Course Syllabus

ANTH 021: Introductory Biological Anthropology

Overview

Overview

CATEGORY	INFORMATION
Credits	3
Prerequisites	None
Delivery	Web (Canvas, https://psu.instructure.com)
Dates	See the Calendar.
Instructor	See the Orientation module under the Modules tab.

Description

Introductory Biological Anthropology fulfills three credits of General Education in the Natural Sciences. This course is intended to introduce the student to the scientific discipline of Biological Anthropology through a survey of major themes, hypotheses, and sub-fields that form the basis of the study of ancient peoples, their cultures, and environments. This includes, but is not limited to, basic genetics and evolutionary theory, primatology, human biological variation, and the fossil record of human ancestors. Lecture topics are illustrated with examples drawn from many parts of the world.

Students are encouraged to talk about course content and their performance with the instructor.

Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Explain and discuss the fundamental principles and theories of biological anthropology and its unifying concept, evolution.
2. Employ the basic terminology of biological anthropology.
3. Distinguish scientific investigations from non-science, and evaluate natural phenomena within the framework of scientific investigation.
4. Apply the principles of natural selection, genetics, mechanisms for evolutionary change, and human adaptation to his or her own experiences and real-world scenarios (Unit 1).
5. Compare aspects of evolutionary relatedness, behavior, ecology, and functional morphology among nonhuman primates and between nonhuman primates and modern humans (Unit 2).
6. Interpret and evaluate the fossil and archaeological evidence for human and nonhuman primate evolution (Unit 3).

Organization

This course is made up of 24 lessons divided into 3 units:

• Unit 1 introduces evolutionary theory, natural selection, the principles of modern genetics, and modern human variation.
• Unit 2 includes a survey of modern primates, with a focus on primate adaptations and behavioral ecology.
• Unit 3 covers the scientific interpretation of fossil and archaeological evidence for human evolution.

In most lessons, you will complete the following activities and assignments:

• Explore online course content.
• Read a few chapters of the textbook.
• Take a quiz in Canvas.
• Complete an assignment in Canvas.
• Participate in a discussion in Canvas.

In addition, you will you also complete three exams throughout the semester.

Generally, you will be introduced to the course information through the readings and lessons and will explore this information further through discussions with your fellow classmates and through critical thinking and practical exercises that you will complete on your own. The homework activities, quizzes, and discussions are designed to reinforce the material and help you prepare for exams. Please consult the Course Calendar for due dates.

Evolution

This course covers topics related to the biology of nonhuman and human primates from an evolutionary perspective. While a deep understanding of evolutionary theory is not a prerequisite for this course, recognition of evolution as a way to understand biological processes and biological variation is essential for understanding the topics discussed throughout the semester.

While some people may disagree or not accept evolution for one reason or another, this course is not the venue to debate those topics since debates often turn personal and disrespectful. For this course, it is important that you learn the material presented, which is a scientific understanding of evolution as it is currently accepted. Science provides a lens through which we can view the world. Its perspectives are not perfect, and they do change over time based on knowledge gained from systematic investigation of the known world. The important thing to remember is that scientific viewpoints are testable, while those involving faith are not. This course focuses only on those questions which can be tested scientifically. The instructor is happy to field questions and respectful discussions about these topics via email.

If for any reason you have reservations about human evolution or evolutionary theory that you wish to discuss, or if you have reservations about remaining enrolled in the course due to an emphasis on evolutionary principles, please contact your instructor immediately to discuss your questions and concerns.

Online Learning and Attendance

This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. Students will have a designated timeframe (as identified on the course calendar) to complete all readings and assignments for each lesson. Students may work at their own pace within this timeframe (generally 1 week for lessons/quizzes/assignments, and 3 days for exams). However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Students are expected to log onto the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, participate in activities, and check course communications (i.e. updates and emails from the instructor).

Materials

Texts

The following text is required:

• Larsen, C. S. (2020). Our origins: Discovering Biological Anthropology. 5th edition. W.W. Norton and Company. [ISBN-13: 978-0393680881  ISBN-10: 0393680886] NOTE: This course doesn't require the purchase of an access code for the additional publisher materials.

Any additional readings or supplemental materials will be provided by your instructor via Canvas. All assigned readings are required unless otherwise noted.

Library Services

Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide (Links to an external site.) at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.

Technical Support

The General Questions discussion forum should be the first recourse for communicating specific questions or problems related to course content or course-related materials. The Technical Help discussion forum should be the first recourse for communicating technical problems. Students are encouraged to respond to the problems and questions posted their by their peers.

Your message will be sent automatically to this course's technical support team, which is available 8am-5pm ET, Monday-Friday. Alternatively, you may click on Help for additional technical support resources. Please use the forms available on the Help website whenever possible and an Canvas support expert will assist you. When you report a problem, please be specific. Vague descriptions of the problem only delay assistance. Turnaround time is generally less than one business day.

Grading

Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below. 

