Anthropology 100

Course Description and Policies

Spring 2007

Dr. Jim Bindon

Course Description and Objectives: This course  introduces students to all of the sub-fields of anthropology, demonstrating the benefits of a holistic approach to understanding the human experience.  Experts from each of the sub-fields will illustrate how the different methods of inquiry and analysis of the humanities and the biological, social, and historical sciences interact to enhance our understanding of our species.  The course begins with a brief introduction to the discipline of anthropology and then explores the place of humanity in nature, embracing the biocultural evolutionary approach unique to anthropology.  In the second segment, human prehistory is considered from the development of stone tools over 2 ½ million years ago to the origins of social stratification accompanying agriculture and urban settlement.  In the third segment, the concept of culture is elaborated and the diversity of human cultural patterns is explored from language to economy to religion.  The course concludes with prospects for the future of anthropology.

Grading Policy: The course grade will be based on performance on exams and quizzes. Extra credit will be awarded for your participation in your discussion section.  

• There will be three midterm exams the best two of which each will count for 20% of the course grade.  Each mid-term exam will be available for review only until the time of the next exam (i.e., you may go over the first exam with your GTA only until the second exam is given).  During dead week and finals week, only the third mid-term exam may be reviewed.  

• The comprehensive final exam is equal to two mid-terms (40% of the course grade).  Approximately ⅛ of the final exam will be drawn from the new material, the rest will cover the earlier material in the course.

• All three exams (the midterms and the final) will be weighted roughly  ⅔ on lecture material (i.e., 60-70%) with the remaining questions taken from the text.  All exams, including the final,  will consist of objective (multiple choice) questions. 

• The final 20% of the grade will be determined by the best 10 grades on the quizzes taken at the section meetings (i.e., the lowest three scores will be dropped).  Each quiz is worth 10 points, for a maximum total of 100 points.  All quizzes will be short-answer or fill-in-the-blank in form based solely on the text sections for that week, with the exception of quizzes which are based on in-class exercises. 

• The section participation grade will count as extra credit.  It will be based on your presence and participation in each section.  Absence from a section meeting for any reason results in a 0 participation score for that day.  Being present is worth 2 points, contributing to discussion is worth 3, and making an exceptional contribution to the discussion is worth 4 points (whereas a quiz is worth a maximum of 10 points possible).  

An  example of how to calculate a student's final grade

Freshman Midterm Report: The grade on the first midterm examination will determine the midterm report grade submitted for freshmen.

Attendance Policy:  Attendance is required at all lecture and section meetings to earn a satisfactory grade. Cell phones must be turned off. Disruptive students may be dismissed from the class and/or failed.

• Last day to add this course: January 18, 2007

• Last day to drop a course with grade of W: March 28, 2007

Make-Up Policy: A student may be excused from taking an exam when scheduled if and only if: 1) the student has a written excuse from a doctor, minister, coach, or other similar authority, and 2) the student makes arrangements PRIOR TO THE EXAM. If a student misses a test without making prior arrangements, the student will be assigned a grade of F for that exam. It is the student's obligation to inform the professor by e-mail or phone call of a make-up situation BEFORE THE EXAM . The only exception is if you are physically unable to notify the professor beforehand. The make-up exam will NOT be multiple choice. If a student misses a quiz, excused or unexcused, there will be no make-ups for any reason. Likewise, if a student misses a section for any reason, there will be no section participation credit given.  

Punctuality Policy: No student will be admitted to the first two exams or any section meeting more than 7 minutes after the beginning of the class period, nor to the final exam after 8:10 a.m. Failure to be on time will result in an F for that exam or no attendance credit for that section.

Phone Number: If a student needs to contact a professor or GTA for any reason about class matters, the Anthropology Department phone number is 348-5947.

Office Hours: Dr. Bindon's  office hours are Monday & Wednesday 10:00-11:00 p.m. and by appointment (the best way to make  appointment is by email to jbindon@tenhoor.as.ua.edu ).  Check with the Graduate Teaching Assistant for your section for his or her office hours. 

• Lecture notes are available for each presentation as a pdf of the PowerPoint presentation. These pdf files are linked to the topic for the day. The lecture notes are NOT SUFFICIENT TO PASS THE EXAMS. You should print out the notes and bring them to class to make your own notes. They will save you time from trying to copy down the material on the PowerPoint slides so you can focus on the discussion of the slides and TAKE CAREFUL NOTES ON THE PRESENTATION.

• The text (Ember, Ember and Peregrine) comes with a CD-ROM to assist the student and a website has been prepared by the publisher of the book:  http://wps.prenhall.com/hss_ember_anthropoly_12/0,11795,3076907-,00.html  This web site is maintained by the publisher, Prentice Hall.  Students can take quizzes on the text there and seek additional materials on subjects of interest.  THE CD ROM AND WEB SITE ARE VERY USEFUL RESOURCES IN STUDYING FOR THE WEEKLY QUIZZES!

• The Anthropology Department of UA maintains an award-winning web site, which students may find useful for this and other courses.  You can find it at: http://www.as.ua.edu/ant/.