ANTHROPOLOGY 210
INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
FALL 2011
MEETING TIMES AND PLACE:
MWF 11:10 am - 12:00 pm, Social Science Bldg 356
PROFESSOR:
Dr. Ashley McKeown
Office: 225 Social Science Bldg
Office Hours: Monday 9:30-11am, Wednesday 9-10am, and by appointment
Office Phone: 243-2145
Email: ashley.mckeown@umontana.edu (be sure to include your full name and course number in email)
TEACHING ASSISTANTS:
Rosie Bongiovanni
Office: 219 Social Sciences Bldg
Email: rosanne.bongiovanni@umontana.edu
Office Hours: M&F 10-11 am, MWF 12-2 am
Milena Oganesyan
Office: 219 SS
Email: milena.oganesyan@umontana.edu
Office Hours: TR 10-12 and 1-2
REQUIRED COURSE TEXT:
Our Origins: Discovering Physical Anthropology, 2nd edition (2010) by Clark Spencer Larsen, W.W. Norton &
Company, Inc.
COURSE GOALS AND PURPOSE:
This course is designed to provide an introduction to the major subfields of physical anthropology. Students
will become familiar with human genetics and processes of evolution, biology and behavior of non-human
primates, human evolution, and modern human adaptation and variation. This course will also prepare
students to take more advanced courses in physical anthropology.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will
 be familiar with the major subfields of physical anthropology
 understand the scientific method and how it is applied in physical anthropology
 understand the theoretical foundations of physical anthropology
 understand the principles of human genetics and the process and mechanisms of evolution
 be familiar with the biology and behavior of non-human primates
 be familiar with human evolution and modern human adaptation and variation
 be prepared for more advanced courses in physical anthropology
COURSE STRUCTURE AND GRADING:
During the course of the semester there will be three (3) multiple choice exams (100 points each) and four (4)
assignments (25 points each) for an overall total of 400 points. Each of the three exams constitutes 25% of your
final grade and the assignments provide the remaining 25%. The exam and assignment schedule is provided on
the next page.
EXAM AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULES
Exam Schedule
Exam 1 – Monday, Sept 26
Exam 2 - Monday, Oct 31
Exam 3 - Friday, Dec 16 (8-10 am, Final Exam Period)
Assignment Schedule
Assignment
Available on Moodle
1
Sept 16
2
Oct 5
3
Oct 31
4
Nov 28
Due
Sept 23
Oct 14
Nov 7
Dec 5
EXTRA CREDIT
At least one extra credit opportunity will be available during the semester.
You can expect your final grade to be assigned using the following scale:
A = 92% and up, A- = 90-91%, B+ = 88-89%, B = 82-87%, B- =80-81%, C+ = 78-79%, C = 72-77%,
C- = 70-71%, D = 60-69%, F = 59% or less.
MOODLE MATERIALS
This class also has a Moodle presence where you can access the complete course syllabus, announcements,
handouts, assignments and copies of the powerpoint presentations used in class. You can access the Moodle
materials by going to http://umonline.umt.edu/ and following the directions you find there.
CLASSROOM POLICIES
Missing an exam - If you know in advance that you will miss an exam, please let me know before the exam so that
we can schedule an opportunity for you to take the exam early. If you miss an exam with a valid and documented
excused absence, you will need to contact me within 48 hours of the exam to schedule a make-up which will be a short
answer exam. Otherwise you will need to take a comprehensive short answer makeup exam scheduled for Friday,
December 2. No other make up opportunities will be offered.
Late assignments are unacceptable unless you have a valid and documented excuse that results in your unavoidable
absence. However, assignments will be accepted prior to the due date. If you know you will be absent when an assignment
is due, make arrangements to turn it in early. Any assignment received after the due date or never received will be given no
credit (0 points).
DO come to class. I try to integrate material and examples not present in the text into class lectures and you will find that a
lot of my test material comes from my lectures.
DO ask questions. While this is a large lecture class, I encourage you to ask questions and to share what you know with
the class. We all learn in an atmosphere of shared information and when we think critically!
DON’T engage in disruptive behaviors during class, such as coming in late, leaving early, talking, reading the
newspaper, etc. These behaviors are disruptive (not to mention rude) even in a class this size and will not be tolerated.
