College of the Redwoods
SELECTED TOPICS CURRICULUM PROPOSAL
1.
Division: Arts, Languages, and Social Sciences
2.
Course ID and Number: ANTH 99
3.
Course Title: Science and Pseudoscience in Anthropology
4.
Discipline(s): (Select from CCC System Office Minimum Qualification for Faculty [copy following web
address and paste into web browser http://www.cccco.edu/divisions/esed/aa_ir/psmq/min_qual/min_quals%20_revApr406.pdf]
Course may fit more than one discipline; identify all that apply): Anthropology
5.
New
Change to existing course
(Indicate changes on "Summary of Curriculum Changes" form)
Replacing existing course
6.
(Course to be inactivated)
Provide explanation and justification for addition/change/deletion:
These topics cannot be adequately covered in existing anthropology courses. This
one-unit course is suited to be taught as an offering during winter session, summer
session, or another unusual time slot.
7.
List any special materials, equipment, tools, etc. that students must purchase:
8.
This course will have an instructional materials fee. No
Fee: $
Submitted by:
Ethan McGaffey and Justine M. Shaw
Division Chair: Justine Shaw
Yes
Tel. Ext. 4322
Date: 09/04/07
Review Date: 09/04/07
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE USE ONLY
Approved by Curriculum Committee: No
Board of Trustees Approval Date: 11/6/07
Yes
Date: 9/12/07
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 1 of 7
SUMMARY OF CURRICULUM CHANGES
FOR AN EXISTING COURSE
FEATURES
Catalog Description
(Please include text of
old catalog description.)
Grading Standard
NEW
OLD
Select
Select
Total Units
Lecture Units
Lab Units
Prerequisites
Corequisites
Recommended
Preparation
Maximum Class Size
Repeatability—
Maximum Enrollments
Other
If any of the listed features have been modified in the new proposal, indicate the "old" (current) information and
proposed changes.
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 2 of 7
College of the Redwoods
SELECTED TOPICS COURSE OUTLINE
DATE: 09/04/07
COURSE ID AND NUMBER: ANTH 99
FORMER ID AND NUMBER (if previously offered):
COURSE TITLE: Science and Pseudoscience in Anthropology
Is this the first time this course has been offered?
The second time?
The third time?
FIRST TERM NEW OR REVISED COURSE MAY BE OFFERED: Winter Session 2008
TOTAL UNITS: 1.0
TOTAL HOURS: 18
[Lecture Units: 1.0
[Lecture Hours: 18
Lab Units:
Lab Hours:
]
]
MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE:
GRADING STANDARD
Letter Grade Only
CR/NC Only
Is this course repeatable for additional credit units?: No
Grade-CR/NC Option
Yes
how many total enrollments?
DESCRIPTION OF SELECTED TOPIC
Clearly state the scope of the course, its level, and what kinds of student goals the course is designed to fulfill.
Introduction to scientific method and reasoning, contrasting it with untestable and/ or
untrue interpretations of aspects of humanity. It is designed to be taken by students who
have had little-to-no prior experience with the field of anthropology, having taken at most
introductory-level courses in anthropology. The topics covered in the course will be too
specific to have been covered for more than a lecture in CR's other anthropology
courses. As a one-unit course, it may be more readily offered during the shorter winter
or summer sessions.
PREREQUISITES
No
Yes
Course(s):
Rationale for Prerequisite:
Describe representative skills without which the student would be highly unlikely to succeed .
COREQUISITES
No
Yes
Rationale for Corequisite:
Course(s):
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 3 of 7
RECOMMENDED PREPARATION
No
Yes
Course(s): eligibility for Eng 150
Rationale for Recommended Preparation:
Being able to read and write at, or near, a college level is necessary for students to
understand assigned texts, follow detailed written instructions, and present findings in
writing on essay exams and in papers.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
What should the student be able to do as a result of taking this course? State some of the objectives in terms of
specific, measurable student accomplishments.
1. Apply the scientific method to critically analyze written conclusions in scientific
articles.
