ANTHROPOLOGY 105
Evolution and Human Behavior
Section Syllabus – Spring 2008

Instructor: Dr. Ronald Hicks (BB-317, 285-2443)

Graduate assistant: Julie Koogler (BB-321A, 285-1578)

Texts: 1) Relethford--The Human Species, 7th ed.
            2) Angeloni, ed.--Physical Anthropology 07/08, 16th ed.

1) To explain the nature of evolutionary theory;
2) To trace the development of the human species, both morphologically and behaviorally, through time;
3) To examine the biological variations between human populations and the evolutionary reasons for those variations:
4) To examine the ways in which paleontology, primatology, and studies of living populations have contributed to our understanding of the interaction between biology and behavior; and
5) to assess the implications of this biological background for our understanding of both individual behavior, human behavior in the broad sense, and the role of culture as an alternative to genetic adaptation.

Quizzes: There will be five quizzes (one after each major segment of the course, as shown on the schedule, with the fifth appearing as a preface to the final exam). Quizzes will consist of questions primarily of the short answer/definition/identification type. The questions will be drawn from the readings (text and website), lectures, and audiovisual presentations. Since it is assumed that all of you will read the text assignments, the lectures and audiovisual presentations will provide complementary material for the most part (i.e., supplementing rather than duplicating the text). The lowest quiz score will be dropped.

Each quiz will be worth 10 points and will typically consist of 4 or 5 questions, some with multiple parts. Partial credit will be given (in 1/4-point increments). The most common cause of poor quiz scores is incomplete answers. It is expected that in your answers you will address as many of the questions Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How as possible (depending on the nature of the question). For example,

Since you will be given study guides for each quiz containing most quiz questions, you should be able to come to the quizzes well prepared. It is recommended that you go over the questions as you read and after each lecture to formulate answers. If you find your lecture notes are incomplete on some point, please ask for a review at the beginning of the next class.

Students are encouraged to study for the quizzes in groups to critique each other's proposed answers to the questions. In consequence of your having the questions in advance, you can expect grading to be quite hard. Answers are expected to mention all the important points. Please read the questions carefully. For example, those beginning "Identify and explain the significance for archaeology" require you to state both what the term refers to and why it is important; half answers receive half credit.

There will be an optional weekly study/discussion session led by the graduate assistant to help you prepare for the quizzes and to answer any questions you may have. You are also encouraged to seek supplemental information and clarification of the topics covered through searches of the Internet.

Web Reports: For each week, in addition to a site for suggested supplemental reading, a selection of relevant internet topics is listed. Students are to look for internet sites dealing with one of these topics in a way that is helpful for understanding the course content. The supplemental sites listed in the syllabus may not be submitted, the same site may not be used for more than one topic, and pages from web-based encyclopedias are not acceptable. By the last class meeting of the week, please submit either a printout of the first page of the site (being sure the web address is printed on the page) or a brief report consisting of a) the title of the web site that you consider particularly useful, b) a short paragraph describing its contents, and c) the site's web address (e.g., http://www.------.---). Submission of these reports will be noted and they will be randomly evaluated; a grade will be assigned based on the percentage submitted and their suitableness. This will be substituted for your second lowest quiz score, assuming it is higher. This is not only a way to help you study for the quizzes and gain an understanding of the material but is also an easy way to ensure you have at least one perfect quiz score; it is also meant to stand in place of any extra credit work.

Final: At the time of the scheduled final exam for the course (11 o'clock section:  Friday, 2 May, 9-:45-11:45; 2 o'clock section:  Wednesday, 30 Apr, 2:15-4:15 ), the first twenty minutes or so will be devoted to the quiz covering the fifth segment of the class.. The essay final will be designed to last approximately an hour (either three questions to which you should expect to devote at least 20 minutes each or a single comprehensive question you will be expected to answer in depth). You will be given a choice of questions. These questions will be of a much broader nature than those on the quizzes to ensure that you are able to integrate what you have learned (i.e., show how it all fits together). Answers on the final will be graded relatively (from best to worst) on a 4-point scale that will then be converted to an equivalent on the 10-point quiz scale. The final exam will be worth 20% of your grade (i.e., the same as each quiz score), but it will not be subject to dropping or substitution of the web grade if low.

Grading: The course grades will be based on the best 4 out of 5 of the quiz scores (or the best 3 out of 5 plus the web pages score) and the final. The score on the final essay exam will count as equivalent to one quiz. Thus each component will count as 20% of your grade.

If you miss a quiz, a make-up will not be given unless you have made prior arrangements.

The final grade will be based on a modified curve (with the average score being considered the middle of the C range). Roughly speaking, 11% of the class can expect an A or F, 22% can expect a B or D, and 34% can expect a grade of C.

The web assignments are meant to take the place of any extra credit assignments. Alternative arrangements will be made only under very unusual circumstances (e.g., extended hospitalization).

Inasmuch as you are paying for the course and can be assumed to want to get as much as possible for your money, there is no compulsory attendance requirement, except for the class periods in which quizzes and exams will be given. However, as noted earlier those quizzes and exams are based not only on the readings but also on the lectures, which are meant to supplement rather than echo the text, and the videos and films; students who do not attend regularly tend to do particularly poorly on them. You will, in other words, be held responsible for any missed material and are therefore urged to attend and actively participate in any discussions. To put it bluntly, the 11% or so who flunk are usually those who haven't attended regularly. As the Financial Aid Office sometimes requests information on attendance of particular students, attendance will be taken periodically.

Academic honesty and integrity are essential to good scholarship and learning and are an essential requirement for all members of our society. Their lack adds suspicion and resentment to academic competition and distorts the meaning of grades. While I am sympathetic to the many pressures that face college students, I am strongly committed to ensuring that students who are here to learn and take pride in their own work are not disadvantaged by students who cheat on exams, plagiarize, help others cheat, and so on. Confronting students who are under suspicion for cheating is onerous and anxiety-producing even for professors, but anyone who is suspected of academic dishonesty, through my observations or reports of others, will be asked to come to my office to present their side of the story and may be referred for university disciplinary action. If you are having trouble with the course and feel tempted to cheat, please come talk with me or go to the Learning Center in North Quad for some assistance with your studies or the Student Counseling Center in Lucina Hall for help with depression or other personal problems that are interfering with those studies. If you are uncertain as to whether some action is academically dishonest, please see me to discuss it. And if you directly observe another student engaging in any form of academic dishonesty, I hope you will discuss that with me as well.

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please inform me of these as soon as possible. For accommodations to be made, I will need a letter from the Office of Disabled Student Development verifying the need and listing appropriate options.