Please be respectful of your fellow students.
DON’T cheat, plagiarize or in any other way participate in academic dishonesty. I take such transgressions seriously
(exams or assignments) and will deal with them in a serious manner. Cheating, plagiarism, providing unauthorized help to
other students, and other acts of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. For further details on what constitutes academic
dishonesty and the disciplinary sanctions for such infractions, please see the Student Conduct Code found at
http://life.umt.edu/vpsa/student_conduct.php.
ANTHROPOLOGY 210 - FALL 2011
SCHEDULE AND READINGS
WEEK
1
Aug 29-Sept 2
2
Sept 5-9
3
Sept 12-16
4
Sept 19-23
5
Sept 26-30
6
Oct 3-7
7
Oct 10-14
8
Oct 17-21
DAY/CLASS
PERIOD
M/1
TOPICS COVERED
READINGS
Introduction to and physical anthropology
Review course syllabus,
Ch 1: 2-16
W/2
The scientific method in physical anthropology
Ch 1: 16-21
F/3
M
History of evolutionary thought I
No class, Monday Sept 5 - Labor Day
Ch 2: 23-41
W/4
History of evolutionary thought II
Ch 2:23-41, 42-43
F/5
M/6
DNA, genes & chromosomes
Functions of DNA
Ch 3: 56-78
Ch 3: 56-78
W/7
Mendelian genetics & complex traits
Ch 3: 79-85, Ch 2: 41-53
F/8
Ch 4: 86-94
M/9
Population genetics & detecting evolutionary change
(Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium)
Forces of evolution: mutation & gene flow
W/10
Forces of evolution: genetic drift & natural selection
Ch 4: 110-113, 98-103
F/11
Natural selection in humans
Ch 4: 104-110, 117,
118-119
Mon,
Sept 26
EXAM 1
W/13
Film: Darwin’s Dangerous Idea
F/14
M/15
Modern human adaptation: heat
Ch 5: 125-138
Modern human adaptation: cold stress & high altitude Ch 5: 138-139,142-144
environments
W/16
Modern human adaptation: solar radiation & skin
color
F/17
M/18
Film: The Difference Between US
Human variation: history of the race concept
Ch 5: 120-123
W/19
The fallacy of the race concept
Ch 5: 123-125, 153
F/20
M/21
Primate osteology
Primate taxonomy & evol. trends
App: The Skeleton
Ch 6: 156-176
W/22
Film: Life in the Trees
F/23
Prosimians & New World Monkeys
Ch 4: 94-97, 114-118
Ch 5: 139-142, 144-153
Ch 6: 176-180
WEEK
9
Oct 24-28
10
Oct 31
-Nov 4
11
Nov 7-11
12
Nov 14-18
13
Nov 21-25
14
Nov 28
-Dec 2
15
Dec 5-9
16
TOPICS COVERED
DAY/LECTURE
Old World Monkeys
M/24
READINGS
Ch 6: 180-182, 184-185;
Ch 7
W/25
Asian Apes
Ch 6: 182-191
F/26
African Apes
Ch 7
Mon, Oct 31
EXAM 2
W/ 28
Film: Monkey in the Mirror
F/ 29
M/30
Introduction to Paleoanthropology
Hominid origins
Ch 8
Review Ch 9,
Ch 10: 284-298
W/31
Early hominids
Ch 10: 298-308
F
M/32
No Class, Nov 11 - Veteran’s Day
The australopithecines
Ch 10: 308-317
W/33
Interpreting australopithecines
Ch 10: 317-321
F/34
M/35
Early Homo
Homo erectus
Ch 11: 322-328
Ch 11: 329-355
W/F
M/36
No Class Wed, Nov 23 & Fri, Nov 25
Thanksgiving Holidays
Archaic Homo sapiens
Ch 12: 361-367
W/37
Neandertals
Ch 12: 367-381
F/38
M/39
Modern human origins
Film - Modern human origins
Ch 12: 356-361, 381-407
W/40
Forensic Anthropology
F/41
Finals Week
Fri, Dec 16
Film - forensic anthropology
EXAM 3
Final Exam Period, Friday, Dec 16, 8-10 am