Buddha1
Buddha2
Buddha3
Buddha4
Anthropology in the News
Research
Student Opportunities
Research Centers
Professional Associations
Careers in Anthropology
Find Resources
Links to Interesting Sites
Undersea excavation
Sea floor
Mask New Guinea Mask and Mexican Bear Mask African Dan Mask Black vvv and Haida Mask Cliff dwelling Cave 1 Cave, Bones and Digger
spacer
Home Administration Faculty Degree Programs Courses Admissions Sidebar
spacer
spacer Instructor nav bar
Publications Profile Vita Courses Research Interests Publications Profile Vita Courses Research Interests
To return to Dr. Wight's class list, click the Teaching tab.
Lori E. Wright
Associate Professor
Email: lwright@tamu.edu
Phone: (979) 862-7665
Office: 316E Anthropology
Introduction To Physical Anthropology
Anthropology 225
course icon

Course Overview

Course Syllabus
Course Description:

This course will provide an overview of the field of physical anthropology.  Topics to be addressed include the basic mechanisms of genetics and evolution, human variability and adaptation, our primate relatives and fossil ancestors, as well as bioarchaeology

Requirements:

Class attendance & participation, reading assignments, a critical paper, 2 exams, final exam. This course includes a lab. The lab is an integral part of the course, not a separate entity, and is required.  The lab portion of your grade will include regular quizzes, assignments, attendance and participation.

Texts:*

  • Robert Jurmain, H. Nelson, W. Trevathan & L. Kilgore.  1999.  Introduction to Physical Anthropology.  8th Edition.  West Publishing Co., St. Paul.
  • Elvio Angeloni (ed.)  2001.  Physical Anthropology 01/02.  9th Edition. McGraw Hill Higher Education.
  • Diane France.  2001.  Lab Manual and Workbook for Physical Anthropology. 4th Edition.  West Publishing Co., St. Paul.

*A bound set of readings may be purchased at Notes-and-Quotes, 701 University Avenue, College Station, Texas.

Grades:

Your grade for this course will be determined by your score on a critical paper and 3 examinations in addition to your lab. Your lab grade conprises 25% of the overall course grade. Attending class is a requirement of this course. 

Grade scale: 100-90: A, 89-80: B, 79-70: C, 69-60: D, 59-0: F

Schedule:

Week

Topic

 

Week 1

Genetics  
 
Week 2 Inheritance Lab 1:  Lab intro, Genetics
 
Week 3 Evolution Lab 2:  Genetics
 

Week 4

Evolution Lab 3:  Genetics & the Future
Exam #1  
 

Week 5

Race & Variation Lab 4:  Adaptation & Human Variation
 

Week 6

Adaptation Lab 5:  Osteology
 
Week 7 Bioarchaeology Lab 6: Bioarchaeology & Forensic Anthrop.
Primates
 

Week 8

Primates Lab 7: Primate Anatomy

Week

Topic

 

Week 9

Primate behavior

Lab 8: Primate Behavior

Exam #2

 
 

Week 10

Primate Evolution Lab 9:  Early Primate Fossils
 

Week 11

Australopithecus

Lab 10:  Early Hominid Evolution
 

Week 12

Homo erectus Lab 11: Australopithecus & H. habilis
 

Week 13

Neandertals No lab this week!
Thanksgiving!  
 

Week 14

Homo sapiens Lab 12:  Homo erectus &  Neandertals
 

Week 15

Review  
 
  Final Exam  
spacer
 
Texas A&M University College of Liberal Arts Sitemap Search Find the Anthropology Building Privacy Statement Contact Us
  © 2007 Texas A&M Department of Anthropology. All rights reserved  
Maintained by the Department of Anthropology  
spacer