Dr. Joan Stevenson


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423/525 - Human & Primate Evolution Syllabus


Instructor:
Dr. Joan C. Stevenson, AH 316, Phone: 650-4787; E mail: jcstvnsn@cc.wwu.edu
Texts:
Conroy GC 2005. Reconstructing Human Origins, 2nd Editiion. NY: WW Norton.
De Waal, FBM (editor). 2001. Tree of Origin. Cambridge, MS: Harvard University Press

Objectives of Class:
To become familiar with evolutionary theory, and the reasoning and types of analyses used for understanding the fossil record. It is also important to become knowledgeable on an aspect of the fossil record or human evolution discussions, and to outline, delineate, review an issue and present it so that it is accessible to others.

Skills Acquired: critical reading skills, location and proper reference of appropriate primary and secondary sources of data, interpretation and analysis of this material, effective communication strategies in speaking and writing, teamwork in processing some of this information, organization of time and meeting deadlines.

Week
Topic
Chpts C
Chpts DW
1
 Review of evolutionary theory & basic concepts
4
   
2
 Theory and fossils
Conroy's Manifesto

Weds: 10 abstracts*
   
3

Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene

2, 3
6, 7
Weds: 10 abstracts
   
4

Miocene
5
1,3
  Problem Statement & Outline  
   
5

Hominid anatomy & earliest “hominids”
1, 8
5,2
WI students: Introduction and first few pages of body of paper.

Non WI: Take-home exam
   
6

Australopithecines

6, 7, 9
4
Full drafts welcome
   
7

Homo ergaster and Homo erectus
10

8, 9
   
8

Middle Pleistocene hominids
11
WI students: Last chance to read 1st full draft: Hereafter I will only read 2nd or 3rd drafts.
9

Anatomical Moderns & Presentations?

12, 13
   
10-11

Informal presentations


Note that the final draft of the paper and the lecture slides and associated notes for the presentation are due the Monday of finals week.

* Use the WEB sparingly because little of the material there is refereed. Your book’s references are an excellent place to look first.

The final product will matter most for your final grade. Undergraduates should focus on evolution of an anatomical structure or behavior, a major site (or group of related sites), or a taxon (or group of related taxa) and elaborate for the term paper.

FINAL GRADE: WI 80% paper, 20% attendance: Non WI: 50% presentation, 25% attendence, 25% exam. Discussion will comprise a part of the class and participation will be evaluated in terms regular attendance checks. 95% = A, 90% = B, 85% C.
Western Washington University | Vitae | Class Schedules