ANTK 340: Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Spring 2015
Class Location: M/W 11am-1:45pm
Instructor: Christine Jones, PhD
Office: FH 217K
Office Hours: M&W 9-9:30am, 1:45-3pm,Tues 9-11:30am
Contact me: Bioarchjones@tamuct.edu
Catalog Course Description:
This course is an introduction to the anthropological study of human biology. Students will examine the basic
anatomy of the human skeleton, evolutionary processes acting on human populations, non-human primate
anatomy, the classification and ecology of primates, the primate paleontological record, and human variation
and adaptation.
Required Textbook/Readings:
Park, M. 2012 Biological Anthropology, 7th edition. McGraw Hill. ISBN-10: 0078034957 (ISBN-13: 9780078034954)
Blackboard (BB):
Monitor blackboard for announcements every day for announcements, readings and study guides.
Course Objectives:
Students will learn:
 Basic anatomy of the human species
 Non-human primate anatomy, classification and ecology
 How primatology informs our understanding of the human species
 Evolutionary processes acting on human populations through time
 How the fossil record contributes to our understanding of human evolution
 Human variation and adaptation
Course requirements:
1. Reading assignments: Readings from the textbook are listed in the course schedule below. Additional
readings may be posted online, these are listed beforehand in the schedule as “Online readings”. Please
treat these as you would textbook chapters!
2. In class assignments: There will be 5 in class, lab style assignments to help review the material covered
in the lecture and readings. These assignments may include videos or interactive components and so
attendance is required to get full credit for in-class assignments. The dates of the assignments are listed
in the syllabus so please plan accordingly.
3. Exams: There will be two exams (midterm/final) that are a combination of multiple choice, fill in the
blank or short answer style questions. Photo-based questions presented via powerpoint and/or
question stations may also be used. Exams will cover textbook and pdf readings, films, assignments,
discussion and lecture material and are not cumulative unless stated otherwise. Study sheets will be
provided for each exam (see schedule).
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ANTK 340: Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Spring 2015
4. Review paper: There will be one 2-3 page review paper due towards the end of the semester (Mar
2nd). Please see the attached assignment sheet for a detailed description. The paper is an article review
that combines library research and critical thinking.
Course Schedule (subject to minor changes, please check BB regularly).
Day
Topics
Jan 19 M
Syllabus overview
Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Principles of evolution
Mendelian genetics
Modern synthesis, population genetics
& natural selection, species concepts
Human variation and adaptation
Race
Survey of primates, phylogeny, living
primates: prosimians
Living primates: anthropoids
Primate ecology and sociality
The Great apes & culture
Exam review session
MIDTERM EXAM
Jan 21 W
Jan 26 M
Jan 28 W
Feb 2 M
Feb 4 W
Feb 9 M
Feb 11 W
Feb 16 M
Feb 18 W
Feb 23 M
Feb 25 W
Mar 2 M
Mar 4 W
Mar 9 M
Mar 11 W
Fossil evidence for human evolution,
dating methods
Primate evolution
Early hominin origins
Australopithecines
Genus Homo, homo habilis
Homo erectus and dispersal of Homo
Middle Pleistocene Homo, material
culture
Neandertals vs. Modern humans
Neandertal biology and behavior
REVIEW PAPER DUE
Anatomically modern human origins
Agricultural revolution
Bioarchaeology
Biocultural evolution, the future
FINAL EXAM
In-class assignment
Readings: Chapter
1
2, 3, 4
1
5, 6
12, 13
7
8
2
9
10
3
11
Pdf readings
4
Pdf readings
Pdf readings
5
14
Makeup policy
You are responsible for managing your time and work schedule so that you can attend class. A student may makeup an exam if there
is illness, injury or another documented excuse. If a student misses an exam due to illness, injury, something out of their control they
must 1. Provide documentation (doctor’s note, police report, etc), 2. Must notify me as soon as possible of intent to take a makeup
exam, and 3. Prepare to take the makeup exam within 1 week of the excused absence if possible. Students who miss an exam with no
excused absence will receive a zero on the exam. If the student foresees that she will be unable to complete the course, then she
should drop the course or accept the posted grade.
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ANTK 340: Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Spring 2015
Coursework
Exams (2@ 200pts )
In-class assignments (5@80)
Review paper
Total:
Points
400
400
200
1000
Grade
Points
%
900 – 1000
90 – 100%
A
800 – 899
80 – 89%
B
700 – 799
70 – 79%
C
600 – 699
60 – 69%
D
0 – 599
0 – 59%
F
Drop Policy
If the student wishes to drop this class, she must go to the Records Office and ask for the necessary paperwork. Professors cannot
drop a student from a class roll; this is always the responsibility of the student. The Records Office will provide a deadline date for
which the form must be returned, completely signed by the student. Once the student has returned the signed form to the Records
Office, she must wait 24 hours and then enter Duck Trax to confirm that she is no longer enrolled in the class. If the student is still
enrolled, she must contact the Records Office immediately. The student should attend class until the procedure is completed, in
order to avoid penalty for absences. Should the student miss the deadline or fail to follow the procedure, she will receive a grade of F
for the course.
