Anthropology 101 - Spring 2008
Physical Anthropology & Archaeology

MWF 9:00 - 9:50 AM Meramec SO - 109

Dr. Michael Fuller - Professor of Anthropology
Office - Social Science Rm. 230
Office Phone: (314) 984-7987

Website: http://users.stlcc.edu/mfuller/

Web Notes are at https://blackboard.stlcc.edu

Your USER ID is your 9-digit Student ID number with no dashes. Your initial password is the same as your 6-digit birthdate in MMDDYY format. Forgot you PIN? Go to http://stlcc.edu/sct-erp/ for information on resetting your PIN or contact the admissions office at your campus. After logging in, students should click on the appropriate course link. NOTE: PIN (Blackboard password) modifications will not take effect in Blackboard until the following day.

St. Louis Community College Blackboard Help Desk for Blackboard related issues.
* Toll Free: 877 708-2934 or Local: 314 539-5934
* From an SLCC phone: Ext. 5934

Email address: MFuller@stlcc.edu

Office Hours:

Purpose of the Course:
Anthropology studies who and what we are as human beings and how we came to be that way. The course examines biological and physical differences in living and prehistoric populations, and surveys archaeological study of both Old World and Pre-Columbian American cultures.


Learning Goals:
1. The course is designed to acquaint the student with the disciplines of Physical Anthropology and Archaeology. The student will look at the evolution of the genera of Homo from its earliest beginnings to its condition.

2. It is anticipated that each student will acquire a working knowledge of evolutionary processes affecting past and present human conditions.

3. Learn the uses of Potassium Argon and Radiocarbon Dating techniques to date archaeological and fossil materials as well as salient human osteological changes in primate skeletal structure through time.

4. Each student will be exposed to human and non-human primate fossil evolutionary systems to discern Homo sapien evolution as the final goal of the coarse.

5. Understand some of the issues of ethics in relation to both Archaeology and Physical Anthropology.

Required Textbook

Evolution and Prehistory. The Human Challenge

8th Edition by William Haviland, Dana Walrath, Harold Prins and Bunny McBride d
Published 2007 by Wadsworth Publishing.
[Do not use anything other than the 8th edition]

DO NOT BUY THE TEXTBOOKS PACKAGED WITH THE CD ROM. THOSE ARE FOR WEB CLASS STUDENTS. You do not need the CD ROM for our class.

Calendar of Learning:

The class has a total of 240 points possible.
- 120 points from 3 exams
- 80 points from 4 homework assignments

Yes, I curve my grades to your advantage. Last semester's grade curve in this class looked like this:

170 to 193 points equals "A"
150 to 169 points equals "B"
130 to 149 points equals "C"
110 to 129 points equals "D"
below 109 points is Failing..

1. There are 3 Quizzes during the semester. Each quiz is composed of 40 multiple choice questions.

Don't miss the schedule exam. That is very, very bad, because you will have to take an essay makeup examination. You do not want to take the makeup test!!! Makeup tests are far more challenging. Makeup test are not given until the end of the semester.

How can you prepare for a quiz? They are going to be very similar (but not exactly like) the practice questions at the back of each assigned chapter. Yes, they can also be related to lecture and videotape presentations give in class.

But in reality, I will adjust the scale downward, an act of mercy called curving.

2. The four short writing assignments will be specific topics that I will assign to you. Three topics will relate to physical anthropology and three topics will relate to archaeology. I expect you to make use of library and internet resources to answer the questions that I ask in the writing assignment. Each writing assignment results in a minimum of 2 pages, typewritten. The last page should have at least 3 sources for your answers. Be my guest and turn it in a week late for 1 letter grade deduction. Be my guest and turn it in 2 weeks late for 2 letter grade deductions. What about 3 week late? Use it to line the birdcage!

3. The ACCESS OFFICE - disAbility Support Services has been designated by the college as the primary office to guide, counsel and assist students with disabilities. If you receive services through the ACCESS OFFICE and require accommodations for this class, make an appointment to see me as soon as possible to discuss you approved accommodation needs. Email me if you have an Instructor Notification Memo provided by the ACCESS OFFICE to the appointment. I will hold any information you share with me in strictest confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise.

4. An Honors Contract can be developed for this class if your GPA is 3.5 or higher. Please contact the Honors Coordinator for more information. Go to http://www.stlcc.edu/mc/dept/honors/index.htm for more information.

5. See me in my office or Email me if your are having problems with the course.

6. I very, very, very rarely give Incomplete grades at the end of the semester. Keep track of your grades and ask me before doing anything rash about dropping the class. Check this web site: http://www.stlcc.edu/calendars/ to determine the last date to drop a class during our semester.

7. HOSE ME DOWN AND I WILL FAIL YOU. Translation: you will be given a failing grade if you cheat on an assignment, cheat on a test, cheat on the paper, or hack into any of the computer system.

8. TOUCH THE TEST AND YOU CAN'T HAND IT BACK! Can you believe that I have to say this? If you are not prepared, then do not sit in the chair on test day! If your hand touches the test, then the clock is running. You have the entire class period to take the examination. Hand it back without answers and it will be easy to grade. No retakes after your fingers have touched an examination. I don't care if you High School allowed you to faint and hand it back. This Is College.

9. How long do you wait until leaving the classroom if the teacher is late? Wait all hour until instructed to leave by a secretary or another teacher. Discuss the textbook questions with the other students until Professor Fuller arrives.

10. Put your cell phone in silent vibrate or suffer my ridicule.

11. Don't tell me that you can not do computer related homework because here are a list of computer labs on campus with internet access:

Business and Administration (BA-201)
Telephone: 314.984.7527

Library (First Floor)
Telephone: 314.984.7618

Library (Second Floor information Access Lab)
Telephone: 314.984.7951

Meramec Academic Center (Communications North - 124)
Telephone: 314.984.7390

The lectures are free and open to the public and could count for extra credit if you write a one page summary of the lecture and email it to me. Each lecture is worth 5 points. You can earn a maximum of 15 points extra credit. If you live outside St. Louis but near another AIA chapter, then email for instructions. Excellent Lectures (Prof. Fuller is the past-President!!) for extra credit lectures are listed here:
http://users.stlcc.edu/mfuller/aia/

Lectures are also given at the Mound City Archaeological Society: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MAS-MCAS/

CAN I DIG UP ALEXANDER THE GREAT??? Yes!!! Professor Fuller had taught field methods class in St. Louis County, TransJordan, and Syria. Now, even better, SLCC field school in the Republic of Macedonia along the Vardar River. Yes, you can come to the homeland of Alexander the Great and dig.

http://users.stlcc.edu/mfuller/macedonia

Aliases of your teacher:
Michael Fuller - The name his parents gave him
Dr. Michael Fuller - The name that gets extra respect
Professor Michael Fuller - How the college thinks of him


Lord Michael de Safita - deadly Medieval crossbowman


Moodeer Fuller - Arab villagers in Syria call him this as he searches for lost secrets


Daddy - Amira Fuller calls me this (alas, she is too big to carry in my arms)


Neathery's husband - wife's students call him. She also teaches rt and web classes.



Madman - common nickname around Instructional Resources

I always dress in Academic robes while grading your homework,
I NEVER SLEEP and yes,
I am watching you to make sure that you don't cheat!