Course Syllabus

Anthro 1L: Biological Anthropology Laboratory
Section 5573, Spring 2019

This syllabus is also available as a Word document: Syllabus.doc

Course Description

ANTHRO 1L is an introductory laboratory course that uses scientific methodology to explore and experiment with topics from Introduction to Biological Anthropology (ANTHRO 1) lectures.   Major topics to be covered include cell biology, genetics, human osteology, primate anatomy and social behavior, and the human fossil record.  Additional topics may include human variability, medical anthropology, forensic anthropology, environmental challenges to hominins, and human impact on the environment.  The course is designed for non-majors; however students must be currently enrolled in or have already completed Physical Anthropology 1 in order to enroll in the class.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1.  Distinguish scientific methodology from other methods of evaluation or thinking.
  2.  Distinguish a variety of primate and/or hominid evolutionary patterns over time.
  3.  Assemble or organize specimens and/or models used in physical anthropology (skeletal, dental, genetic).
  4.  Evaluate and debate social, cultural, environmental, and other influences on hominin adaptation and survival over time.

Class Meetings

Wednesdays, 2-5 p.m., Emeritus 1594

Instructor Contact

Instructor: Dr. Nicole Slovak                       

E-mail: nslovak@santarosa.edu                    

Office Phone: (707) 521-7884                     

Office Hours: M 12-2; TTH 12-1:30

Office: Emeritus 1539

I respond to emails within 24 hours. I rarely respond on weekend days, so please expect a response to messages sent on Friday after 5pm by the following Monday.

Course Web Site

Students will use the Canvas course web site for the course schedule, assignment instructions, submitting assignments, instructor-provided resources, and viewing grades.

Textbook

There is one required text for the course.  Students are expected to bring their lab manuals with them to class as there are a number of in-class exercises that will come directly from the manual:

Soluri, K. Elizabeth and Agarwal, Sabrina C.  2016. Laboratory Manual and Workbook for Biological Anthropology: Engaging with Human Evolution. W.W. Norton: New York.

 (For various pricing options, see wwnorton.com)

Dropping the Class

If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it. A student may be dropped from any class when that student's absences exceed ten percent (10%) of the total hours of class time. It is strongly advised that if you need to miss more than one class/homework deadline in a row that you contact the instructor to avoid being dropped from the class.

Attendance

For face-to-face courses, students who fail to attend the first class meeting may be dropped by the instructor. For classes that meet online, students who fail to log on and initiate participation by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time of the first day of the class may be dropped by the instructor. Students are expected to be present in class each week and regular attendance is necessary to pass the class. Students who miss 3 or more classes may be dropped from the class, per District policy on excessive absences. An excessive absence refers to absences that exceed 10% of the total hours of class time. For more information on District Attendance Policy, please see Policy 8.1.5P.

Instructor Announcements

The instructor will post announcements on the “Instructor Announcements” page in Canvas throughout the semester and will also notify students via email. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences.

Late Policy

All assignments are due on the due date. NO late assignments will be accepted.

Quizzes

There will be 3 quizzes throughout the semester.  Quizzes will cover 3 of the major themes presented in class: 1.) Genetics; 2.) Human Osteology; and 3.) The Fossil Record. Except for the first test (human genetics), all quizzes will be lab practicals in which students will be shown various lab specimens and asked to identify important characteristics about each specimen.   This format may be unfamiliar to you, but regular attendance in class will give you experience with the format and types of questions that will be asked.  The third quiz is scheduled during SRJC’s Final Exam Period and CANNOT be rescheduled.

***You must be ON TIME to these quizzes.  Late students will not be accommodated.  Make-up exams are given only in an emergency.  Students should notify me by phone or e-mail within 24 hours of missing a quiz to schedule a make-up.  If you fail to contact me in a timely matter, you will not be allowed to make-up the exam and you will receive no credit for the exam. 

Zoo Report

Students will be asked to complete a report on primate behavior based on an independent, out-of-class visit to the Primate Discovery Center at the San Francisco Zoo.  If you are unable to attend the zoo in person for a legitimate reason (including monetary), you must notify me at least two weeks before the project is due so that an alternative assignment can be arranged.   More specifics on the project will be provided in class.  Feel free to check out schedules and directions at the SF Zoo’s website: http://www.sfzoo.org/

Homework

Because this is a 1-unit course, you will not have homework for this class.  Occasionally I may assign recommended short readings from your text for the following week’s class.  The readings are meant to provide a foundation for what you will be learning in class.  You will not be expected to memorize everything in the text, however.  You will be tested only on the information we cover in-class.  

Participation

In-class lab exercises will be turned into the instructor at the end of each class.  Most exercises will come from your lab manual.  Your effort and participation on these exercises will be tallied and counted toward your final grade.

Grading Policy

20% Worksheets

20% Quiz 1

20% Quiz 2

20% Quiz 3

20% Zoo Report

Standards of Conduct

Lab Protocol:

  • Student must use pencils rather than pens in class
  • No food is allowed in the lab
  • If drinks are brought to class, they must be in a sealed container and placed on the side board of the classroom.
  • All three-dimensional materials, particularly real skeletal materials and castes, must be handled carefully and remain at tables on foam padding unless otherwise instructed by your professor.  Students are expected to handle all lab materials with care and respect.

Academic Honesty

Students are expected to abide by the code of ethics established by Santa Rosa Junior College, which states “Academic dishonesty is regarded as any act of deception, benign or malicious in nature, in the completion of any academic exercise. Examples of academic dishonesty include cheating, plagiarism, impersonation, misrepresentation of idea or fact for the purpose of defrauding, use of unauthorized aids or devices, falsifying attendance records, violation of testing protocol, inappropriate course assignment collaboration, and any other acts that are prohibited by the instructor of record.”

            If students are caught doing any of the above during the semester serious consequences, including suspension, may result.  In addition, students who are caught cheating on an exam or plagiarizing another’s work on their Reaction Papers or HW assignments will receive zero points for that test or assignment.  Given that exams and the Reaction Paper represent a large portion of your final grade, a student caught cheating or plagiarizing likely will not pass the class.  Also, students who are involved in falsifying attendance records will lose 10 points off of their final course grade in addition to facing possible suspension.

 Cell phones

All cell phones must be turned off for class! Laptop users should sit in the first few rows of class. Checking e-mail or texting during class on a personal laptop, cell phone, or other electronic device is unacceptable. If students are caught doing any of the above they will be dismissed from class for the day and marked as absent. Repeated incidences will result in a student being dropped from the course.   

Emergency Evacuation

In the event of an emergency during class that requires evacuation of the building, please leave the class immediately and in a calm manner. All students should meet at the food kiosk in front of Emeritus until directed elsewhere.  If you are a student with a disability who may need assistance in an evacuation, please see the instructor during my office hours as soon as possible so we can discuss an alternative evacuation plan.

Special Needs

Every effort is made to conform to accessibility standards for all instructor-created materials. Students should contact their instructor as soon as possible if they find that they cannot access any course materials. Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources (527-4278).

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due