Scale

LETTER GRADE	MINIMUM PERCENT	MINIMUM POINTS
A	95	950
A-	90	900
B+	88	880
B	82	820
B-	80	800
C+	78	780
C	70	700
D	60	600
F	0	0

Due Dates

All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Students will not be able to go back and complete course work after the deadline has passed; it is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments and submit them in a timely manner. Waiting until the evening of the deadline to begin an assignment or lesson is highly discouraged. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments.

Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide (Links to an external site.) at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2891.

Students with an excused absence (hospitalization, jury duty, or family emergency) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.

Note on Late Assignments: No late assignments will be accepted. All work must be completed by the due date.

Note on Feedback: You can expect feedback on written assignments within one week of the deadline.

Assignments

Basic information about each assignment group is provided in the next section. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.

Assignment Groups

ASSIGNMENT GROUP	POINTS
Orientation/Syllabus Quiz	15
Quizzes	135
Discussions	180
Assignments	70
Exams	600
Total	1000

Instructor Feedback and Response Time

Your instructor will reply to your questions, concerns, and comments in a timely manner, not to exceed 2 business days. The instructor will NOT respond to emails asking for information that can be found in the syllabus. If you are confused about information in the syllabus, please state this specifically. The General Questions (formerly “Course Café”) or Technical Help discussion forums should be the first recourse for communicating specific questions or problems. Students are encouraged to respond to the problems and questions posted by their peers. If you need to contact the instructor by email, please use the Canvas email system. When corresponding with your instructor or classmates, please use appropriate language and etiquette. Email correspondence should be free of grammatical and mechanical errors. Email slang and lingo is not appropriate in any type of instructional setting.

Orientation/Syllabus Quiz

Value: 1 x 15 PTS, 15 PTS total (May retake as many times as necessary within the first week of class to get 100%)

This quiz covers introduction information and the syllabus. You are required to take this quiz until you earn 100% to show that you have read, and fully understand the syllabus. Any score less than 100% on this quiz will result in a zero in the gradebook. The syllabus quiz is NOT eligible to be dropped as your lowest quiz score and will count as its own category in the gradebook.

Quizzes

Value: 9 x 15 PTS, 135 PTS total (There will be a total of 10 quizzes. The lowest quiz score will be dropped. The final quiz grade will be based on the 9 highest quiz scores).

Each lesson consists of a combination of readings, online learning materials, and activities. At the conclusion of many lessons, there will be a short quiz on the subject matter covered in that lesson or covered in both lessons for the week. The questions will be multiple choice, true/false, and matching, and will be drawn from the readings and the online course materials (lessons).

You will have one chance to take each quiz. You are encouraged to study from the quizzes to help with your exam preparation. Once you open a quiz, it must be completed within the time frame. You may NOT save, and the clock cannot be stopped once you have started. Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates.

Note: We do NOT recommend taking quizzes using the Canvas mobile app; use the web version of Canvas.

Discussions

Value: 9 x 20 PTS, 180 PTS total (There will be a total of 9 discussions. All scores count toward your final grade; NO discussions will be dropped).

There are several discussions assigned throughout the semester. See the Course Calendar for topics and deadlines. These discussions will allow you to think about and express your opinions on various course topics. You will also be able to interact with your classmates and generate an exchange of ideas rather than just one-way communication from student to teacher. Productive and active participation is required. The discussions will initially be guided through a series of questions or instructions, but the intent is for all students to contribute with substantive knowledge gained through the course lessons and readings, through research on the internet, and through life experiences thus far. Initial posts are expected to be posted by a Thursday of the discussion week, and replies to classmates must be posted by Sunday. Please also see the “Instructor’s Discussion Board/Forum Policies” information below. All discussion forums will be available on the course Canvas site.

Refer to the Discussion Forum Rubric for grading expectations. This is also located in the Orientation section of the course. You can also view this within each Discussion Forum assignment.

Note: If you are using a mobile device, you may not be able to view the rubric from within the discussion forum, you may need to view it from the Orientation section.

**Please note that initial discussion posts are due by 11:59 PM (ET) on THURSDAY of the assigned week, and comments on classmates’ posts are due by 11:59 PM (ET) on SUNDAY.**

Assignments

Value: 7 x 10 PTS, 70 PTS total (There will be a total of 8 assignments. The lowest assignment score will be dropped. The final assignment grade will be based on the 7 highest assignment scores).

Throughout the semester, you will have assignments to complete individually. These assignments are designed to help you learn the material and meet the course objectives. They are intended to test your own knowledge and provide practice for course concepts. Assignments are designed to help you learn topics covered in this course – some are difficult and may require review of course materials to successfully complete. You are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to get an early start on assignments and leave time to contact the instructor or post to discussion forums to work through these. All assignments will be available on the course Canvas site. Refer to the Course Calendar for topics and due dates.

Note: We do NOT recommend completing assignments using the Canvas mobile app; use the web version of Canvas.

