Spring 2007 Day Dr.

Elizabeth Salter
Section 001 School of General Studies
Room GR 2.530 Office: Green 2.244
Email: emsalter@utdallas.edu Phone: 972-883-2484
ISGS 4308 - 001 CRN 12104
BONES, BODIES AND DISEASE
TR:8:30 to 9:45 AM

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 th

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 Assignmen

9-Jan Introduction Burns Chapt 1
11-Jan Histology Burns Chapt 2
16-Jan Skull and Mandible Burns Chapt 3
18-Jan The Vertebral Column Burns Chapt 5
23-Jan Test 1 Test 1
25-Jan girdles and limbs Burns Chapt 4 & 6
30-Jan Dental Morphology Chapt 11
1-Feb Sex/ Gender Determination Chapt 13
6-Feb Test 2 Test 2
8-Feb Age Determination - sub adults
13-Feb Age Determination - adults Read Maples' book
15-Feb Trauma
20-Feb Skeletal Diseases
22-Feb Field Work Burns Chapt 14
27-Feb Test 3 Test 3
1-Mar Taphonomy Chapt 15
 6-Mar Spring Break - No class
8-Mar Spring Break - No class
13-Mar Metric/ Morphological Variation Burns Chapt 16
15-Mar Applied Craniofacial Anthropometry
20-Mar Paleodemography Read Reichs' book
22-Mar Forensic Anthropology Burns Chapt 12
27-Mar Cannibalism
29-Mar The Search for Butch and Sundance Reichs' as
3-Apr Kathy Reichs
5-Apr Anastasia
10-Apr The Bog People
12-Apr Egyptian mummies
17-Apr Chinese and South American mummies
19-Apr The Ice Man & Final due Final Exam

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 ad
the hard copy turned in for class, the paper must also be submitted to Turnitin.com by the du
3 30 marks for a final take home essay question which must be turned in by the last day of cla
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 documente
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 po

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
accounts. Students may go to http://netid.utdallas.edu to establish or maintain their official UTD compute
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