Download Forensic Anthropology - IU School of Liberal Arts @ IUPUI

ANTHROPOLOGY-A 460: Forensic Anthropology
Section 27934, Fall 2015
Mondays & Wednesdays 3:00 to 4:15 PM
411 (class) & 409 (lab) Cavanaugh Hall
Professor: Jeremy J. Wilson, Ph.D.
Office: 413C Cavanaugh Hall
Office Hours: Mondays- 1:00 to 3:00 pm, Tuesdays- 9:00 to 11:00
am, Wednesdays- 12:00 to 2:00 pm, and by appointment
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 317-274-5787
Course Description, Objectives & Organization
Forensic Anthropology introduces students to the sub-discipline of Biological Anthropology that
addresses human skeletal remains recovered during medico-legal investigations. Forensic
Anthropology is an inherently “applied” field of Anthropology and compliments the focus of
IUPUI’s Department of Anthropology. Forensic anthropologists are often consulted in
investigations when a visual identification of human remains cannot be made by a medical
examiner or law enforcement. The goals of forensic anthropologists’ involvement in medicoinvestigations often includes excavation and recovery (i.e., forensic archaeology), the
estimation of post-mortem interval, the construction of a biological profile (e.g., age, sex,
stature, etc.), positive identification, and the cause and manner of death. Practitioners routinely
find themselves working in a variety of contexts from local cases of missing persons to mass
disasters and international human rights projects involving the exhumation of mass graves.
SAMPLE
Forensic Anthropology is structured as a practical lecture and hands-on, laboratory-based
course that requires students to study the human skeleton through direct observation. This
examination ranges from differentiating bones or bone fragments (and whether or not they are
human), to interpreting types and patterns of trauma, and broader theoretical considerations
of the sources and range of variation within and between populations. Contrary to the
population-based approaches to Biological Anthropology, the focus of Forensic Anthropology is
more often than not on a single individual. The methods are often identical or complimentary,
but “positive identification” of an unknown individual’s remains is the goal of most forensic
investigations. However, as you will come to discover, the role of the forensic anthropologist is
ever-changing, especially in light of advancements in DNA extraction and analysis.
You can expect to be trained to 1) identify bones and bone fragments, 2) develop biological
profiles (i.e., sex, age-at-death, stature, ancestry) of unknown remains, 3) collect, analyze, and
interpret metric and non-metric data, 4) understand pathological processes routinely
encountered during the analysis of human skeletal remains, 5) identify and interpret skeletal
trauma, 6) learn the basics of field recovery, and 7) gain an appreciation for the history, current
state, and future prospects of Forensic Anthropology. Two lab assignments and six in-class
Forensic Anthropology 1
exercises will help hone many of these skills. You should expect and plan to commit additional
hours in the lab outside of regular class meeting times. Like other fields of scientific inquiry, the
research and analyses performed during class will teach you to formulate and test hypotheses,
and subsequently justify their conclusions.
Class meetings will provide time for lectures, discussions, hands-on learning and lab exercises
involving human skeletal material. Following the first two weeks of class, approximately half of
each week will be devoted to sharpening your practical skills, conducting in-class exercises, and
preparing for the quizzes and practical components of the midterm and final examinations.
Prearranged lab hours (see below) will give students additional opportunities to work on their
skill set and assignments.
Attendance
There is no doubt that the textbook contains a wealth of information. However, it is no
substitute for your attendance and participation in this lab-based course. Attendance is
mandatory. You will receive 10 attendance points if you have no more than three unexcused
absences. After three absences, you will lose one participation point for each subsequent day
missing. For example, if you have
three unexcused absences you will
receive all 10 points, but if you have
four absences you will receive nine
points, five absences receive eight
points, and so on. Excused absences
are documented illnesses, religious
holidays, or an absence that is
discussed with me prior to or
immediately after the absence.
Please be prepared to document
absences that will be excused.
SAMPLE
Students who attend less than half a class session will not receive attendance points without
my permission. I will consider excusing absences for other reasons (e.g., K-12 school breaks,
etc.) on a case-by-case basis, so please contact me about such absences as soon as possible.
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class meeting on a course roster that
circulates through class. If you come in slightly late, you must ensure that you sign this roster at
the end of class; at the end of the semester I will not negotiate over the days you forgot to sign
the attendance roster. I will not allow students to sign the roster if they arrive halfway through
the class meeting; please discuss any delays outside your control with me (e.g., traffic jam). The
exams will also be heavily weighted towards the material discussed in depth during class, so it
behooves you to attend.
A basic requirement of this course is that you will participate in class and conscientiously
complete the readings, in-class exercises, and lab assignments. If you miss more than half of the
Forensic Anthropology 2
required activities within the first 25% of the course without contacting me, you may be
administratively withdrawn from this course. Administrative withdrawal may have academic
and financial aid implications. Withdrawal will take place after the full refund period, and if you
are administratively withdrawn from the course, you will not be eligible for a tuition refund.