Exams

Value: 3 x 200 PTS, 600 PTS total

Three exams will be administered online during the course of the semester. Each exam will cover only the material from the unit of the course so far discussed. Exam questions will be derived from lessons, assignments, discussions, and assigned readings. Due to the nature of the subject matter in this course, much of the information will carry over from one exam to the next. While not strictly cumulative, each exam will build on the previous exam information. The exams will consist of objective-format and short-answer questions. Note: Exams are not open book.

FOR FA/SP USE THIS INFORMATION:

The first and second exams will be available online for a three-day period starting at 12:00 AM (ET) on Friday of the exam week until 11:59 pm (ET) on Sunday. (See the Course Calendar for specific dates.)

The final exam will be available from 12:00 AM Monday of finals week until 11:59 PM Wednesday of finals week (three days). You must login and complete the exams during these periods.

FOR SU USE THIS INFORMATION:

The first and second exams will be available online for a three-day period starting at 12:00 AM (ET) on Sunday of the exam week until 11:59 pm (ET) on Tuesday. (See the Course Calendar for specific dates.)

The final exam will be available from 12:00 AM Sunday of finals week until 11:59 PM Wednesday of finals week (four days). You must login and complete the exams during these periods.

All exams are time-limited; once you log on and begin the exam, you must complete it within the time limit and may NOT save to continue later (the clock cannot stop once started).

Note: We do NOT recommend taking exams using the Canvas mobile app; use the web version of Canvas.

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Discussion Policies

Try to think of discussion forums as an extension of your real-life classroom. Communicating through writing is different than communicating orally. These pointers cover common issues that may help to convey your ideas more clearly and prevent misunderstandings. Be aware that differences of opinion are going to occur in any forum. Multiple perspectives on a topic or problem are often valuable.

Posting

1. For complex posts, try composing in Word, edit, and then copy/paste into Canvas.
2. Try to keep related ideas organized under separate threads.
   1. To respond to the original post, click in the Reply field, type your response, and click Post Reply. Title your post so that individuals know what your post is about. The title of your post should be a brief phrase that summarizes your post.
   2. To respond to another individual, click the Reply button just below the individual's original response. Type in your response and then click Post Reply.
   3. To express a new idea, click in the Reply field again, similar to adding your original post. Remember to add a title.
   4. Don’t feel obligated to make a reply to a post if you feel it does not warrant one. Numerous posts that contain no essential new ideas may create more work for everyone.
3. Very often people will read postings on a discussion forum but not make a reply if it is not required of them. Sometimes students become upset when they see that their post has been read but with no replies. Please do not feel offended.
4. Also, do not feel obligated to respond to a post if you feel it does not require a response. Excessive posts that contain no essential new ideas may create more work for everyone.
5. Please remember that not everyone comes from the same background, or shares the same values and ideals as you.

Act Professionally

1. Please be appropriate, professional, and considerate of others.
   1. Inappropriate or disrespectful posts will be removed and the poster will receive a zero for that assignment.
2. Your “tone” is a very important part of electronic communication.
3. If you are unsure of your tone, try reading your discussion forum post out loud before you submit it.
   1. When you read it out loud, does it sound the way you would speak to another student in the classroom?
4. The point of the discussion forum is to share ideas among your classmates, not to prove that you are right and they are wrong.
5. Differences of opinion are going to occur in any forum, and your goal should be simply to convey your ideas as clearly as possible.
6. Making a joke or being ironic in a discussion forum is a great way to break the ice, but you have to let people know your intentions. Even the most innocent of comments can easily be misunderstood.
7. If you wish to convey a humorous tone in your discussion board post, try using emoticons, add comments like “Just kidding!” Do not use slang.

Alert Instructor

1. If you find something on the discussion forum that strikes you as upsetting or unacceptable, please be sure to let your instructor know about it as soon as possible.
   1. Very often, the author of the material does not realize how their words “sound” to you.
   2. Dealing with such issues in a straight-forward manner offers a growth opportunity and should be facilitated by the instructor.
   3. Not dealing with them will undermine group process.
2. The instructor has the right to remove any discussions that are not appropriate or offend another student. Any student who posts an inappropriate of offensive response will be blocked from participating in the discussion forum and will receive a zero for that assignment. Students are also subject classroom behavior and conduct policies in the student code of conduct.

University Policies

Academic Integrity

According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity, an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.

Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity G-9: Academic Integrity). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic sanctions, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes (see ).

Disability Access

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/campus-offices. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Nondiscrimination

Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office website at https://affirmativeaction.psu.edu/.

Reporting a Bias Incident

Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage at http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.

Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online (Links to an external site). at https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/form/caps-contact-form to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website (Links to an external site. Students enrolled at the World Campus are also encouraged to visit its Mental Health Services page at http://student.worldcampus.psu.edu/student-services/mental-health-services.

Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.

TEACH Act

The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

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University Emergency Procedure

In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.

In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website at http://www.psu.edu or Penn State News at http://news.psu.edu.

To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.

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Syllabus Subject to Change

The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them.