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Anthropology 101-210: Introduction to Anthropology

Syllabus for Six Week Session One-2013

Dr. Juliana McDonald

Office: 211B Lafferty Hall (LH)

Telephone: 257-2888 or 257-2710 (leave a message!)

Preferred Contact Method: E-mail

OR

**PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

IT IS ONLY FAIR TO WARN YOU AT THE VERY BEGINNING THAT THIS IS NOT AN EASY CLASS JUST BECAUSE IT IS ONLINE. IT IS A QUICK WAY TO GET A REQUIREMENT FINISHED BUT IT IS NOT EASY.

Students seem to have the idea that the online classes are easier than the “live” versions. This class has not been altered from the “live” version in any way other than to make it conform to a 6 week schedule. You must be prepared to work very hard as you have a lot to do on a daily basis to be working at an equal rate as the “live” version of the class. This is just fair warning that it is INTENSE and I do not excuse getting behind or procrastination as valid reasons for not doing well in this class. You are expected to keep up with the schedule as outlined on pages 9-10 of the syllabus.

Virtual Office Hours:

The fastest way to contact me is by e-mail. I check my e-mail regularly on a daily basis. I also have a Teaching

Assistant who will be grading assignments with my supervision and helping with e-mails. However, final

responsibility for all grades is mine.

Teaching Assistant (TA) Contact Information: The course instructor is Dr. McDonald but you will be working under the guidance of a Teaching Assistant for this class. The TA is responsible for all communication about the course. Details TBA

Class Time and Location:

To access the course visit and login to Blackboard with your LINK BLUE username and password. You can also login to and click on the Blackboard link at the top. Scroll down until you find this class.

Required Textbook:

Ember, Melvin, Ember, Carol, & Peregrine, Peter N.

2011 Anthropology (13th ed.). Pearson/Prentice-Hall.

Purchasing Books: ISBN: 13-9780205738823 for the print copy; ISBN: 13-9780205797332 for the e-text.

Books may be purchased EITHER from Kennedy’s Bookstore or at Wildcat Bookstore (both are located on Limestone Street near campus).

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT IF YOU ORDER BOOKS ON-LINE FROM AMAZON, ETC.,YOU MAY NOT GET THEM IN TIME TO START THE CLASS! MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE BOOK ON MAY 7TH. Not having the book on the first day of class is not an excuse for getting behind.

Overview of the Course:

This course introduces students to the discipline of anthropology - the holistic study of humankind. What does it mean to be human? Why do human groups look and act differently from each other? What do these differences mean? This course will also introduce students to processes of inquiry in anthropology. What kinds of questions do anthropologists ask? How do they go about answering them? Why do their answers often differ? The ultimate goal of the course is to help students learn to think anthropologically, which is to think critically. But why should students want to do that? There are many reasons, but perhaps, the most important is that thinking anthropologically can help us avoid misunderstandings that fuel suspicion, distrust, and even hatred of others. In an increasingly globalized world, learning to understand and respect human differences will help us realize that we are, after all, all human.

Course Structure and Learning Outcomes:

To facilitate accomplishment of the learning outcomes listed below, students will engage in a variety of activities to foster the development of anthropological thinking. This means that students will not simply memorize content, but will actively engage in the process of learning and knowledge creation through class discussions, writing assignments, in class activities, guest research presentations, and more. Yes, there will be lectures and viewing of videos/DVDs, but these, too, will be opportunities for active engagement with the learning process as students prepare for, and reflect on, specific aspects of the content.

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

1)describe and distinguish among predominant theories in anthropology, and apply at least one theoretical approach to a current social issue;

2)compare and contrast the diverse methods of anthropological inquiry; and apply at least one methodological approach to a research question of social and/or cultural interest;

3)discern the importance of ethics in research on and with humans, and the ways in which ethical considerations affect both research design and dissemination of results;

4)uncover the underlying and sometimes multiple meanings of text, and understand how information can be shaped to achieve a specific goal;

5)demonstrate the use of anthropological concepts to facilitate an understanding of the connectedness of cultural ideologies and societal institutions in their diverse forms and representations;

6)formulate a researchable question of anthropological interest, and design an appropriate research strategy that speaks to the question.

Minimum Technology Requirements:

Go to this site to check the minimum hardware, software and browser requirements:

Internet Explorer is NOT recommended for use with Blackboard. Firefox is the recommended Internet browser for the course. Go to to download a free version of Firefox. Log in with your LINK BLUE id and password and search for Firefox.

You must have the latest version of Java to complete tests and quizzes. Go to and click on the Free Java Download button. Run the installer to get the latest version.

You will also need Flash, Adobe Acrobat Reader and QuickTime movie player. Go to then click BbGO! If you do not have these, you can download them from this site.

