ANTHRO 748 Human Osteology - Course Outlines

Course Prescription

Advanced method and theory in human osteology. Coursework is a combination of seminars and practical workshops covering the areas of biocultural frameworks, ethics, taphonomy, human identification, dental anthropology, palaeopathology and biomolecular approaches. Work is focused upon method and theory as applied in the southern hemisphere.

Course Overview

The emphasis in this course is on the development of practical skills in the analysis of skeletonised human remains as well as an underlying understanding of the principles involved and the ability to evaluate work in this area whether bioarchaeology, forensic anthropology or evolutionary anthropology.

The aim is to introduce you to the principles of osteological analysis and to give you sufficient knowledge and experience to recognise when it is possible to identify remains, when it is not possible, and when further work needs to be done.

There is a focus upon working in the Southern Hemisphere (dealing with high degrees of biological variability, the appropriate use of standards and consideration of ethics). Assessment is designed so that you learn how to prepare the sorts of writing and presentation needed within a professional sphere. Classes are a weekly one- to two-hour practical, including a short evaluation of methods and limitations.

Course aims:

To have students understand the fundamental nature of bone as a living tissue.
To introduce students to the identification of human bone and its recording particularly considering the different circumstances (archaeological and forensic) in which it may be found.
To introduce students to the skills involved in identification of human remains including ageing, sexing, population affinity, trauma etc.
To have students understand the assumptions and principles that underlie the processes of human identification.
To gain an appreciation of the particular nature of human identification and its ethical considerations within the context of the Southern Hemisphere.
To have students develop a further understanding of the theoretical applications of osteological analysis to archaeological and forensic issues.

Employability skills:

Analysis: through research with quick identification of relevant information and sources, focussing on evaluation of established techniques, identification of assumptions and providing recommendations for current and future work. Ability to provide thoughtful professional advice on methods and techniques.

Workplace writing skills: writing of a technical report, writing of a systematic review, oral presentation of results.

Cultural skills: understanding of ethical issues involved in working with human remains with people from diverse cultures, understanding of professional ethical standards, can identify best practice standards, understands the relevant legislation.

Professional skills: be able to organise work, observe fully and accurately, record systematically and understand the limits of your observations.

Prior to the class

This course requires knowledge of anatomical directions (e.g. posterior, anterior, medial, lateral) and familiarity with the bones of the human skeleton at a base level. Prior to the course I will place on Canvas links to sources so that you can familiarise yourself. We will in week 1 do a compulsory online practical quiz so that you can assess yourself. This quiz can be done repeatedly (in week 1 of the semester) until you achieve full marks. That means then that you will all start the course labs with the same minimum level of knowledge.

Course Requirements

Restriction: ANTHRO 730

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Understand the nature of bone, cartilage, enamel and joints (Capability 1.1)
Identify skeletal elements to side (Capability 1.1 and 1.2)
Distinguish human from relatively complete animal bones (Capability 1.3, 2.3 and 3.2)
Apply the standard methods of ageing, sexing and identification to relatively complete remains (Capability 1.1 and 1.2)
Develop hypothesise and distinguish indicators of taphonomic processes and some basic pathological processes (Capability 1.3 and 2.2)
Describe human remains accurately and precisely for archaeological or forensic applications (Capability 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3)
Be able to present that work in a professional manner in oral and written form (Capability 4.1 and 4.2)
Evaluate methods of analysis in a thorough and systematic manner (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2)
Evalaute published work in the field with a particular focus upon theory, underlying assumptions and interpretation (Capability 2.3, 3.2, 4.1 and 6.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type	Percentage	Classification
Best Practice Guidelines	10%	Individual Coursework
Essay	40%	Individual Coursework
Presentation	10%	Individual Coursework
Report	40%	Individual Coursework
4 types	100%

Next offered

Semester 2, 2021

Module

Bone, bonegrowth and biology/ Forensics versus archaeology.
Age and growth
Methods of sexing
Adult ageing
Population affinity or ancestry.
Pathology - normal versus nonnormal bone and teeth
Trauma
Field methods - survey
Excavation
Fragment identification
Take home test
Presentations

Learning Resources

Readings for each week must be done and are available via Canvas.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours seminar/lab; 4 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 3 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

These class materials are lab based and therefore there is no recordings of seminar/ lab sessions.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Capability 1:	Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2:	Critical Thinking
Capability 3:	Solution Seeking
Capability 4:	Communication and Engagement
Capability 6:	Social and Environmental Responsibilities

ANTHRO 748 : Human Osteology

Arts

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)