2. Analyze contrasting viewpoints and draw rational conclusions.
3. Apply anthropological concepts to real-world situations and problems, demonstrating
an ability to process factual information using anthropological concepts.
5. Create their own arguments based upon anthropological concepts and data.
6. In class discussions, written work, and written examinations, exhibit the ability to
think logically about social issues and how people have interpreted those issues.
7. Sustain an argument through the use of evidence and logic in class discussions,
essay exam questions, and term papers.
REPRESENTATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES
What will students be doing (e.g., listening to lectures, participating in discussions and/or group activities, attending
a field trip)? Relate the activities directly to the Course Learning Outcomes.
1. Listening to lectures.
2. Participating in group and class discussions.
3. Analyzing written, oral, and visual presentations.
4. Responding verbally, and in writing, to questions about controversial topics.
5. Composing in-class essays and take-home papers.
6. Conducting independent real-world and library-based research and presenting
findings and conclusions in formal papers and presentations.
ASSESSMENT TASKS
How will students show evidence of achieving the Course Learning Outcomes? Indicate which assessments (if any)
are required for all sections.
Representative assessment tasks:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Pop quizzes.
Essay and objective test questions.
Written assignments utilizing the students' own fieldwork and library research.
Periodic assignments presented in class and in written forms.
Required assessments for all sections – to include but not limited to:
There will be at least one major writing assignment. Students will be required to conduct
extensive library research to complete the assignment.
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 4 of 7
COURSE CONTENT
To justify repeatability, describe course content and list texts for two representative selected topics, demonstrating
clearly that each will provide significantly different content.
Representative Topic #1
Course Title: Race and Social Inequality
Themes: What themes, if any, are threaded throughout the learning experiences in this course?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Social inequality.
Role of language in human classifications of reality.
Race as a social construct.
The influence of culture and society on individuals and groups.
An understanding of common problems in scientific articles.
Concepts: What concepts do students need to understand to demonstrate course outcomes?
1. Critical reading and thinking.
2. Argumentative writing.
3. Verbal and written analysis.
Issues: What primary issues or problems, if any, must students understand to achieve course outcomes (including
such issues as gender, diversity, multi-culturalism, and class)?
1. There is no scientific evidence that supports the genetic or biological basis for the
inferiority or superiority of any racial or ethnic group.
2. Common, everyday understandings of race are tied to systems of domination and
oppression.
3. Variability in human classifications of reality.
Skills: What skills must students master to demonstrate course outcomes?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Scientific research methods.
Identification of poor scientific analysis.
Critical, comparative reading of texts with opposing viewpoints.
Deconstruction and analysis of authors' sources, data, and final conclusions.
Applying class concepts to real-world examples and situations.
Participation in discussions of complex issues.
Anthropological arguementation supported by data.
Examples of Appropriate Texts or Other Readings: Title, Author, and Date are required.
Author Ferber,
Abby L. Title White Man Falling: Race, Gender, and White Supremecy Date 1998
Author Rushton,
P. Title Race, Intelligence and the Brain: The Errors and Omissions of the "Revised"
Edition of S.J. Gould's The Mismeasure of Man" Date 1996
Author Gould,
Date 1996
Stephen J. Title The Mismeasure of Man: The Definitive Refutation of the Bell Curve
Author Hernstein,
R. Title The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life Date 1996
Other Appropriate Readings:
1)Foucault, M. The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences (Preface) 1966
2)Haley, A. The Autobiography of Malcom X. 1965
3)Loewen, James W. Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got
Wrong. 1996
4)Bartlett, D.L. and Steele, J.B. America: Who Stole the Dream? 1996
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 5 of 7
Representative Topic #2
Course Title: Pseudoscience in Archaeology
Themes: What themes, if any, are threaded throughout the learning experiences in this course?
1. Material culture - as a record of past human behavior.
2. Scientific method - In science, hypotheses are formulated and then tested in an effort
to refute the scientist's ideas. Approaches that construct stories or interpretations
without such attempts at refutation are not scientific.