To download Windows Media Player, click this link:

You will need to install a number of plug-ins on your computer. The links to the specific plug-ins required for this course can be also found in your course. If using a UK computer, these plug-ins should be already installed.

Students and faculty can download Microsoft Office Suite (including Word and PowerPoint) from this site:

If you experience technical difficulties contact the Customer Service Center at 859-218-HELP (4357) or by e-mail at . Please also inform the course instructor when you are having technical difficulties.

Bb 101 for First-Time Online Students
This is a brief introduction for students using Blackboard for the first time.

• Go to and log in with your Link Blue ID.
• Click on the Courses link near the top left of the page (to the right of My Bb and under the Library tab).
• In the Course Search line, type Bb9-101 (exactly as you see it there, including the hyphen).
• Find the Course ID (first column) Bb9-101-OnLine-Stu, and click the down arrow next to the Course ID. Click Enroll then Submit.

Distance Learning Library Services

As a Distance Learning student you have access to the Distance Learning Library services at:

This serviceprovides access to UK’s circulating collections and can deliver manuscripts or books from UKs library or other libraries to you. The DL Librarian, Carla Cantagallo, may be reached at 859-257-0500, ext 2171, or 800-828-0439 (option #6) or by mail at .

Course Requirements:

Exam 1 = 200 points 20% (50 questions @ 4 pts. each)

Exam 2 = 200 points 20% (50 questions @ 4 pts. each)

Exam 3 = 200 points 20% (50 questions @ 4 pts. each)

Exam 4 = 200 points 20% (66 questions @ 3 pts. each + 2 pt. short answer)

RQs-Reading Questions = 100 points 10% (25sets completed @ 4 pts. each)

CEs-Class Exercises =100 points 10% (5 completed @ 20 pts. each)

*1000 total points possible for course

*A zero for any of the above six components will result in automatically failing the class.

*The final exam is not cumulative.

*Final Grade Scoring: Based on total accumulation of points out of 1000 points possible:

895 - 1000 = A

795 - 894 = B

695 - 794 = C

595 - 694 = D

594 = E

There is a strict cutoff for deciding the percent grade.

E.g., 895 points is rounded to 90%, an “A”; 894 points is rounded to 89%, a “B.”

*THERE WILL BE NO CURVE AND NO EXTRA CREDIT IN THIS COURSE. EVERY POINT MATTERS!!

Tracking Your Own Grade: It is imperative that students take personal responsibility andalso track

their own grades. To determineyour approximate grade at any point during the eight weeks,

addthe points you have accumulated to thatpoint/ divide by total points possible to that

point/multiplyby 100.

E.g., at midterm you have:

140 points of 150 on Exam 1

145 points of 150 on Exam 2

20 points of 20 on CE# 1

305 points of 320 points possible. Divide 305 by 320 pts. possible. Multiply by 100. 95% = A

Your midterm grade will be available online: May 28th.

Re: Exams (650 points): Exams are multiple-choice and cover PPTs, readings, and videos. The exam questions are randomly drawn directly from the sets of RQs. Exams are given during scheduled times listed below.

Reading Questions (RQs) Grade (100 points): This part of your grade is based on your ability to read the assigned material and demonstrate comprehension with completion and submission of reading questions. There are 28 sets of 20 RQs that cover the assigned text chapters over the 8 weeks. As you submit the reading questions with your answers, you will be given the correct answer with which to compare. After you finish submitting the entire set, they will be counted as either “completed” (10 points) or “uncompleted” (0 points). This allows you to miss 3 sets as an “unexcused” absence. These countfor a maximum total of 250 points of your final grade. Note, if you complete all 28, you will still only receive 250 pts. E.g., submitting only 20 sets = 200 pts. earned. It is extremely important that you do these reading questions in order to fully understand what you are reading. There is a deadline of 48 hours for completing each set beginning at 8:00 am on the day the reading questions are scheduled. You will be locked out and not allowed to submit them after this time. This will prevent you from getting behind in the reading and reading questions but you may work ahead as you please.

Class Exercises (CEs) (100 points): You will have the opportunity to complete 5 class exercises worth 20 pts. each. These are intended to help you think more critically about important topics we are covering in reading and lecture and are directly related to the Learning Outcome for this class. These will be posted on Bb and are due on the dates listed in the schedule. They must meet the page requirements to be counted as completed as well as substantive in terms of overall content.

MyAnthroLab: While I do not assign specific graded tasks from this website, students have found it to be an INVALUABLE source of information and should be used as a very important resource with the text. If you utilize this website it will significantly increase your chances of success in this class.

Exam Schedule:

Exam 1: May 14th

Exam 2: May 22nd

Exam 3: June 3rd

Exam 4: June 18th(Final Exam)

The “window” for taking each exam opens at 8:00 AM and closes at 8:00 AM the following day. After that, you must have a documented excuse as explained below.