You may find detailed descriptions of the policy and procedures for administrative withdrawal
at http://registrar.iupui.edu/withdrawal-policy.html.
FLAGS
This semester, I will also be using IU’s FLAGS System to provide real-time feedback on your
performance in the course. Periodically throughout the semester, I will be entering data on
factors such as your class attendance, participation, and success with coursework, among other
things. This information will provide feedback on how you are faring in the course and offer you
suggestions on how you might be able to improve your performance.
You will be able to access
this information in the student center: One.IU > Student Center (SIS) > My Academics and
Grades > My Grades.
Required Text
Angi M. Christensen, Nicholas V. Passalacqua, & Eric J. Bartelink
2014 Forensic Anthropology: Current Methods and Practice (1st Edition). New York: Academic
Press.
SAMPLE
Supplementary Text
Tim D. White & Pieter A. Folkens*
2005 The Human Bone Manual. New York: Academic Press.
*Note: A PDF version of this supplementary textbook has been posted to our Canvas page. You
will find this manual useful during the first four weeks of the semester when we review basic
human skeletal anatomy.
Course Grading
The grading for the course is based on a series of six inclass lab exercises (30% total), two lab assignments (20%
total), two bone quizzes (10% total), a midterm and final
examination (30% total), a group Daubert report and
presentation on forensic anthropology methods (5%), and
attendance (5%). The Midterm (October 21st) and Final
(December 18th) will be conducted during designated class
times. Both tests will include practical, objective, shortanswer and essay components. The final will be
cumulative, but it will primarily focus on the materials
from the second half of the semester. The details and
group assignments for the Daubert report and
presentation will be expanded upon in the coming weeks.
Forensic Anthropology 3
You can check your grades during the semester by logging onto Canvas.
Course Grading Scale
A
92-100
B+
A89-91
B
B-
86-88
82-85
79-81
C+
C
76-78
70-75
D
F
60-69
0-60
Open Lab Time
In addition to the scheduled class time, you are encouraged to spend a minimum of one to two
additional hours in the lab per week. This is especially true in advance of the two quizzes,
exams, and the due dates for your take-home lab assignments. The open lab schedule is listed
below. Please clear all visitors to the lab with me prior to their entry. The lab is not a social
gathering site.
Open Lab Schedule for Fall 2015
Mondays
12:00 to 3:00 pm
Tuesdays
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Wednesdays
12:00 am to 3:00 pm
Thursdays
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Fridays
by arrangement
SAMPLE
Professional Conduct
Most of the skeletal materials that you will handle in the lab
are not casts- they are human remains. You must demonstrate
the utmost respect for these remains at all times in both your
words and actions. Inappropriate behavior and/or comments
will not be tolerated. You will be asked to leave the lab
immediately and required to meet with me prior to your readmittance to the class. Careful handling is also mandatory.
Always carry bones with two hands and use the table padding
and/or bean bags whenever you place material on a table.
Please do not put pens or pencils near the bones or draw on
them. Water bottles are permissible in the lab and around the
human remains, but I strongly discourage eating or drinking in
the immediate vicinity of any bones. Skeletal remains are never
to leave the lab or classroom. Students who abuse, steal, or
intentionally damage the remains will be expelled from the
class.
Policies
For better or worse, life happens and I understand as much. I will try to be as accommodating
as possible. However, you need to keep me informed. Please feel free to discuss any problems
you are having in class, whether they are related to illnesses, work schedules, or the wider
range of real-life things that can happen over the course of a semester. If you have questions or
concerns, I can always be contacted before or after class. You can also schedule an
Forensic Anthropology 4
appointment. Outside of class time, the most reliable means to contact me electronically is via
my email ([email protected]) and not Canvas, which I check less frequently.
The classroom is a safe-speech environment. It is your responsibility to treat other classmates
fairly and with mutual respect, even if they have the audacity to disagree with you, champion
an opinion that is inconsistent with your worldview, or simply bore you. Anyone who talks
when someone else is talking, is hostile, or otherwise violates classroom etiquette will be
considered to be in violation of this policy. Students who fail to adhere to these guidelines will
be asked to meet with me before returning to class.
This syllabus includes deadlines for assignments, in-class exercises, quizzes, and test dates.
Therefore, it is your responsibility to know when assignments are due, exercises are held, and
quizzes and tests are scheduled. If there are any changes made in the syllabus, they will be
posted on Canvas and announced in class. Please do not wait until after an assignment deadline
or exam date to talk to me. Likewise, do not postpone talking to me if you are having any
difficulty with the class.
