Syllabus: Introduction to Anthropology

Course Instructor
Dr. David Hartman
OFFICE HOURS: Wed. 2-5 PM
E-Mail: Hartman@pacs.unt.edu

Course T.A.
LEE ANN STEPHENS email: Through Blackboard
Office hours: Monday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m

Course Designer
Dr. Doug Henry

Course Description
This course attempts to survey and explain some of the variety found in the human
condition around the world. It is both a scientific and a humanistic endeavor to explain
differences and similarities in appearance, language, culture, and perspectives. It
incorporates basic biology and physiology, history, geography, sociology, evolution, and
sometimes a suspended value judgment, in order to understand why people are who they
are, and why they do what they do.

Required Text
Kottak, Conrad 2008 Anthropology: The Exploration of Human Diversity, 11th or 12th
editions. McGraw-Hill.
(NOTE: This syllabus will cover the most recent, 12th edition, but the 11th edition will
be fine, as well as cheaper for you. If you get the 11th edition, however, realize that YOU
will be responsible for making sure the chapters you read correspond to the correct topics
in the syllabusI include the chapter headings in the syllabus to help you with that.
Dont go back earlier than the 11th edition; things do change in Anthropology).
Films are required. After each film, you should complete the short paragraph discussion
question and submit it on the film guide link on the home page. Films are free, and can
be accessed by the links Ive given you here in the syllabus. First you login with your

EUID and password, then RealPlayer will pop up and begin playing the selected video.
The librarys Video On Demand page will also open in the background and display all
the films that are available to you through in the Video On Demand system.

Course Requirements
Exams:
There will be four tests; students have to take the scheduled tests within the 5 day period.
Once you start a test, you have only a pre-set amount of time to finish it. My advice:
dont start a test unless youre SURE you can finish it. And DONT wait until the last
minute. If you wait until the last hour to take the test, AND your computer happens to
crash at that same time, I wont be sympatheticin that case, youll have to miss that
test, and then take the final to replace the 0 given. Test questions will consist of
multiple choice and short paragraph answer questions.
Final exam:
The final exam is optionalyou DONT HAVE to take it. It WILL BE comprehensive of
the entire course. Should you score higher on the final exam than a previous test, then
that lowest test score will be replaced with your final exam score. If you score lower on
the final, then the exam grade wont count against you.
Short papers/ Discussion responses:
You will be required to post information about yourself on the homepage the first week,
and also respond to 8 short discussion questions during the course. There will also be 4
short film responses due. These twelve things will all count for 24% of your grade. In the
8 discussion posts, if you JUST post one thing per discussion, then your discussion grade
will come out to be 75% (a C). If, however, you additionally respond at least twice to
someone elses post in each of the exercises, then your Discussion grade will go up to
100% (an A). The Vista program that the class is in keeps track of all your postings for
me, so this will be easy for the Instructor or a TA to check.

Student Evaluation
Short
papers/
1/4 of grade
Discussion
response
4 Tests
(19%
each)

3/4 of grade

Final

(optional, grade will

Exam

replace lowest test score)

Make-up exams:
Make-ups will not be given unless students approach their instructor with a reasonable
excuse BEFORE the scheduled test. No exceptions. Students may not reschedule exams
because of out of town trips and/or plane
reservations.Mark the test dates on your calendar.
Withdrawal:
If you are unable to complete this course you must officially withdraw by the Universitydesignated date (for a W with instructor approval). Withdrawing from a course is a
formal procedure that YOU must initiate. I cannot do it for you. If you simply stop
attending and do not withdraw, you will receive a performance grade, usually an F.
Your primary responsibility as a student is to master the material presented in class and in
the readings and do well in the course. This is an easily achieved objective. Come to class
and do the reading! At times concepts or issues raised in class might be unclear. Students
come from a variety of backgrounds and have various strengths and weaknesses. If you
have any questions or feel unsure about any class material, see me or the TA during
office hours as soon as you realize a problem. We will work together to find a
solution. DONT wait until the end of the semester. Please realize that my goal as an
instructor is not just to grade, evaluate, and test, but to help you gain a valuable life
perspective to carry outside the class, into whatever you do.
Note:
The Anthropology Department does not discriminate on the basis of an individuals
disability as required by the Americans With Disabilities Act. Our program provides
academic adjustments or help to individuals with disabilities
in its programs and activities. Attempts will be made to meet all certified requirements.
Plagiarism and Cheating.
The department of anthropology does not tolerate plagiarism, cheating, or helping others
to cheat. Students suspected of
any of these will be provided the opportunity for a hearing; a guilty finding will merit an
automatic F in the course. In addition, I reserve the right to pursue further disciplinary
action within the UNT legal system, which may result in

