9/29
10/1
10/6
10/8
Topic
Syllabus & Introduction to “Race”
History of the concept of race I
History of the concept of race II & discussion
Eugenics
Film: Nazi Medicine
Basic genetics & multifactorial inheritance
Modern Synthesis
Hardy-Weinberg
Chi Squared and basic stats
Nature vs. Nurture controversy
Practice Problem Set solved
Human sexuality
7
10/13
10/15
10/20
10/22
10/27
10/29
11/3
11/5
11/10
11/12
11/17
11/19
11/24
11/26
12/1
Review for midterm exam
MIDTERM EXAM
Research paper guest lecture
Traits of simple inheritance
Multifactorial Inheritance I
Multifactorial Inheritance II
Molecular anthropology
Sex-chromosome “abnormalities”
Human body types & discussion
Research Library Meeting (attend. required)
Inheritance of intelligence
IQ Results and discussion
NO CLASS
NO CLASS
Human genome diversity project & ethics
26 12/3
15 27 12/8
28 12/10
12/17
Student Presentations
Student Presentations
Review for final exam
FINAL EXAM at 10:10-12:10am in LA 106
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Reading & assignments
Course Syllabus
Mielke chapter 1
Lee (1993)
Mielke chapter 2
Mielke 239-244
Mielke 50-58
Mielke 244-250
Review Practice P.S. before class
Langstrom (2010), Mielke 348-353,
Sanders et al (2014)
Paper topic must be selected
Mielke chapter 7 & 8
Mielke chapter 11
Mielke chapter 12
Problem set DUE
Brues (1959) & Weaver et al (2007)
Mielke 353-363 Outline DUE
Gelade (2008)
Cavalli-Sforza (2005)
First Draft of Paper DUE
Final Paper DUE
*Small changes to this syllabus may be made, but will be announced widely!