MISSED EXAMINATIONS

Make-up exams will only be given forDOCUMENTED excused absences as defined by the University (Senate Rule V.2.4.2) and are scheduled as needed. A missed exam will result in a score of zero for that exam, unless an acceptable written excuse is presented within 48 hours of the missed examination. You must have a unique password provided by the instructor in order to access the makeup exam.

Check the Information on Examinations in the corresponding daily folder in the WEEKLY CONTENT section of Blackboard to confirm the topics/chapters covered on each examination.

ONLINE EXAMINATION INFORMATION

The online examinations will be submitted electronically through Blackboard and must be submitted by the stated deadline (11.00am). Exams 1 & 2 will consist of 50 multiple-choice or true/false questions. The examination will be available for a 24 hour period only beginning at 8:00 AM. It is your responsibility to make sure that you access the material during that time period. You can access the examination any time during the 24 hour window but you can only access it once. Once you access an examination you have 60 minutes in which to complete and submit it. If you go over the time you will not be able to submit it and will receive an automatic score of zero for that examination. It is your responsibility to watch the time and submit the examination in time.

Online examinations are CLOSED BOOK examinations. You cannot use your text book or any other notes when taking an examination. You are on your honor to take the examination on your own without the assistance of any other person or materials. Online examinations will be automatically graded and your score will be available immediately.

If you encounter problems when taking an exam: Call the UK Help Desk or send an e-mail to me or the TA.

Late assignments will be accepted only in the event of documented excused absences as defined by University Senate Rules V, 2.4.2. Problems associated with computer problems, printer problems, parking, traffic, library services, over-sleeping, procrastination or forgetfulness are not acceptable excuses for late submission of assignments. It is YOUR responsibility to make sure that you access and submit assignments on time. Note: Once the deadline for submission has passed, these assignments will no longer be accessible on BlackBoard. Scores for assignments will be posted no later than 24 hours after the due date/time.

“Attendance”:

Although all course materials are on-line and you have open access, it is YOUR responsibility to access material in a timely manner. To help keep you on track I have provided a LECTURE SCHEDULE that you should follow. The lecture schedule is posted on BlackBoard in the COURSE INFORMATION section of Blackboard. You are expected to spend a MINIMUM of 4-5 hours perday on-line interacting with the course material. Please be forewarned that if you get behind and do not meet the scheduled daily deadlines, it will be virtually impossible to complete the course. The only “hard” deadlines are for Exams and CEs. CEs must be graded by the TA and this person cannot grade all CEs at the end of the class at one time.

Incompletes: There will be no incompletes given for this class without appropriate excuse according to those defined as described above in the sections “Missed Exams” and “Late Assignments”.

Student's Rights and Responsibilities/Unresolved Academic Issues: Students have rights and responsibilities that are clear and well-defined. All rules and regulations set forth in the current edition of the University of Kentucky Senate Rules ( and Code of Student Conduct ( will be followed in this course. It is your responsibility to access this information as needed.

There will be no make-up quizzes, exams, or papers without appropriate verification according to S.R.5.24.2). A valid excuse requires documentation (e.g., doctor’s excuse, obituary for death in family, etc.). You must be”on time” for exams; being late may jeopardize being able to take the exam.

Plagiarism and Cheating: The University of Kentucky and the Department of Anthropology take plagiarism and cheating very seriously. You are encouraged to consult both the UK Ombud website () and the UK Code of Student Conduct for complete information. If a student is caught cheating or plagiarizing on any assignment or exam as defined in the UK Code of Student Conduct it will result in a range of disciplinary action according to University policy. The maximum is expulsion from the University. According to the UK Ombud’s Office () using someone else’s work (texts, lectures, articles) without citing the source, passing off someone else’s work as your own (e.g., borrowing a paper from another person who has handed it in another class previously), copying someone’s answers during exams, and using materials from the Internet without properly citing the website/source/author are all examples of plagiarism/cheating. If you have ANY questions regarding this subject, please talk with the TA or with me at anytime. It is always better to be overly cautious than risk destroying your university career. Intent is not always the issue, it is the result that is

judged! Even suspicion of plagiarism/cheating is enough to begin an investigation so be careful to follow instructions at all times.

NOTE* In addition to the circumstances listed above, the following activities are considered evidence of cheating:

1) Talking to another student during an examination.

2) Looking at another student’s work during an examination, or allowing another student to look at your work.

3) Collaborating with another student on an examination and/or submitting an assignment that is similar in wording or sentence construction to the work of another student in the class, even if you acknowledge the participation of the other student. ALL SUBMITTED WORK MUST BE DONE BY YOU ALONE.

Student Conduct/Interaction: This is a college-level course and appropriate behavior is expected of each student. Respect for other students and the instructor is expected. We respect all points-of-view and an open “classroom” environment will be adhered to at all times. Students are expected to devote the appropriate and required time in order to successfully complete this class.