FALL 2012
IntroducTory biological anthropology
Instructor:
Office Hours:
Phone:
E-mail:
Website:
Blackboard:
Jim Eighmey
Room MD 252
Monday & Wednesday
9:30-10:30
Tuesday & Thursday
9:30 – 11:00 or by appointment
(760) 744-1150 x3936
jeighmey@palomar.edu
http://faculty.palomar.edu/jeighmey
https://learn.palomar.edu/webapps/login/
Course Description:
The goal of this class is to provide you with an introduction to the field of Biological Anthropology and the
issues that surround research in that field. Basic biological concepts are reviewed along with the philosophical
underpinnings of scientific inquiry. Evolutionary theory is explored in-depth. Central concepts of primatology,
osteology, and paleontology are introduced and used to build a basic outline of human bio-cultural evolution.
All of this data is brought to bear on some of the critical issues which face our species today.
Goals and Philosophy of the Course:
We have a LOT of information to cover in this course! I expect that many of you are taking this course as an
alternative to taking a regular biology course. It is true that you will cover a lot of very interesting subjects in
this course, but it is also true that you will be learning a lot of biology, so be prepared. The topics under study
include: the scientific method, principles of evolution, human genetics, human osteology, non-human primate
behavior and anatomy, human variation, forensic anthropology, and paleoanthropology.
Some of these topics may be controversial for some people. Anthropologists are privileged to work on lots of
controversial topics and we are comfortable with that. As an Anthropologist I am very aware and am sensitive
to the many different perspectives people bring with them to these courses. Please be aware that this is a
Science class, which means that the philosophical and methodological assumptions of the Scientific Method are
the foundation for everything we study in this course. I encourage people to question and debate the
implications of what is presented in this class, but be prepared to defend your position with facts and rigorous
logic. That is the standard expected in the field of Anthropology and in this class
Wow
By the end of the course you should be able to:
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FALL 2012
 Explain the basic assumptions of science and how the scientific method works, including its focus on the
study of natural causes and effects and the importance of peer review.
 Explain how Darwin's theory of natural selection results in evolution, adaptation and design, and how
evolution affects our everyday lives.
 Understand the basic principles of genetic inheritance and how this relates to our everyday lives.
 Understand the nature of human biological diversity, including how it relates to popular misconceptions
about race.
 Explain the basic patterns of hominid evolution over the last seven million years, including the origin of
Homo sapiens in Africa.
Required Texts:
We have only one required text in this class. I will be providing you with additional reading material through
postings on our blackboard companion site.
Our Origins: Discovering Physical Anthropology
Clark Spencer Larsen
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Paperback
December 2010
ISBN 978-0-393-93498-4
9 × 10.9 in / 468 pages
IMPORTANT: This book is available as a download, as an online EBook, and loose-leaf versions. It may
be available as a rental. If you already have the 1st edition you may use it at your own risk, but be aware that
the chapters are in a different format and some data are missing. I will have a copy of the 1st and 2nd editions
on reserve in the library.
Format of the Course:
Each class period will consist of a lecture, often accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation and followed up
with a class discussion if time allows. The slides will be available online for your study, so you can either bring
them with you or print them out as notes later. I highly recommend that you read through the slides before the
lecture and take notes on my presentation. Do NOT try and right down all the information on the slides. That is
why they are provided for download.
This is a standard lecture course but we will be covering lots of non-standard materials, so there will be more
than lectures and exams required in the class. We will have weekly online quizzes in Blackboard covering the
materials in the lectures. The week prior to each exam we will have an online question and answer board you
will be required to participate in. Finally you will be required to submit a short research paper covering a
current issue in Biological Anthropology. The following is a breakdown of the class requirements:
FALL 2012
EXAMS:
There will be four exams in this course: three midterms and a final. Each midterm will be worth 100 points and
the final will be worth 150 points. The midterms will consist of fifty multiple choice and true-false questions.
The final will be comprehensive and will include a combination of true-false, multiple choice, and short-answer
essay questions.
The exam schedule is posted in the calendar. Please check it for conflicts prior to enrolling in the class.. There
will be no early exams given except for extraordinary circumstances. Make-up exams will be allowed only
in the case of emergencies. You must decide if you can adhere to the class schedule before taking the class.
Exceptions will only be granted in case of documented emergencies. You must take the final on the date and
time scheduled. No exceptions will be made for the final exam.
Please check the final exam schedule and calendar at the end of this syllabus for the time and date of the final
exam.
WEEKLY QUIZZES
Each week there will be an online quiz posted in blackboard. Each quiz will consist of 10 questions concerning
the week’s readings and lectures. The quiz will typically be posted Sunday and it will be left up for two weeks,
closing at midnight on the second Saturday after it was posted. It is your responsibility to take the quiz during
that period. There will be no extensions on the quizzes. You will have two attempts at taking the quiz. You will
be graded on your highest score. Barring any problems with Blackboard (and we do sometimes have problems)
there will be fifteen quizzes: one introductory quiz and fourteen regular quizzes.
