CRJ 397-G
Forensic Anthropology
Monday 5:40pm - 8:25pm
DEPL 121
Instructor Information
Instructor: Prof. Nathan Grassi
Office Hours: M – 8:30-9pm and W – 5:45-6:30pm (by appointment only)
Email: grassine@gmail.com  Preferred method of contact
Phone: 430-6574 (before 9 PM, please)
Credit hours: 3
Department Mission Statement
The mission of the criminology and criminal justice department is to instill in the student
a respect for the rights of all persons before and after coming into contact with the
criminal justice system. We also desire to imbue in our students a commitment to a series
of values which prepare them for leadership but also provide them with the ability to
think critically with respect to the important issues facing them. This is achieved by
offering a balanced curriculum with courses in the etiology of crime, law enforcement,
adjudication, corrections, and field internships.
Course Description
An introduction to the study of forensic anthropology, designed to provide a basic
understanding of the analysis of human skeletal remains and how forensic
anthropologists work as part of the medical forensic team. Topics include the
investigative methods used in forensic anthropology; the standards for forensic
anthropological investigations; and methods for determining sex, ancestry, time since
death, and personal identification of human remains. Specific examples of forensic
anthropology cases are reviewed.
Course Objectives
It would be impossible to develop professional level proficiency in the identification and
analysis of human remains without extensive practical experience with skeletal
material. This course is designed to give you an introduction to these methods and an
understanding of how to apply them in the field.
In this course students will:
1)
Identify the various techniques used in determining sex, age, and ancestry
from human skeletal remains
2)
Identify the techniques used in determining trauma and/or pathological
conditions of the human skeleton
3)
Explain the steps necessary to establish a positive identification from human
skeletal remains
4)
Outline the role of the forensic anthropologist and learn how to work in a
cooperative manner with law enforcement officials
5)
Conduct themselves ethically and with respect for human rights
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Forensic Anthropology
Grading Policies and Procedures
3 practical examinations @ 10% each = 30%
10 Weekly Lab Assignments @ 2% each = 20%
Projects – 30%
Attendance/Participation – 5%
Final Exam – 15%
Project 1: Topics in Forensic Anthropology (10%) – You will choose a topic in forensic
anthropology relevant to this course, locate and read at least five primary sources (from
scientific, peer-reviewed journals) on the topic, and write a five page paper on the topic.
The paper will discuss the relevance of the topic to forensic anthropology, explain and
discuss the topic, and summarize the scholarly work that has been conducted on the topic.
I will provide a grading rubric outlining the components of the paper. The paper must be
typed using 12 point font, double spaced, and on 8 ½” X 11” paper with 1” margins and
the pages stapled in the left upper corner. Your topic must be approved by me no later
than February 22, 2010 and the final paper is due no later than March 29th, 2010.
Project 2: Forensic Anthropology Case Analysis and Report (10%), you will conduct a
complete forensic anthropological skeletal analysis and then submit a final report
summarizing your results and the methods used. The report will consist of the following
sections: 1) summary of analysis, 2) skeletal inventory, 3) estimation of sex, 4) estimation
of age, 5) estimation of ancestry, 6) calculation of stature, and 7) skeletal trauma, disease,
and anomalies. The report for Project 2 is due May 10, 2010. Your report must be typed
using 12 point font, double spaced, and on 8 ½ “ X 11” paper with 1” margins. The report
must be stabled in the upper left corner.
Project 3: Creating Your Field Notebook (10%) – you will each create a wiki page linked
together with the rest of the class. On your page you will create an instructional guide on
the methods used in this course. You may include supplemental materials such as video,
audio, and other multimedia files. In addition you should frequently review your fellow
classmates’ sites as well. This will be an ongoing project, and I expect to see regular
progress throughout the semester.
Required Reading Material
This course will use the following text as well as several supplemental readings that will
be distributed by the instructor.
Forensic Anthropology Training Manual, 2nd edition by Karen
Ramey Burns. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall
(2007). ISBN: 0-13-049293-0
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Class Policies
Instructor’s Grading Criteria/Timetable:
All course assignments/projects will typically be graded within one week of their
due date. Late projects may receive a maximum penalty of 10% per day at the
discretion of the instructor.
Extenuating Circumstances:
If you have extenuating circumstances that prevent you from completing projects,
exams or participating in the class, please contact the instructor to make
alternative arrangements. The possibility of alternative arrangements is at the
discretion of the instructor. Active communication is the key to overcoming any
hurdles you may encounter during the term.