All work in the course is conducted in accordance with the University’s academic misconduct
policy. Cheating includes dishonesty of any kind with respect to exams or assignments.
Plagiarism is the offering of someone else’s work as your own: this includes taking un-cited
material from books, web pages, or other students, turning in the same or substantially similar
work as other students, sneaking a peek at the neighbor's exam, or failing to properly cite other
research. If you are suspected of any form of academic misconduct, you will be called in for a
meeting at which point you will be informed of the accusation and given adequate opportunity
to respond. A report will be
submitted to the Dean of Students,
who will decide on further
disciplinary action. Please consult
the University Bulletin’s academic
misconduct policy or me if you have
any questions.
SAMPLE
The Office of Adaptive Educational Services (AES) ensures that students with disabilities receive
appropriate accommodations from the University and their professors. Students must register
with the AES office in order to receive such services.
Portable electronic devices, namely cell phones, should be turned off before entering the
classroom. You can use a laptop in class to take notes, but please turn off the speakers. Do not
surf the web in class. Let me know in advance if you carry around a communication device for
familial reasons (e.g., pregnancy monitoring, disabled family, or contact with kids). Anyone
whose electronic device disturbs class repeatedly will be asked to meet with me after class if
they continue to disturb the group.
Forensic Anthropology 5
Topic(s)
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Course Schedule
Readings & Exercises
August 24th
Introductions & Course Preview:
N/A
A History of Forensic Anthropology
August 26th
Forensic Anthropology in the 21st
Century: Science & Jurisprudence
Chapter 1
August 31st
Reference Samples &
Quantitative Methods
Chapter 3
Sept. 2nd
Human Osteology I:
Cranium
Chapter 2
White & Folkens, Ch. 7
Sept 7th
Labor Day Holiday: No Classes
Sept. 9th
Human Osteology II:
Dentition
Chapter 2
White & Folkens, Ch. 8
Sept. 14th
Human Osteology III:
Axial Skeleton
Chapter 2
White & Folkens, Ch. 9 & 10
Sept. 16th
Human Osteology IV:
Appendicular Skeleton
Chapter 2
White & Folkens, Ch. 11-16
Sept. 21st
Medicolegal Significance
Chapter 4
Quiz #1
Sept. 23rd
Forensic Taphonomy
Chapter 5
Sept. 28th
Forensic Archaeology
Chapter 6
In-class Exercise #1
Sept. 30th
Lab Processing
Daubert Assignment Distributed
Chapter 7
Oct. 5th
Estimation of Sex I:
Non-Metric Analyses
Chapter 8
In-class Exercise #2
Oct. 7th
Estimation of Sex II:
Metric Analyses
Chapter 8
Quiz #2
SAMPLE
Forensic Anthropology 6
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Topic(s)
Readings & Exercises
Oct. 12th
Adult Age Estimation I:
Cranium & Post-cranium
Chapter 10, pp. 261-84
Oct. 14th
Adult Age Estimation II:
Pelvic Girdle
Chapter 10, pp. 261-84
In-class Exercise #3
Oct. 19th
IUPUI Fall Break: No Classes
N/A
Oct. 21st
Midterm Examination
N/A
Oct. 26th
Sub-adult Age Estimation I:
Dental Development & Eruption
Chapter 10, pp. 243-61
Lab Assignment #1 Handout
Oct. 28th
Sub-adult Age Estimation II:
Length & Epiphyseal Fusion
Chapter 10, pp. 243-61
In-class Exercise #4
Nov. 2nd
Ancestry Estimation
Chapter 9
Nov. 4th
Stature Estimation
Chapter 11
In-class Exercise #5
Nov. 9th
Forensic & Investigative Sciences
Program Review: No Class
Open Lab Hours:
Complete Lab #1
Nov. 11th
Ante-mortem Skeletal Conditions
Chapter 12
Lab Assignment #1 Due
Nov. 16th
Skeletal Trauma
Chapter 13
Nov. 18th
Sharp-Force Trauma
Lab Assignment #2 Handout
Nov. 23rd
Blunt-Force Trauma
Chapter 13
In-class Exercise #6
Nov. 25th
Thanksgiving Break: No Classes
N/A
SAMPLE
Forensic Anthropology 7
Week 15
Week 16
Week 17
Topic(s)
Readings & Exercises
Nov. 30th
Open Lab Hours:
Complete Lab #2
N/A
Dec. 2nd
Individualization &
Positive Identification
Chapter 14
Dec. 7th
Mass Disasters & Human
Rights Investigations
Chapter 15
Lab Assignment #2 Due
Dec. 9th
Daubert Report Preparation
N/A
Dec. 14th
Daubert Group Presentations
N/A
Final Exam in CA 411 on Friday, December 18th from 3:30 to 5:30 pm
SAMPLE
Forensic Anthropology 8