Winter Quarter, 2002

T, Th, F  2:30-3:50

301 Miller Hall

 

Instructor:                     Darryl Holman

               Office: M43 Denny Hall

                     Phone: 206-543-7586

               Email: djholman@u.washington.edu

                     Office hours: Wed 2:30–3:30 (M43 Denny Hall), Immediately after class (301 Miller Hall)

Teaching Assistants:

 

Isabelle Sarton-Miller

Lorraine O’Neal

 

Office: 407 Denny Hall

Office: 407 Denny Hall

 

Email: imiller@u.washington.edu

Email: ldoneal@u.washington.edu

 

Office hours: Fri 12:30–2:20

Office hours: Mon and Wed 2:30–3:30

 

Web page: http://faculty.washington.edu/~djholman/bioa201.  The web page contains the class schedule, the most up-to-date version of the syllabus, some lecture notes (added throughout the quarter), and links to other relevant resources.

Classes: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 2:30 to 3:50 p.m. in 223 Miller Hall.  Attend all lectures, as lectures will frequently include material beyond what is in the textbook. 

Course Description:  This course is an introduction to biological anthropology, including topics like the evolution of humans, human biological diversity, and human adaptation.  We will begin with an introduction to evolutionary theory and genetics.  We will then take a brief look at the biology and behavior of our closest relatives, the non-human primates.  Next, we will turn our attention to the paleontological record and use fossilized bones, teeth, and stone tools in order to reconstruct the evolution of humans and other primates.  Finally, we will examine living humans and biological diversity among people. 

Readings:  The textbook for this course is Biological Anthropology, 3rd edition, 2001, by Michael Alan Park, published by McGraw-Hill-Mayfield.  Essentially, we will work our way through the entire book.

Grading: Your course grade will be determined by three components.  The first is an in-class midterm that will make up 35% of your grade.  The second is a final exam that will make up 45% of your final grade.  Finally, work in the laboratory section will make up 20% of your grade.

Laboratory sections: You are required to meet once a week in lab sections with the teaching assistants.  All sections meet in 449 Denny Hall.  The lab section provides you with an opportunity to discuss, clarify, and expand upon the lecture and readings materials.  Additionally, you will get some hands-on exercises and small-group learning exercises.  Quizzes, exercises, and homework in these sections count for 20% of your grade.  There will be 2 quizzes and 4 homework assignments.  Any assignment or quiz that you fail to hand in will receive a grade of zero.  Grades for late assignments will depreciate by 10% per day, including any fraction of a day late.  For example, if you would have gotten a 95% on an assignment, it depreciates to 85.5% for being one day late, 77% by for 2 days late, and so on.

Exams:  There will be two exams given: an in-class mid-term examination and a final exam.  Both exams will be multiple choice; they will include material from the textbook, lectures, and the laboratory sections.  The midterm exam, given on Feb 8, will make up 35% your grade.  The final exam will make up 45% of your grade.  The final exam will largely cover material from the second half of the quarter, but will include material from the entire course.  The final exam will be given in the classroom (301 Miller Hall.) from 4:30-6:20 p.m., Tuesday, Mar. 19, 2002.  Students will be offered alternative exam formats only when required by DSS.  A make-up exam will not be given unless the student arranges for it in advanced and has a valid medical or legal excuse.
Week 1

Jan 8                  Course introduction.  What is biological anthropology?                  Chap 1

Jan 10                  Science and the scientific method                  Chap 1

Jan 11                  The history of evolutionary theory—I                  Chap 2

Week 2

Jan 15                  The history of evolutionary theory—II                  Chap 2

Jan 17                  Evolutionary genetics—DNA                  Chap 3

Jan 18                  Evolutionary genetics—Traits and inheritance                  Chap 3

Week 3

Jan 22                  Evolutionary theory—I                  Chap 4

Jan 24                  Evolutionary theory—II                  Chap 4

Jan 25                  Species and evolution—I                  Chap 5

Week 4

Jan 29                  Species and evolution—II                  Chap 5

Jan 31                  An evolutionary timetable                  Chap 6

Feb 1                  Primates—I                  Chap 7

Week 5

Feb 5                  Primates—II                  Chap 7

Feb 7                  Video: The New Chimpanzees

Feb 8                  In-Class Midterm Exam (Covers material through Feb 7).                  Chap 1–7

Week 6

Feb 12                  Primate behavior—I                  Chap 8

Feb 14                  Primate behavior—II                  Chap 8

Feb 15                  The human skeleton                  Chap 9

Week 7

Feb 19                  Fossils and ancient DNA                  Chap 9

Feb 21                  Hominid evolution—I                  Chap 10

Feb 22                  Hominid evolution—II                  Chap 10

Week 8

Feb 26                  The evolution of Homo—I                  Chap 11

Feb 28                  The evolution of Homo—II                  Chap 11

Mar 5                  The origins of modern Homo sapiens                  Chap 12

Week 9

Mar 5                  The study of living humans—I                  Chap 13

Mar 7                  The study of living humans—II                  Chap 14

Mar 8                  Human biological diversity—I                  Chap 14

Week 10

Mar 12                  Human biological diversity—II                  Chap 14

Mar 14                  Video: The Ice Man                  Chap 15

Mar 15                  Applied biological anthropology                  Chap 15

Final exam Week

Mar 19                  (Tuesday) Final exam, 4:30-6:20 p.m., 301 Miller Hall.                  Chap 1–15