Introduction To Biological Anthropology

Course Content: This is an introductory course providing a comprehensive overview of the field of biological anthropology. We begin by surveying the history of evolutionary thought, then survey the Primate order, and conclude with an examination of the fossil evidence for human evolution. Theoretical questions confronting the field in the late 1990's are discussed, to familiarize you with the major issues and prepare you for the more advanced courses in this field. We will give particular emphasis to evolutionary explanations for the origins of modern man, to ecological influences on behavior, and to evolutionary implications for the origins of human behavior.

Office hours: Hours will be posted on my door every semester.
Office location: SOS 163. My office telephone is 740-1918.

Textbooks: How Humans Evolved, by R. Boyd and J. Silk. This text should be used as your source of information to supplement the material presented in class. We will also read Through a Window, by Jane Goodall. In addition to these books, I have assigned a collection of readings in human evolution, Annual Editions in Physical Anthropology, to be read fordiscussion with your TA's.

Labs: Your regular attendance in TA-taught labs is expected, and will help to decide final grades. It is very difficult to get an "A" grade in this course without participating and going to lab every week. The TA's will discuss the readings, review course material, hold exam reviews, and show videos to supplement the course material. They will also lead a zoo trip on which you will conduct a short research project.

Grading: Grading will be done on a total points accumulated basis as follows:
Midterm 1 = 30 %
Midterm 2 = 30 %
Midterm 3 = 30 %
TA lab assignments = 10 %

Attendance will be taken in lecture on random dates, and your attendance will also affect decisions for borderline grades. Progressive improvement during the semester on exams will also be taken into account.

A Note on JEP: I encourage you to participate in the Joint Education Program in this class. JEP provides an opportunity for you to go into a public school in the community and teach about human evolution, primate behavior, and the creation-science debate while earning class credit. You can replace your grade on either Midterm I or Midterm II (but not on the last midterm) with the grade you receive in the JEP program. If, for example, you receive a C on the second midterm but participate in JEP, you can drop the C and replace it with the JEP grade. You must, however, take all 3 midterm exams regardless of being in JEP. You will hear more about JEP early in the semester.

Examinations: All regular exams will be a combination of objective and essay questions. Make-up exams will be given only if you have a written, official university excuse, health or activity -related. Be aware that the Health Clinic no longer dispenses medical excuses automatically. No early exams will be given. Students who are officially excused from exams will take a make-up administered no more than one week after the class exam. This makeup will cover the same material in a different format from the regular exam.

Note about exams: Letter grades are not assigned on midterms but the mean score and standard distribution will be announced and posted. Your final course grade is based on a normal distribution curve of the cumulative point total, and emphasis is given to class participation and to grade improvement during the semester. Because of the curve, students will occasionally receive a final grade that is either slightly higher or lower than any of their 3 midterm grades alone predict.

Lecture schedule and readings in Boyd & Silk (text), reader and Through a Window

Week 2
History of evolutionary thought - Text, pp: 29-61, Reader Ch. 2
Section: Introductions: Discuss science and creationism

Week 3
Science and creationism; molecular genetics - Text, pp:103-146
Forces of Evolution; What is a species ?
Section: Review evolutionary principles and readings

Week 4
Mode and tempo of evolution - Reader Ch. 8,9,10
More on natural selection
Section: Video - primate adaptations; discuss readings

Week 5
Primate classification; what is a primate ? - Text, pp: 147-202,
Prosimians and monkeys - Reader Ch. 13,19,20
Section: Discuss readings

Week 6
The Apes - Text, pp: 203-252,
open - Reader Ch. 21, 22
Section: Exam review; Video - chimpanzee behavior

Week 7
MIDTERM I - read Through a Window
Chimpanzee behavior; Primate ecology - Text, pp: 253-310
Section: Discuss Through a Window

Week 8
Primate Evolution; Ape into Human - Text, pp: 311-391
Hominid origins - the Australopithecines - Reader Ch. 23, 26
Section: Discuss readings

Week 9
Earliest Homo; models of human evolution - Text, pp: 392-463
Homo erectus and Neandertal; the brain - Reader Ch. 28 ,29
Section: Exam review and discuss readings

Week 10
Origins of modern Homo sapiens - Text, pp: 464-530
MIDTERM 2 - Reader Ch. 31,35
Section: Video - The Children of Eve

Week 11
Evolution of human behavior; Hunter-gatherers - Text, pp: 571-596
Evolution in modern human populations - Reader Ch. 4, 5
Section: Discuss readings

Week 12
Evolutionary Psychology; Human mating systems - Reader Ch.15, 17
Biology of sex differences - Text, pp: 597-640
Section: Discuss readings

Week 13
Science and Culture - Text, pp. 641-end
Topics in human evolutionary ecology
Section: Open

Week 14
Racial variation; Race and IQ - Reader Ch. 6,7
Culture and Biology
Section: Discuss readings

Week 15
The Evolution of Cooperation
MIDTERM 3
Section: Exam review

Craig B. Stanford
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0032
ph. (213) 740-1918
email: stanford@usc.edu