Academic Honesty
Texas A&M University - Central Texas expects all students to maintain high standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Students
guilty of academic dishonestly are subject to disciplinary action. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an
examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials. The faculty member is responsible
for initiating action for each case of academic dishonestly. More information can be found at www.ct.tamus.edu/StudentConduct.
Disability Support
Texas A&M University – Central Texas complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990. TAMUCT promotes the use of the Principles of Universal Design to ensure that course design and activities
are accessible to the greatest extent possible. Students who require reasonable accommodations based on the impact of a disability
should contact Gail Johnson, Disability Support Coordinator at (254) 501-5831 in Student Affairs, Office 114E. The Disability
Support Coordinator is responsible for reviewing documentation provided by students requesting accommodations, determining
eligibility for accommodations, helping students request and use accommodations, and coordinating accommodations.
Tutoring
TAMUCT offers its students tutoring, both on-campus and online. Subjects tutored include Accounting, Finance, Statistics,
Mathematics, and Writing (MLA and APA). For hours, or if you're interested in becoming a tutor, contact Academic Support
Programs at 254-519-5496 or by emailing gnichols@ct.tamus.edu. Tutor.com is an online tutoring platform that enables TAMU-CT
students to log-in and receive FREE online tutoring and writing support. This tool provides tutoring in Mathematics, Writing,
Career Writing, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Spanish, Calculus, and Statistics. Chat live with a tutor 24/7 for any subject on your
computer To access Tutor.com, click on www.tutor.com/tamuct.
UNILERT
Emergency Warning System for Texas A&M University – Central Texas
UNILERT is an emergency notification service that gives Texas A&M University-Central Texas the ability to communicate health and
safety emergency information quickly via email, text message, and social media. All students are automatically enrolled in UNILERT
through their myCT email account. Connect at www.TAMUCT.edu/UNILERT to change where you receive your alerts or to opt
out. By staying enrolled in UNILERT, university officials can quickly pass on safety-related information, regardless of your location.
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ANTK 340: Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Spring 2015
Writing Assignment: Article Review (200 points total)
This assignment gives students the opportunity to critically evaluate current research within
biological anthropology. In this assignment, you will write a short article review on an article of
your choice that discusses a topic pertinent to biological anthropology. The assignment is due at
the beginning of class on the due date. No late or email submissions will be accepted.
For this assignment, you must turn in both a hard copy and an electronic copy. The
e-copy should be uploaded to Blackboard so that Turnitin can check it. A link will be
available prior to the due date.
Article Selection
For your review essay, select a topic from the list below. You will then conduct library
research (online) to choose an article. You are to look for a recently published (2008-present)
article on your topic that is at least 5 pages in length.
The article you choose to review must come from a peer-reviewed academic journal (e.g.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Nature, American Journal of Primatology,
Science, American Anthropologist, American Journal of Human Biology, Anthropological
Science, Current Anthropology). We will discuss accessing these resources in class, but
you should also contact Dr. Jones if you have any difficulties locating these sources.
Review Paper Requirements
 2-3 typed pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font, 1-inch margins
 Have an introduction, body and conclusion. Check spelling, use proper sentence structure,
and use citations following a standard format such as APA.
 Include your full name and assignment title in the upper right-hand corner of the first page.
Please do not make a separate title page.
 For your hard copy submission: Staple all pages; please do not use folders or essay covers.
Staple the first 5 pages of your chosen article behind your essay. For the electronic copy just
submit your review alone.
Suggested Format for Review Papers
Introduction
 Short introduction to the topic you are considering
 Article’s title, author, and source; summarize the main idea of the article
 Topic sentence: what will you be discussing?
“Smith’s research on the agricultural revolution is provides new data for a
controversial topic, but his conclusions rely on too many assumptions.”
1. Body
 Brief description of the article’s contents (1-2 paragraphs)
 Analysis: Describe how the article relates to course topics, textbook readings, and to other
literature with which you are familiar
 Your opinion of the article. Do you agree or disagree with the author’s conclusions? Does
the evidence presented support the conclusions? Do you find the paper relevant or
irrelevant, and why? Why did you choose this article?
2. Conclusion
 Summarize your main points; Expound upon the broader significance of the topic; if
possible, suggest future lines of research
3. Works cited section
 Use a standard format (e.g. APA) to cite any sources you consulted
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ANTK 340: Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Spring 2015
Suggested Topics
You may select a topic not listed here, but you must first obtain instructor approval.
Human Evolution
 Did Neanderthals Interbreed with modern humans?
 The evolution of the human diet
 The evolutionary standing of Australopithecus sediba
 The evolutionary position of Homo floresiensis
 Why did the earliest hominids become bipedal?
 Did Neanderthals, early Homo, and/or australopithecines have language capabilities?
 What is the evidence for and against the arboreal hypothesis of primate evolution and the
visual predation hypothesis?
Human Variation
 Is race a useful concept for anthropologists?
 What can human teeth, stature, and/or skeletal remains tell us about dietary preferences?
 How and why have different human eye colors spread?
Primate Behavior
 What can primate behavior tell us about our earliest ancestors?
 Are primate females selected to be monogamous?
 How are bonobos and common chimpanzees different?
 What can primate behavior tell us about earliest human ancestors?
 Do non-human primates have culture?
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