Spring 2007 Night Dr.

Elizabeth Salter
Section 501 School of General Studies
Room GR 2.530 Office: Green 2.244
Email: emsalter@utdallas.edu Phone: 972-883-2484
ISGS 4308 - 501 CRN 12105
BONES, BODIES AND DISEASE
T:7:00 to 9:45 PM

This course will meet a 3- hour science (non lab) General Education requirement for all
students, except for majors in the School of Natural Science and Mathematics.

Course Description:
This course is designed to acquaint the students with a wealth of knowledge that can be
accumulated through a thorough analysis of human skeletal and mummified remains. Some of the
analytical techniques of the osteologist and forensic anthropologist will be taught, along with an
examination of famous historic and forensic cases. This theoretical and practical information will
then be examined in terms of the role played by skeletons and mummies in reconstructing history
and prehistory.

Course Objectives:
1 Students will gain a detailed knowledge of the human skeleton
2 Students will be able to describe the basic osteological, archaeological,
and lab techniques used to identify human skeletal remains.
3 Students will be able to discern the effectiveness of various forensic techniques
4 Students will be able to employ the forensic techniques learned in class to demonstrate
their knowledge of the human skeleton/and or mummies, and the processes that produce them.

Required Readings:
Dead Men Do Tell Tales by Maples
Forensic Anthropology Training Manual- Second Edition
by Burns
Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs

Assignments and Readings Calendar:

Date Topic Readings Assignments
9-Jan Introduction Burns Chapt 1
Histology Burns Chapt 2
16-Jan Skull and Mandible Burns Chapt 3
The Vertebral Column, Chapt 5
23-Jan Test 1 Test 1
Thorax, Arm and Hand Burns Chapt 4,6,7
The Pelvis, Leg and Foot Burns Chapt 8,9,10
30-Jan Dental Morphology Chapt 11
Sex/ Gender Determination Chapt 13
6-Feb Test 2 Test 2
Age Determination - sub adults
13-Feb Age Determination - adults Read Maples' book
Trauma
20-Feb Skeletal Diseases
Field Work Burns Chapt 14
27-Feb Test 3 Test 3
Taphonomy Chapt 15
6-Mar Spring Break - No class
Spring Break - No class
13-Mar Metric/ Morphological Variation Burns Chapt 16
Applied Craniofacial Anthropometry
20-Mar Paleodemography Read Reichs' book
Forensic Anthropology Burns Chapt 12
 27-Mar Cannibalism
The Search for Butch and Sundance & Reichs' assignment due Reichs' assignment due
3-Apr Kathy Reichs
Anastasia
10-Apr The Bog People
Egyptian mummies
17-Apr Chinese and South American mummies
The Ice Man & Final due Final Examination due

Method of Evaluation:
1 3 x 10 marks = 30 marks for three multiple choice tests designed to assess your knowledge
of the human skeleton
2 30 marks for a critical book review of the forensic material presented in Fatal Voyage. In addition to
the hard copy turned in for class, the paper must also be submitted to Turnitin.com by the due date.
3 30 marks for a final take home essay question which must be turned in by the last day of class
and must also be submitted to Turnitin.com
4 10 marks for attendance taken throughout the term.
*Students who are absent for three or more classes will lose a letter grade on their final total grade.
e.g. An earned grade of B+ will be lowered to a C+.

There is no make up work/additional work allowed in this class to improve a grade. In case of documented
illness, make-up work or an exam is allowed.

Students must submit their papers by the due date unless an extension has been granted prior to the due
date. I reserve the right to refuse to accept a paper after the due date.

Cell Phones are to be turned off during class time. Ringing phones will lead to a loss of an attendance point for that day

All assignments and the final exam must be submitted in written form to me and must also be submitted
to Turnitin.com – a plagiarism detection service. I do not accept on line submissions by email.
For more information on scholastic dishonesty see the following web page:
http://www.utdallas.edu/student/slife/dishonesty.html
Plagiarism/Cheating/ Academic Dishonesty, will not be tolerated. Please see UTD
Web Page under Scholastic Dishonesty for further information. It will result in a grade of 0
for the assignment involved, and the notification of the Dean of Students for further
appropriate disciplinary action. (You will not be allowed to withdraw from the course
if plagiarism is detected.)

Students who need special accommodations for note taking or test taking must contact
the Office of Disability Services in the Student Union, before any accommodation can
be provided.

Effective fall 2004, students will only be allowed to correspond with UTD Faculty and Staff using their UTD email
accounts. Students may go to http://netid.utdallas.edu to establish or maintain their official UTD computer account
y.