SYLLABUS: BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY ANTH 3304 (28379) – SPRING 2005 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO Instructor: Dr. Cathy Willermet Office Hours: T 1:30-2:30, W 1:00-2:00 and by appointment Class Meeting Times, Location: TR 12:00-1:20, UGLC 336 Office: UGLC 206 Phone: 747-5329; E-mail: cwillermet@utep.edu Biological anthropology is the study of biological aspects of being human. In this course, we will investigate how we know what we know about human evolution and variation through comparative skeletal anatomy, molecular biology and the fossil record. We will also explore what biology can teach us about past population movements, human social behavior and mate choice, the evolution of language, and human diseases. Prerequisite: ANTH 1301. Text: Boyd, R and JB Silk, (2003) How Humans Evolved. New York: W.W. Norton. Third Edition. This book is available at the bookstore for $75.95 new/$56.95 used. It includes a CD-ROM. There is also an optional text: Whitehead, P et al (2005) A Photographic Atlas for Physical Anthropology. This book is available at the bookstore for $36.60 new. Attendance policy: To be successful in this course, you must attend class. Graded assignments and activities are heavily based upon lectures and class discussions. To do well in the class you MUST attend class, listen, participate in class discussions, and take useful notes. If you are absent from class you miss important information; therefore, satisfactory attendance is a course requirement. You must come to class on time and prepared. You must read assigned texts and complete out-of-class assignments. In class, you are expected to be attentive, involved, and focused on the subject at hand. If you must be absent, you are responsible for finding out what was covered and assigned in class in order to be prepared when you return to class. You should contact a fellow class member or me for that day’s information. Deadline policy: All assignments are due in class on the deadline date. Any assignments to be turned in during class are due at the beginning of the class period. Any late assignments will be penalized 10% of the total possible points for each calendar day late. E-mail account: If you don’t have a UTEP e-mail account, GET ONE IMMEDIATELY. Go to https://newaccount.utep.edu and fill in the information requested. Your account will be immediately created. If you have any difficulty, or have forgotten your userid or password, please call the HELPdesk at 747-5257. WebCT: Our class has a web page in WebCT. In WebCT you can view the syllabus, discussion boards, your grades, and other supplemental material related to this course. You can also send e-mails to your fellow classmates or to me through WebCT. You can access WebCT through the UTEP portal (http://my.utep.edu). Call the HELPdesk if you need help with your password. Exams: There will two midterm exams, consisting of short answer/essay questions. Potential essay questions will be handed out a week before each exam. Midterm exams are not cumulative, and are each worth 25 points. There will also be a final exam, worth 50 points. There will be NO make-up exams except in cases of extreme, documentable events. These are the exam dates: Midterm exam 1 Midterm exam 2 Final exam February 10 March 17 Tuesday, May 3, 1:00 –3:45 pm Term paper assignment: You will be responsible for writing a term paper related to biological anthropology. Choose one major subject that interests you. Be creative! You will explore this topic at some depth. You should let your interests guide you in your selection of topics. You will choose a topic early in the semester, do some research, and write a term paper that discusses your topic. Your term paper should be at least 7 pages, typed, double-spaced pages in length, size 12 font, and 1” margins. The paper should address issues we are discussing in class. You will be graded on content, understandability, and correct style (spelling and grammar, citations). You may choose the citation style you prefer (such as MLA, APA, AJPA). These are the due dates for your topic choice, outline, rough draft, and final paper: Term paper topic due Term paper outline due Term paper rough draft due Presentation to class Term paper due Jan 20 Feb 8 Mar 29 April 28 May 3 Critical summary assignment: You will be responsible for writing a critical summary based on outside reading (not the textbook) once over the course of the semester, dealing with one of the topics discussed in class. This summary is worth 25 points. You will be randomly assigned a date to informally present this information to the class (no more than a 15 minute presentation). You should let your interests guide you in your selection of topics. You should include in your write-up the following information: identification of the topic to be discussed, the information you learned, and what questions you thought of while reading. You have room to be creative, and this is one area where you can tailor the class to match your interests. You must include citations (even if the information is from the internet). Please provide enough summaries to distribute to the entire class. Presentations that use technology (with handouts) are encouraged. Discussion board (team work): You will be doing some directed reading and discussing issues as a group on a web board in WebCT (available through the UTEP portal). Your login name is your e-mail userid, and your password is your e-mail password. Call the HELP Desk if you need help with your password. For each discussion board assignment, you will write at least 200 words in your discussion posting in response to guided questions that will be provided. You will also reply (at least 50 words each response) to the entries of at least three of your classmates (or, three times total, if you are in a backand forth exchange). The deadlines for postings and replies are listed below. The deadlines for entries are on Tuesdays, and the deadlines for responding are on Thursdays. Remember, we are interested in your ideas about the readings, not a summary of the readings! These are the due dates for your postings and replies: Deadlines for discussion postings Jan 25 Feb 15 Mar 1 Apr 5 Apr 19 Deadlines for discussion replies Jan 27 Feb 17 Mar 3 Apr 7 Apr 21 I will grade these discussion board entries using this breakdown: Is your posting at least 200 words? 