dismissal from the university. Plagiarism is defined as misrepresenting the work of others
(whether published or not) as your own. It may be inadvertent or intentional. Any facts,
statistics, quotations, or paraphrasing of any information
that is not common knowledge, should be cited. For more information on paper writing,
including how to avoid plagiarism, and how to use citations, see
http://www.unt.edu/anthropology/writing.htm. For information on the Universitys
policies regarding academic integrity and dishonesty, see the UNT Center for Student
Rights and Responsibilities, http://www.unt.edu/csrr/.
Course Schedule and Reading Assignments
Date

Topic

Week 1

Orientation/Introduction
Kottack, Ch. 1 What is Anthropology?
to Anthropology
Methods of Studying
People the Past

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

Readings Required

Kottack, Ch. 3 Ethics and Methods in Archaeology

and Physical Anthropology

Processes of Evolution
Kottack, Ch. 4 Evolution and Genetics
and Genetics
Human Adaptation

Kottack, Ch 5 Human Variation and Adaptation

Primates and Primate

Evolution

Kottack, Ch. 6 , Ch 7 The Primates, Primate

Evolution

TEST 1 (NEEDS TO BE TAKEN BETWEEN February 8 -14)

Walking with Cavemen: First Ancestors, Parts 1, 2,
and 3 (10 min each) (see film guide on course
homepage) Its 3 free, short films available on
Google Video; youll need to click on each link
yourself:

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

Hominins and Early

Human Evolution

Kottack Ch 8 Early Hominins

WEEK 6 ) The Genus Homo

Kottack Ch 9 The Genus Homo

First Farmers and the

WEEK 7 ) Rise of Complex
Societies

Kottack, Ch 10 The First Farmers

Great Archaeological
Discoveries
TEST 2

Kottack Ch 11 The First Cities and States

(NEEDS TO BE TAKEN BETWEEN March 1-7)

Kottack, Ch. 12 Methods in Cultural Anthropology
Film: Do You Speak American (Down South) (film
guide on course homepage)

WEEK 8

Cultural Anthropology

WEEK 9

Culture, Language, and Kottack, Ch. 13 Culture Kottack, Ch. 15 Language

Communication
and Communication

WEEK 10 Making a living

Politics and social
Organization
Test 3

Kottack, Ch 16 Making a Living

Kottack, Ch. 17 Political Systems

(needs to be taken between March 22-28)

WEEK 11

Film: Dream Worlds 3: Desire, Sex, and Power in

Music Videos (film guide on course homepage)

WEEK 12 Marriage and Gender

Kottack, Ch. 19, Ch. 20 Marriage, Gender

WEEK 13 Religion

Kottack, Ch. 21 Religion

Kottack Ch 23 The Modern World System

WEEK 14

Culture Change and the

Kottack Ch 25 Cultural Exchange and Survival
Modern World System
Film: Trinkets and Beads (film guide on course
homepage)

Test 4 (NEEDS TO BE TAKEN BETWEEN April 19-25)

Final Exam :

May 10-13.

Discussion/ Assignment Posts for ANTH 1010

Class Roster (Due 1/31/09 )
Practicing Anthropology (Due 1/31/09)
Mutation (Due (2/7/09)
Film response (Walking with Caveman) (Due 2/21/09)
Extra Credit Assignment (Due 3/7/09) (Late papers receive 1 point
deduction automatically)

Film response (Do you Speak American? (Due 3/14/09)

Participant Observation/ Response Effects (Due 3/28/09)
Language and Society (Due 4/4/09 )
Informal Social Control (Due 4/11/09
Film response (Desire, Sex, and Power) (Due 4/18/09)
Marriage and Gender (Due 4/25/09)
Religion (Due 5/2/09)
Culture Contact and Change (Due 5/5/09)
Film response (Trinkets and Beads) (Due 5/5/09)
Core assessment (Extra Credit 5 points) (5/10/13)
Initial Grading Scale
A
B
C

460-414
413-368
367-322

D
F

321-276
275-0

Dependent on how well the class does as a whole the grading scale may be revised down
but will never be revised up.