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Syllabus
Advanced Evolutionary Studies
ANT 480 Section 001
Spring 2015, Seminar
Dr. Christopher Lynn
Office Hours and Contact Information
Office: 12 ten Hoor
Office hours: MW 2-4 or by appointment
Office phone number: 348-4162
E-mail: cdlynn@ua.edu
Prerequisites
ANT 150, ANT 451 (Readings in ALLELE), BSC 220, & ANT 270, GEO 102, or PHL 387, & 1-credit Independent Research
Course Description
This course is the capstone to the Evolutionary Studies minor and should be taken in the final semester of the program. This course meets in conjunction with "Evolution for Everyone," the minor introductory course to the minor, to revisit the basic principles and application of evolutionary theory. These courses are team-taught by faculty from around the University and integrate the Alabama Lectures on Life's Evolution series, so they are likely to be different for you in both iterations. The course will review applications of evolutionary theory in the natural, social, and applied sciences and in the humanities. Additionally, you will conduct or complete a culminating project during the first half of the semester. During the second half of the semester, you will present this to the class and submit an article based on your project for publication in a peer-reviewed science journal.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of this term, you should be able to:
- Complete a creative or research project related to evolutionary theory
- Produce a publishable paper or project that summarizes your project
- Present your findings to an audience of peers
- Produce a portfolio that outlines your accomplishments as an EvoS minor
Required Texts
Other Course Materials
Blackboard
This course will use Blackboard to distribute additional readings. Access Blackboard via myBama. There is a box called Blackboard on the Academics tab that should list your courses that are currently let up with Blackboard.
Social Media
There is a closed Facebook group for the course at http://www.facebook.com/groups/ant150/. This group is used to share relevant information from media sources and facilitate discussion. Please request to join the group.
I also utilize Twitter a lot with small classes like this one, including tweeting notes from guest lecturers that I later use to compose exams. Following #ant150 is therefore worthwhile. If I catch you with your smartphone in hand during class, I expect to find tweets by you at this hashtag or notes posted to our Facebook group. Otherwise, I will be penalizing you for smartphone use in class.
The EvoS Club and program also have a Facebook group and page, respectively. Please consider joining the EvoS Club at https://www.facebook.com/groups/UAEvoS/ and "liking" the EvoS program at https://www.facebook.com/pages/UA-Evolutionary-Studies-Program/200583729957885.
"Like" the UA Department of Anthropology (www.facebook.com/UAAnthroDept) and the ALLELE series (www.facebook.com/ALLELEseries) on Facebook so that we can keep in touch with you and you can stay informed about our events and activities.
Evolutionary Studies
Emergency Contact Information
UA's primary communication tool for sending out information is through its web site at www.ua.edu. In the event of an emergency, students should consult this site for further directions. Additional course information will be posted using Blackboard Learn.
Severe Weather Guidelines
The guiding principle at The University of Alabama is to promote the personal safety of our students, faculty and staff during severe weather events. It is impossible to develop policies which anticipate every weather-related emergency. These guidelines are intended to provide additional assistance for responding to severe weather on campus.
UA is a residential campus with many students living on or near campus. In general classes will remain in session until the National Weather Service issues safety warnings for the city of Tuscaloosa. Clearly, some students and faculty commute from adjacent counties. These counties may experience weather related problems not encountered in Tuscaloosa. Individuals should follow the advice of the National Weather Service for that area taking the necessary precautions to ensure personal safety. Whenever the National Weather Service and the Emergency Management Agency issue a warning, people in the path of the storm (tornado or severe thunderstorm) should take immediate life saving actions.
When West Alabama is under a severe weather advisory, conditions can change rapidly. It is imperative to get to where you can receive information from the National Weather Service and to follow the instructions provided. Personal safety should dictate the actions that faculty, staff and students take.
The Office of University Relations will disseminate the latest information regarding conditions on campus in the following ways:
- Weather advisory posted on the UA homepage
- Weather advisory sent out through UA Alerts to faculty, staff and students
- Weather advisory broadcast over WVUA at 90.7 FM
- Weather advisory broadcast over Alabama Public Radio (WUAL) at 91.5 FM
- Weather advisory broadcast over WVUA-TV/WUOA-TV, and on the website at http://wvuatv.com/content/weather. WVUA-TV Home Team Weather provides a free service you can subscribe to which allows you to receive weather warnings for Tuscaloosa via e-mail or cell phone. Check http://wvuatv.com/content/free-email-weather-alerts for more details and to sign up for weather alerts.
In the case of a tornado warning (tornado has been sighted or detected by radar; sirens activated), all university activities are automatically suspended, including all classes and laboratories. If you are in a building, please move immediately to the lowest level and toward the center of the building away from windows (interior classrooms, offices, or corridors) and remain there until the tornado warning has expired. Classes in session when the tornado warning is issued can resume immediately after the warning has expired at the discretion of the instructor. Classes that have not yet begun will resume 30 minutes after the tornado warning has expired provided at least half of the class period remains.
Disability Statement
If you are registered with the Office of Disability Services, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss any course accommodations that may be necessary.
If you have a disability, but have not contacted the Office of Disability Services, please call (205) 348-4285 (Voice) or (205) 348-3081 (TTY) or visit 133-B Martha Parham Hall East to register for services. Students who may need course adaptations because of a disability are welcome to make an appointment to see me during office hours. Students with disabilities must be registered with the Office of Disability Services, 133-B Martha Parham Hall East, before receiving academic adjustments.
Policy on Academic Misconduct
All students in attendance at The University of Alabama are expected to be honorable and to observe standards of conduct appropriate to a community of scholars. The University of Alabama expects from its students a higher standard of conduct than the minimum required to avoid discipline. At the beginning of each semester and on examinations and projects, the professor, department, or division may require that each student sign the following Academic Honor Pledge: “I promise or affirm that I will not at any time be involved with cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or misrepresentation while enrolled as a student at The University of Alabama. I have read the Academic Honor Code, which explains disciplinary procedure resulting from the aforementioned. I understand that violation of this code will result in penalties as severe as indefinite suspension from the University.”
See the Code of Student Conduct for more information.
UAct: Ethical Community Statement
The University of Alabama is committed to an ethical, inclusive community defined by respect and civility. The UAct website (http://www.ua.edu/uact) provides extensive information on how to report or obtain assistance with a variety of issues, including issues related to dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, sexual violence or other Title IX violations, illegal discrimination, harassment, child abuse or neglect, hazing, threat assessment, retaliation, and ethical violations or fraud.