It is important that you take responsibility for doing the quizzes in a timely fashion.
REQUIRED REVIEW BOARDS
For the week prior to each exam a set of 25 review questions will be posted on blackboard. YOU MUST
ANSWER ALL TWENTY FIVE QUESTIONS to receive credit for the review. Each question is worth 1 point.
GRADE STRUCTURE
Exams (3@100 & 1 @150)
Online Quizzes (15 @ 10 )
Online Exam Reviews (4 @ 25)
TOTAL POINTS
450
150
100
700
I do not grade on a curve. Your grade is calculated as a percentage of the total possible points, and yes I
do round up:
60-69%=
70-79%=
80-89%=
90 <
=
Extra Credit:
420-489
490-559
560-629
630 <
D
C
B
A
FALL 2012
With all the grading opportunities provided in this class it is possible that you will not want another project.
However, for those who need the extra points up to 50 points may be earned by conducting a primate
observation study at either the San Diego Safari Park or the San Diego Zoo. The zoo project will cost each of
you $15 for an individual zoo pass that will be good for the entire semester. This study may be begun after we
have covered primate behavior in our lecture. At that time I will provide interested students with the
appropriate forms. This is a very popular assignment with students.
Online Blackboard Class Website:
All of the class materials outside the text will be placed on the class Blackboard site. Students will be
responsible for visiting this site to download and print copies of the lectures and to read ancillary materials. To
reach the blackboard site you need to have some access to a computer either at home or at school. You will find
the blackboard site at https://learn.palomar.edu/webapps/login/ . Follow the instructions to get your ID and log
in.
Attendance:
You will be responsible for signing into the class roster every class period. I will use this roster to help track
those students who are required to attend for financial aid purposes. You are adults and are responsible for
your own attendance. If I notice you have missed an exam, or have missed three lecture classes in a row I will
try and contact you, and I may drop you if you miss more than three of the lectures. However please be aware
that STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DROPPING THE CLASS. Do not assume I will drop you
just because you do not show up. That may or may not happen depending on when in the semester you decide
to do this.
Add/Drop Dates:
11/
Conduct:
FALL 2012
One of the lessons of Anthropology is that all societies need rules of etiquette in order to mediate the
interactions of individuals and insure social harmony (everyone has to use manners to get along). Sadly these
elemental behavioral scripts are showing signs of degradation in our society, leading to discord amongst the
polis (people are not using their manners). As a reminder of basic courtesies the following behavioral patterns
are considered anathema by your instructor (that means I should not even have to ask you to stop ‘cause your
family raised you better):
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Checking sending email or text messages on electronic devices during class, even under the desk (yes, I can see
you. How exactly is this different than passing paper notes in 4th grade ?)
 Talking on cell phones during class (duh!)
 Reading novels or magazines etc. during class. If you are that bored just leave and take your lumps.
 Listening to your pod during class.
 Working on materials for another class instead of paying attention (it isn’t study hall).
 Eating your breakfast/lunch/dinner during class (it is not a restaurant).
 Sleeping during class, even if that is understandable (go home, this is not your bedroom).
If this seems like a poster on a grade school wall I assure you I agree. Unless you wish to be publically humiliated I would
strongly recommend you take etiquette seriously.
Accommodations:
Students who may need academic accommodations should discuss options with me during the
first two weeks of class. If during the semester an emergency or serious
problem should arise please contact me when possible so as to discuss your options to
successfully complete the course. Religious accommodations should also be discussed with me
privately.
Cheating/Plagiarism/Fabrication:
Our department ZERO tolerance policy on cheating and plagiarism. If you cheat, copy, plagiarize (using
information from a source without citation) and/or fabricate information, the MINIMUM you will face is a
ZERO for the assignment/exam/report in question. This will make it very hard to pass the course. You will
also be reported to the Dean and the Director of Student Affairs. Cheating seriously jeopardizes your academic
future as it will be marked on your permanent record. Refer to Palomar’s Student Code of Conduct for more
details. You are asked to view the following websites for general information on plagiarism and how to avoid
it:”
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml
http://sja.ucdavis.edu/avoid.htm#guidelines
HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS CLASS:
FALL 2012
There is no secret to being successful in this class. It is very straightforward: attend class regularly, do your
readings regularly, review your notes and lab exercises regularly, and make an effort to enjoy the
learning process regularly (key word - regularly!). If you need help please:
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Visit me during office hours or make an appointment for help.
Use the FREE tutoring services available at the library. There are anthropology tutors waiting and
willing to help you.
Visit Dr. O’Neil’s website regularly for Physical Anthropology tutorials and practical quizzes:
Anthropology Tutorials Menu (http://anthro.palomar.edu/tutorials/)
Contents of this syllabus are subject to change at the instructor's discretion
FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2012