This course will provide a detailed look at the fossil record of extinct hominids (i.e. the ancestors of living humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans) in the context of the behaviour and morphology of humans and great apes living today. In the first part of the course we will review the hominid fossil record and will cover some of the key theoretical concepts relevant to understanding the biology of these extinct species. We will then turn our attention to sexual dimorphism and size variation in our fossil ancestors and ask questions about whether we can reliably reconstruct aspects of their social behaviour. We will then cover further isolated topics in depth such as diet, locomotion, tool use and cognition and will consider what genetic evidence can tell us about the behaviour of our more recent hominin relatives.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:1. Identify and recognise the key morphological features of the major extinct hominid fossil groups.
2. Explain the principles of palaeobiology and how different lines of anatomical evidence can be used to make inferences about the behaviour of extinct species
3. Critically assess the utility and limitations of the fossil record in making behavioural inferences.
4. Evaluate the concept of sexual dimorphism and explain how observed morphological sex differences can be used to reconstruct aspects of extinct hominid social behaviour.
5. Assess how genetic evidence can complement fossil and archaeological evidence in reconstructing the behaviour and dispersal patterns of our recent hominin ancestors.
Other Information
Although there are no prerequisites to enroll on this course, students will ideally have some prior knowledge of the hominin fossil record and/or the basics of human evolution.Indicative Assessment
One page problem statement and annotated bibliography relevant to proposed essay, 1500 words (15%) [Learning Outcomes 2-5]A major essay, 3500 words (50%) [Learning Outcomes 2-5]
One take-home exam, 1000 words (20%) [Learning Outcomes 1-3]
One tutorial presentation, 30 minutes (10%) [Learning Outcomes 1-3]
Tutorial participation (5%) [Learning Outcomes 1-5]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:a) 36 hours of contact: 18 hours of lectures (1.5 hours lectures per week) and 18 hours of tutorials, labs and online activities (1.5 hours of tutorials, labs or online learning per week).
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing
Preliminary Reading
Conroy, G. C., & Pontzer, H. (2012). Reconstructing Human Origins: A Modern Synthesis. 3rd Edition. WW Norton. Chapters 5-13.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $3360 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $5160 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4018 | 24 Feb 2020 | 02 Mar 2020 | 08 May 2020 | 05 Jun 2020 | In Person | N/A |