Attendance/Tardiness
This is a one meeting a week course. If you miss a class it is the equivalent of
missing 2-3 standard classes. Because of this, students who miss more than three
(3) unexcused class meetings will receive a one letter grade reduction to their
final grade. (An “A” will become a “B” and so on)
Plagiarism Policy
Academic honesty – being honest and truthful in academic settings, especially in
the communication and presentation of ideas – is required to experience and fulfill
the mission of Niagara University. Academic dishonesty – being untruthful,
deceptive, or dishonest in academic settings in any way – subverts the university
mission, harms faculty and students, damages the reputation of the university, and
diminishes public confidence in higher education.
All members of the university community share the responsibility for creating
conditions that support academic integrity. Students must abstain from any
violations of academic integrity and set examples for each other by assuming full
responsibility for their academic and personal development, including informing
themselves about and following the university's academic integrity policy.
Violations of academic integrity include but are not limited to the following
categories: cheating; plagiarism; fabrication; falsification or sabotage of research
data; destruction or misuse of the university's academic resources, alteration or
falsification of academic records; academic misconduct; complicity; and
copyright violation. This policy applies to all courses, program requirements, and
learning contexts in which academic credit is offered, including experiential and
service-learning courses, study abroad programs, internships, student teaching and
the like.
Please refer to the undergraduate catalogue for Niagara University’s policy on
academic integrity or access the policy online,
www.niagara.edu/academicintegrity.
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Students With Disabilities
Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, who have
any emergency medical information the instructor should know of, or who need
special arrangements in the event of an evacuation, should make an appointment
with the instructor as early as possible in the semester, preferably no later than the
first week of the semester. Students must also register with Diane Stoelting,
Coordinator of Specialized Support Services (286-8076, ds@niagara.edu) in order
to facilitate the provision of needed accommodations.
Extra Credit
You can choose to do one of the two extra credit options below for a maximum of
10% Extra credit assignments are due by April 26, 2010. Late Extra Credit
assignments will not be accepted.
Extra Credit Option 1: Forensic Anthropology on TV – You will critique the
methods and techniques used by the forensic anthropologists in the TV series
Bones. Watch 3 episodes of Bones (Fox, Wednesdays at 7:00 pm) and write a 3 to
4 page paper about the forensic anthropological methods used by the scientists to
solve the cases. In your paper you will briefly summarize the episodes and
identify the primary forensic anthropological methods used during the episodes.
You will then discuss the procedures of the methods used and if the methods are
plausible. Finally, you will briefly discuss if the methods were applied correctly.
Extra Credit Option 2: Forensic Anthropology in Popular Literature – You will
read a novel in which the main character is a forensic anthropologist or forensic
anthropology is a primary theme (e.g., books by Jefferson Bass, Aaron Elkins or
Kathy Reichs). You will then write a 3 to 4 page paper that summarizes the book,
identifies the methods used to solve the cases, and discusses the procedures of the
methods used and if the methods are plausible and used correctly.
Counseling Services and Academic Support
The strains and workload of student life can sometimes feel overwhelming and it
is easy to lose perspective when faced with academic, social, and personal
demands. The staff of the office of counseling services in the lower level of Seton
Hall and the Academic Support staff in the Learning Center in Seton Hall are here
to help students manage the stresses of university life. All private consultations
are confidential and free of charge. Appointment can be scheduled by calling
286-8536 (Counseling) or 286-8072 (Office of Academic Support).
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Course Schedule
Date:
1/25/2010
2/1/10
2/8/10
2/15/10
2/22/10
3/1/10
3/8/10
3/15/10
3/22/10
3/29/10
4/5/10
4/12/10
4/19/10
4/26/10
5/3/10
5/10/10
TBD
Topic:
Introduction
Osteology & Introduction to Forensics
Skull and Hyoid
Skull Continued & Odentology
Exam
Shoulder Girdle and Thorax & The Vertebral Column
Arm and Hand
Pelvis
Exam
Leg and Foot
No Class
Laboratory Analysis & Trauma And Pathology
Field Methods & Large Scale Applications
Exam
Individual characteristics, Positive Identification, &
skeletal abnormalities, The Professional Forensic
Anthropologist
Human vs. Non-human bones, Genetics, DNA and
Blood Type
Final Exam – Wiki Project Due
5
Assigned Chapter
1
2 & 12
3
11
Covers 1, 2, 3, 11, & 12
4, 5
6, 7
8
Covers 4-8
9, 10
13, Supplemental reading
14, 16
Covers 9, 10, 13, 14, & 16
15, Supplemental Reading
Supplemental Readings
All above