7 points x 5 Did you discuss the topic in a thoughtful way? Is the argument discussed relevant to class discussion/readings? Do you provide relevant evidence that support your argument? Responding to three other students, (at least 50 words each) 3 points x 5 Total: 10 points x 5 = 50 points total Free write assignments: At certain times during the semester, I will stop class discussion and call for a free write period. At that point everyone will pull out a clean sheet of paper and write for a given period of time, either as a continuation of your thoughts from discussion or in response to a given prompt. These will not be prescheduled. Each free write assignment is worth 5 points. Campus computer labs: There are several computer labs on campus where you can do your WebCT homework, Internet research, and web page design. Please check with them regarding hours, what services they offer (some have laptops you may borrow), and whether they charge fees. ATLAS (Access to Technology Learning and Services) – UGLC 202 – 747-7875 – atlas@utep.edu – http://www.atlas.utep.edu CALC (Computer Applications Learning Center) – CBA 308 – 747-7777 LACIT (Liberal Arts Centers for Instructional Technology) – LART 405 – 747-5375 – http://academics.utep.edu/lacit/ LTC (Library Technology Center) – LIB 324 – 747-5391 – http://ltc.utep.edu TEKCOM (Technology Center at Old Main) – MAIN 214 – 747-5375 ILC (Independent Learning Center) – located in Room 109, College of Health Sciences (CHS), 1101 North Campbell Street. In addition, computers are available in the Union East building. Disabilities: I will make any reasonable accommodations for students with limitations due to disabilities, including learning disabilities. Please see me personally before or after class or during my office hours to discuss any special needs you might have. If you have a documented disability and require specific accommodations, you will need to contact the Disabled Student Services Office in the East Union Bldg., Room 106 within the first two weeks of classes. The Disabled Student Services Office can also be reached in the following ways: Web: http://www.utep.edu/dsso/ Phone: (915) 747-5148 voice or TTY Fax: (915) 747-8712 E-Mail: dss@utep.edu Extra Credit: An optional extra-credit paper may be written. I should approve topics before you start. You may choose your own topic to do independent research. An extra credit paper could be worth a maximum of 10 points, is at least three pages in length, and typed. YOU MUST INCLUDE CITATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY. You may write as many extra-credit papers as you wish, but they can raise your grade by a maximum of one letter grade. These are due NOT LATER THAN the last day of classes. Grading: There are 300 total points possible: Semester research project Topic statement Outline Rough draft Presentation to class (last day of class) Final term paper, incorporating comments 5 discussion board activities 5 postings @ 7 pts/ea. 15 responses to classmates: 5 x 3 @ 1 pt/ea. Critical summary In-class free write activities 5 activities @ 5 pts/ea. 2 midterm exams @ 25 points each Final exam TOTAL 5 points 5 points 10 points 10 points 70 points 35 points 15 points 25 points 25 points 50 points 50 points 300 points The grading scale is as follows: A: 300-270 100-90% total points possible B: 269-240 89-80% " " " C: 239-210 79-70% " " " D: 209-180 69-60% " " " F 179- 0 less than 60% total points possible Cheating/plagiarism: Cheating is unethical and not acceptable. Plagiarism is using information or original wording in a paper without giving credit to the source of that information or wording; it is also not acceptable. Do not submit work under your name that you did not do yourself. Do not submit work containing passages that you did not write yourself unless you are citing the source clearly. If you are found to be cheating or plagiarizing, you will be subject to disciplinary action, per UTEP catalog policy. Refer to http://www.utep.edu/dos/acadintg.htm for further information. This course outline may be subject to changes as circumstances warrant. Any such changes will be announced in advance to the class. You may audiotape class lectures if you wish. Please TURN OFF all cell phones during the class period. I reserve the right to answer the phone if it rings. And I will, too. Continued enrollment in this course implies that you have read and accepted the conditions listed in this syllabus. Schedule of assignments and deadlines Tuesday Jan 11 Thursday Jan 13 Jan 18 Jan 20 Term paper: Topic due Jan 25 Jan 27 WebCT: Discussion board posting 1 due WebCT: Discussion board replies 1due Feb 1 Feb 3 Feb 8 Term paper: Outline due Feb 10 Midterm 1 Feb 15 Feb 17 WebCT: Discussion board posting 2 due WebCT: Discussion board replies 2 due Feb 22 Feb 24 Mar 1 WebCT: Discussion board posting 3 due Mar 3 WebCT: Discussion board replies 3 due Mar 8 Mar 10 Mar 7: COURSE DROP DEADLINE Mar 15 Mar 17 Midterm 2 Mar 22 Mar 24 SPRING BREAK – NO CLASSES SPRING BREAK – NO CLASSES Mar 29 Mar 31 Term paper: Rough draft due CESAR CHAVEZ DAY – NO CLASSES Apr 5 Apr 7 WebCT: Discussion board posting 4 due WebCT: Discussion board replies 4 due Apr 12 Apr 14 Apr 19 WebCT: Discussion board posting 5 due Apr 21 WebCT: Discussion board replies 5 due Apr 26 Apr 28 Term paper: Presentations Optional extra credit papers due Tuesday, May 3 Final exam: 1:00 - 3:45 pm, Term paper due