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INTRODUCTION
TO Physical Anthropology
Ant.
B15Y Spring 2003
Prof.
Frances D. Burton
Teaching
Assistant: Kaila Folinsbee
Projects - general
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General information:
Assignments are to
be between 5-7 pages in length, double-spaced and in point 12 font.
The five-seven pages do not include title page, references, figures,
or illustrations. Please consult a book on 'how to write a term paper in
social science' in the library. In addition, the library instructs
- on line and in workshops - on how to do research. [here]
If you do not have experience with
electronic research, this is your opportunity to learn how. Your TA
will be happy to give you additional help.
Each assignment
must
have at least 3-7 scholarly references from refereed journals.
These may be print or on-line. Instructions on how to cite these references
are available from the Library as handouts or on-line, or right here.
Guidelines for writing a paper
Abstract: In no more than
250 words, you will summarize your major findings. an Abstract, ideally,
conveys the whole work in few words.
Introduction: Whether you are writing
a thesis or a short paper, the introduction should clearly state what the
paper is about in terms of the issues or problems you will be addressing.
For these assignments, your introduction should be approximately 1-2 paragraphs
in length.
Methods: How did you go about getting
information on your subject? (What makes your information credible?)
How did you analyze it?
Results: Here the analyzed data
is presented. Charts, diagrams, graphs help the reader visualize your findings.
Discussion: This is where you discuss
your findings with comparison to other published material. Throughout your
work, you will want to support or substantiate your ideas with references.
Did other scholars find the same thing or was it different? Was the context
or situation a bit different?
Conclusion: You will bring the
salient points to the fore in this section. Do not bring in new ideas.
You may finish the paper with a summary list of the main points.
References: Academic writing requires
"proof". This comes in the form of a citation to the
source from which the information came. You must use
quotation marks " " for words that are not your own. The exact location
of that information must be given (Author, date:00) [00 means page number]
for example: (Burton, 1999: 22).
Credibility: The purpose of giving
reference citations is to allow the reader to check where you got the information;
to make sure the content is correct. Credible sources vary. The most credible
are sources that have been refereed, that is, where an article
has been reviewed and judged by other professionals in the field. Journals
publish this type of article; magazines generally do not.
Our library has over 7000 journals on-line.
In addition, you will want to consult print journals. We ask that you use
both print and online journals in your research.
Growth and Development: The Gardiner Museum
DUE
MARCH 17
Objective: To analyse and interpret
artifacts in the context of the cultures to which they belonged, as well
as the biological realities of the times in which these artifacts were
made.
The Gardiner Museum is right across
the street from the ROM. It houses a superb collection of ceramics, not
the
least of which are from Mesoamerica, at the time of the great civilizations:
For example, those of the Olmec, and the Maya. These peoples created remarkable
works of art in ceramics, reflecting on the variety of their lives. Amongst
the ceramics are figurines of people with genetic or developmental anomalies.
You are to:
1. Choose a small sample
of these ( two or three), selecting from different places at different
times.
2. Identify them using catalog
or display number. All objects in museums have identification numbers.
Be sure to note where the object is by identifying which display case in
what room.
3. describe the figurine in as
objective terms as possible, and
4. identify the anomaly: it could
be achondroplastic dwarfism, malnutrition, osteoporosis, etc.
-be sure to reference your sources of
information as you do this
5. determine the etiology of the
anomaly [that is, its cause - origin and/or development]
6. determine why it has been portrayed.
That is, what cultural significance might this anomaly have had which inspired
the people to portray it? How did it fit into the culture?
Be sure to reference your sources of
information as you do this.
NB: There are articles on reserve that
may be helpful to you.
Zoo Project: DUE
FEB 24
Objective:
To gain an appreciation for non-human primates through observation and
analysis.
Human beings are
classified in the Order Primates and for that reason, non-human
primates have long been studied by anthropologists to better understand
ourselves and the evolutionary forces that have shaped us. Their high level
of intelligence and complexity in communication and overall behaviour make
them far more deserving of being observed simply as models for early and
extant humans. Studying primate behaviour is particularly important for
conservation purposes including their (mis)use in
medical research. Although some zoos attempt to simulate the primate's
natural habitat, a zoo is not the natural habitat, and behaviour will be
specifically adapted to this locale. For the purposes of this assignment,
however, the zoo is the most practical venue.
Suggestions for
the zoo trip:
1. Appropriate and
comfortable clothing especially if observing primates
in outdoor enclosures.
2. Clipboard, pad,
and pen for note taking.
3. Wristwatch for
timing events.
4. Binoculars (if
you have them) may be helpful for individual
identification.
5. Camera (optional)
but do NOT use flash as this is very disturbing to the animals.
6. A comfortable
cushion or folding cane/seat to sit on.
Goal: Not all questions can be
asked in the Zoo context. Choose one
of the following as your theme.
a.
how do the gorillas spend their time in the "rainforest" environment?
-do they use all parts equally?
-are some activities relegated to certain areas only?
-do certain animals have 'rights' over certain areas that others do not?
-is either age or sex a factor in use of the space?
b. how does the youngest orang spend its day?
-where does it go?
-whom does it play with? visit? sleep/rest with?
-what activities does it engage in?
c.
how does the adult male mandrill relate to each female in his group?
-what does he do with/to each female?
-what does each female do with/to him?
-does reproductive state make an [obvious] difference?
-does age make a difference?
You will need to spend no less than 10
hours watching the group. You will need to:
1. Identify all members
by age and sex and 'nickname', (and a legend relating nickname to
zoo name), and prepare a table of them, their birthdates and arrival dates
at the MTZ.
2. Establish which
behaviours will be appropriate for you to focus on. Define these and choose
abbreviations for subsequent spreadsheet analysis.
3. Record your observation
techniques - you may wish to sample behaviour by watching one individual
at a time[focal animal], or scanning the group at set intervals
of time (e.g. every10 minutes, etc.) [scan sampling]
- or combining these two primary techniques, while recording what
occurs between these intervals [running clock].
4. Transfer your observations to
spreadsheets and analyze your findings.
5. Write-up. [see general project above]
Nutrition Project: DUE
LAST DAY OF CLASS
Objective: The purpose of this
exercise is to familiarize you with the nutrient value of food in your
weekly diet.
Food is nutrient
as well as symbol. The Canadian Food Guide currently lists ourdaily
requirements as RECOMMENDED NUTRIENT INTAKE {RNI} (this is about
to change); in the USA it used to be RDA= Recommended Daily Allowance,
but now is RDV: Required Daily Value.
Books listing nutrient value are in our library. Some cookbooks include
nutrient breakdowns these as well. Check call
numbers TX and RA for further readings.
Procedure: For one full week:
1. Record everything you eat giving
portion size in standard measure [preferably metric]. Be sure to include
spices and herbs.
2. Analyze each item in the food-intake
list for its nutrient content. Your work here is facilitated by the USDA
whose website nal.usda.gov/fnic
gives
values for most foods. Check the page "some websites" for more. Alternatively,
there are books in the library in reference, such as Bowes and Church's
Food
Values of Portions Commonly Used that you may wish to consult. [TX
551 .B64 1998X ]
3. Reflect on your week's diet,
in your write-up.
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Last modified: November, 2002