3. Need to critically analyze depictions of the past - Many popular depictions of the past
include erroneous information. Based upon information gained in the course, students
should be able to critically examine claims about the past made on the Internet, as well
as in movies, newspapers, magazines, and in other media. It is critical to examine the
basis for claims, as well as the biases of the presentors.
Concepts: What concepts do students need to understand to demonstrate course outcomes?
1. Critical reading and thinking.
2. Argumentative writing.
3. Verbal and written analysis.
Issues: What primary issues or problems, if any, must students understand to achieve course outcomes (including
such issues as gender, diversity, multi-culturalism, and class)?
1. There are differences between scientific research and non-scientific beliefs and
interpretations.
2. Everyone is culture-bound, or influenced by his/ her own background, goals, and
biases.
3. The fact that something is presented in the media (including the Internet, movies, or
written works) does not make it true.
4. The influence of biases and goals on the way archeology is interpreted and presented.
Skills: What skills must students master to demonstrate course outcomes?
1. Critical reading or viewing of presentations of archaeological studies and the
discipline of archaeology.
2. Developing analytical writing on in-class tests and written papers.
3. Participating in discussions of complex issues.
4. Conducting anthropological argumentation supported by data in class discussions,
essay questions on tests, and written papers.
5. Using the Internet and library to locate information on the past.
6. Summarizing and presenting information on an archaeological site(s) in an organized
manner.
Examples of Appropriate Texts or Other Readings: Title, Author, and Date are required.
Author Kenneth
L. Feder Title Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: Science and Pseudoscience in
Archaeology Date 1998
Author Fred
Wilson Title The Logic and Methodology of Science & Pseudoscience Date 2000
Author Robert
Author
L. Park Title Voodoo Science: The Road from Foolishness to Fraud Date 2001
Title
Date
Other Appropriate Readings:
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 6 of 7
FOR VPAA USE ONLY
PROGRAM AND COURSE NUMBER Anth-99
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
1. Department: SSCI Social Science
16. CoRequisite Course: None
2. Subject: Anthropology
17. CoRequisite Noncourse: None
Course No: 99
3. Credit Type: D Credit Degree Applicable
18. Maximum Class Size: 40
4. Min/Maximum Units: 0.5 to 3.0 variable units
19. Repeat/Retake: NR No repeats
5. Course Level: D Possibly Occupational
20. Count Retakes for Credit:
yes
no
6. Academic Level: UG Undergraduate
21. Only Pass/No Pass:
yes
no
7. Grade Scheme: UG Undergraduate
22. Allow Pass/No Pass:
yes
no
8. Short Title: Sel Topics/Anthro
23. VATEA Funded Course:
yes
no
9. Long Title: Selected Topics in Anthropology
24. Accounting Method: W Weekly Census
10. National ID (CIP): 45.0201
25. Disability Status: N Not a Special Class
11. Local ID (TOPS): 220200
26. Billing Method: T-Term
12. Course Types:
 Level One Basic Skills: NBS Not Basic Skills
27. Billing Period: R-Reporting Term
28. Billing Credits: 1.0



Level Two Work Experience:
NWE Not Coop Work Experience
29. Purpose: A Liberal Arts Sciences
Level Three:
30. Articulation No. (CAN):
Placeholder for GE OR
DOES NOT APPLY
31. Articulation Seq. (CAN):
Level Four: If GE : Choose One:
32. Transfer Status: B Transfers to CSU only
13. Instructional Method: LEC Lecture and/or Discussion
33. Equates to another course?
course number.
14. Lec TLUs: 1.5 Contact Hours: 18
Lab TLUs:
Contact Hours:
Lecture/Lab TLUs:
Contact Hours:
15. Prerequisite: None
Particular Comments for Printed Schedule.
Science and Pseudoscience in Anthropology.
Selected Topics Courses Form (rev. 9.5.06)
Revised and approved: February 11, 2005/Academic Senate: March 2, 2005
Page 7 of 7