ANTH 1280.1 Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Syllabus
Fall 2015
This syllabus complies with Senate Policy on Course Outlines 8-1012.
General Information
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ANTH 1280.1 Introduction to Biological Anthropology
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3 credit hours
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Dr. Paul A. Erickson
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TR 11:30 am-12:45 pm, L 170
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Office hours TR 1:00-4:00 pm, MS 215; telephone 902-420-5627; e-mail erickson@ns.sympatico.ca
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No prerequisites
 “A survey of human biological evolution. The principal topics are evolutionary theory, human genetics, the nature of race, living primates, and the fossil record of humanity.”
Course Description
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This is the description and sequence of course topics, along with corresponding required reading in the textbook. There is equal emphasis on each daily topic.
September
R 10 Introduction to Biological Anthropology, Chapter 1
T 15 Science and the Development of Evolutionary Theory, Chapter 2
R 17 Science and the Development of Evolutionary Theory, Continued
T 22 The Biological Basis of Human variation, Chapter 3
R 24 The Biological Basis of human Variation, Continued
T 29 From Variant to Species, Chapter 4
October
R 01 From Variant to Species, Continued
T 06 What It Means to Be a Primate, Chapter 5
R08 What It Means to Be a Primate, Continued
M 12 Thanksgiving
T 13 Primate Behavioural Ecology, Chapter 6
R 15 Primate Behavioural Ecology, Continued
T 20 Primate Evolution, Chapter 7
R 22 Primate Evolution, Continued

2
T 27 What It Means to Be a Hominin, Chapter 8
R29 What It Means to Be a Hominin, Continued
November
T 03 Hominin Origins: From Ape to Australopithecine, Chapter 9
R 05 Hominin Origins: From Ape to Australopithecine, Continued
T 10 The Emergence of the Genus Homo , Chapter 10
W 11 Remembrance Day
T 12 Fall Break
T 17 The Advent of Humanity, Chapter 11; Chapter 10 answer due by 11:30 am
R 19 The Advent of Humanity, Continued
T 24 The Emergence of Anatomically Modern Humans, Chapter 12
R 26 The Emergence of Anatomically Modern Humans, Continued
December
T 01 Contemplating Modern Human Diversity, Chapter 13
R 03 Chapter 13 answer due by 11:30 am
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The objective of the course is to introduce students to the subject of biological anthropology while generating an understanding of what it means to adopt a biological evolutionary perspective on humanity.
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The required textbook is A Human Voyage: Exploring Biological Anthropology,
2 nd
edition by Anne Keenleyside and Richard Lazenby (Nelson Education 2015).
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The instructional approach will comprise PowerPoint-assisted lectures followed by classroom discussion and in-class written assignments.
Assessment
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Assessment will be based on several components. The beginning of each class will comprise a PowerPoint-assisted lecture lasting approximately 45 minutes.
The lecture will highlight the course topic as it is presented in the relevant chapter of the textbook, which you will be expected to read before class. Through your prior reading and the information imparted in the lecture, you will be exposed to the course information designed to achieve the course objective.
On Tuesdays, following the lecture, I will call on students at random to answer questions about the course material. These questions will be designed to promote your engagement with the course material. These questions will be based

3 significantly on the key ideas, key terms, key questions to ask myself, and key critical thinking questions at the end of the pertinent textbook chapter.
On Thursdays, following the lecture, you will all write an essay answering either one of two substantive questions covering the course material of that day and the preceding Tuesday. These questions will be designed to capture reading, lecture, and classroom discussion. Their aim will be to test your knowledge of broad themes, including themes developed in classroom discussion. There will be no maximum word limit. With two exceptions, you will submit your answers at the end of class on. You will write these answers closed-book. The two exceptions pertain to Thursday, 12 November, and Thursday, 03 December. There will be no lectures on these dates. Instead, the two questions will be made available the preceding Tuesdays, and your answers will be due, in the first instance, at the beginning of class on Tuesday, 17 November, and, in the second instance, by
11:30 am on Thursday, 03 November, deposited in the mail slot outside the
Department of Anthropology office MS 218. These two essays are not closedbook.
I will assign each oral answer a letter grade: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, or F. If you are called on to give more than one oral answer, I will convert the grades into their numerical equivalents, average them, and reconvert them into a single letter grade. This grade will account for 10% of your final grade in the course.
For each Thursday answer, I will award you a letter grade. At the end of the course, I will drop your lowest grade, convert the remaining grades into their numerical equivalents, average them, and reconvert them into a single letter grade. This grade will account for 90% of your grade in the course.
In grading your Thursday answers, I will take into account both content and prose.
I will return your graded Thursday essays in class using a system that will protect your anonymity.
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No single component is required to pass the course.
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There are no group activities.
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There is no laboratory, recitation, or field component.
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There is no peer assessment.
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Participation marks are explained above.
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As explained above, every class period has an activity that will be assessed.

4
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If you are not present to answer a question or write an essay for a legitimate reason, you will not be penalized. You will be given another opportunity to answer a question, or the number of grades used to calculate your averaged essay letter grade will be reduced.
I reserve the right to decide whether your reason for missing a question or essay is legitimate. I am likely to consider the following reasons illegitimate: oversleeping; missing a ride to school; transportation problems caused by weather; mistakenly believing that class was cancelled; failure to obtain the textbook if it was available for sale at the University bookstore; conflict with travel or holiday plans; inability to obtain child care; illness or death of a relative or friend without proof of the death; and social, psychological, or financial problems for which a reasonable solution is available.
I will abide by University academic regulations 8g and 8h.
8g. “The University acknowledges that due to the pluralistic nature of its community, some students may, on religious grounds, require alternative times to write tests and examinations. Accordingly, a student who requires an alternative test or examination time on these religious grounds should consult with the Dean of the Faculty in which the course is offered regarding alternative arrangements.
Such a request must be made in writing within one week of the announcement of the text or examination date.”
8h. “Participation in university-sanctioned activities and events may occasionally conflict with exam schedules. Students experiencing such conflicts should follow the instructions in g.”
University-sanctioned activities include Varsity athletic activities. Varsity athletes, and any other students affected by regulations 8g and 8h, need to make their requests directly to the Dean of Arts. Because the dates of all assignments in the course are contained in this course outline, and because the course outline will be distributed the first day of class, that means by one week after the first day of class, or Thursday, 17 September.
If you are an official client of the Atlantic Centre of Support for Students with
Disabilities and want to request special accommodation on the assignments described above, you will need to have your counselor submit your request to me in writing in advance of the assignment date. There is no guarantee that suitable accommodation can be achieved.
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There will be no need for special examinations.
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Students are reminded of University Academic Regulation 19 on Academic
Integrity.

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Assessments in this course conform to all academic regulations, including 4d, 8c, and 8g.