Anthropology 463
Forensic Anthropology
Winter 2003
Image Credit: American Academy of Forensic Sciences
Instructor: Dr.
Elizabeth Miller
E-Mail Address: emiller@calstatela.edu
Office: KH C4035
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday
3-5pm, or by appointment, except the fourth Thursday of each month, when
office hours change to 4-5pm due to committee meetings.
Phone: 343-2442
Department
of Anthropology
Introduction
This course is designed to teach the basic analysis and interpretation
of human remains for the medico-legal profession. Taking this
course does NOT make you a forensic anthropologist! This course is designed
to introduce you to the profession! The course will cover
the field of forensic anthropology, techniques for recovering skeletonized
human remains, how a biological profile for an individual is developed
from skeletal remains, how time since death is determined, how skeletal
trauma and disease are evaluated, and the reliability of these assessments.
The course will also include discussion of special techniques, such as
DNA analysis, facial reconstruction and photo superimposition, and how
these methods contribute to forensic anthropology. Additionally, the course
will also include basic information on the investigation of crime scenes,
the legal role of the forensic anthropologist, and the importance of report
preparation. Case studies will be used. The practical aspects of forensic
anthropology will be emphasized, however, the course will also include
information on the incorporation of anthropological approaches to death
and human remains. Questions and comments during lecture are encouraged.
For a very brief and introductory handout (unfortunately without pictures, but those are available in your textbook), click here
If you are interested in the Forensic Anthropology Track at Cal State LA, this link will take you to the web site.
Syllabi
You are responsible for having a copy
of the syllabus. If you lose your syllabus, you can get another copy.
Do not try to get along without a syllabus!
Office Hours
My office hours are given above.
Feel free to come by the office just to chat, as well as to ask questions,
resolve problems, etc. You can e-mail me with questions or comments, or
to let me know that you will be absent. My e-mail address is: emiller@calstatela.edu. Put "Student" in the subject field,
and I will try to respond within 24 hours.
Textbooks
Introduction
to Forensic Anthropology:A Textbook by Stephen Byers
(2002)
- Human Skeletal Remains: Excavation, Analysis, Interpretation by Douglas H. Ubelaker, Taraxacum Press, 1989.
- Forensic Anthropology Training Manual by Karen Ramey Burns. Although this is a recommended text, not required, I highly recommend that you purchase this book. 1999.
- Practical Homicide Investigation by EA Dieckmann, 1961
- Forensic Anthropology by MY El Najjar, 1978
- Resonstruction of Life from the Skeleton by MY Iscan and KAR Kennedy, 1989
- Human Identification by TA Rathbun and JE Buikstra, 1984
- Forensic Osteology by K Reichs, 1997
- Essentials of Forensic Anthropology by TD Stewart, 1979
NIS Account
You must have an NIS account for this
course. A web page will be set up at http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/emiller/anth463
for your use. This web page will contain exam questions, useful forensic
links, and other useful/necessary information for the course. Check it
regularly, as it will be updated during the quarter. If you do not have
an NIS account, please sign up for one during the first week of classes.
You will need the account by the second class meeting. See me if you need
information on how to set up an NIS account.
Grading
1. There will be two exams.
Each of these is worth 33% of your grade. The first exam will be given
during the sixth week of class, the second exam during finals week. The
exams will include multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, short
answer, and identification questions.
2. There will
also be a paper on some aspect of forensic anthropology. You must clear
the topic with Dr. Miller during the third week of class.
An abstract for the paper, indicating you have formulated your hypothesis
and made significant progress in your research, will be due February
5, the fifth week of class. The paper is worth 34% of your grade.
You will be graded not only on content but on grammar, spelling, references
cited and format. A detailed description of the paper will be handed out
seperately.
You may substitute a skeletal analysis project for the research paper if you so desire. The project will involve the forensic analysis of human skeletal remains. You will be responsible for producing a report similar to those produced by forensic anthropologists for law enforcement agencies. You must indicate your choice to do the skeletal analysis by the third week of class.
Make-up policy
If you miss an exam for any reason you must
contact me within two days to schedule a make-up time. If you are unable
to take the missed exam before it is handed back to the class, you must
take the comprehensive final as your make-up exam.
Attendance
Attendance is expected and required.
You are responsible for all material presented during lecture. If you
miss a class, make arrangements with a classmate who takes good notes
to copy their notes. When taking notes, write down as much as you can.
Examples used in class to illustrate particular concepts will reappear
on exams, therefore it is very important that you attend lecture and take
notes.
The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates reasonable accommodation for those students with demonstrated disabilities. Please contact me or the Office for Students with Disabilities (343-3142) if you need accommodation.