lab #1 anthropology

There are two parts to Lab #1. Part 1 reviews the scientific method with some thought experiments. Part 2 shows you how to measure and calculate an index of a shape and the indices of a skull and nose.

Part 1 “The Scientific Method” reviews the steps and concepts of the scientific method with “thought experiment” examples for you to do at home. The lab exercises are on the PDF file linked to this assignment below under “Supplies needed to complete this lab at home”. Your answers are typed on a PDF file or submitted as text to this assignment. 

Part 2 “Measuring Skulls and Calculating Indices” is a review of the metric system of linear measurement that will are going to use in this class and it explains how to describe the shape of skulls using a number called an index. The lab exercises give you skull and nasal measurements and ask you to calculate a skull index called a “cephalic index” and a nose index called a  “nasal index”. The lab exercises are on the PDF file linked to this assignment below under “Supplies needed to complete this lab at home”.  Your answers are typed on a PDF file or submitted as text to this assignment. 

  • Supplies needed to complete this lab at home:

Metric ruler with millimeters to complete Exercise 1.2 (page 13 “The Meaning of Indices”)*
*You will also need a ruler with metric millimeters on it to complete Lab 2. Below is a graphic of part of a metric ruler that is about a foot long with inches on one side and centimeters and millimeters on the other side of it. These are sold in stores like Target and Walmart and in most pharmacies and some grocery stores in the school supplies section.
graphic of a millimeter ruler

Resources for Part 1 and Part 2 of this lab

You probably will not need all of these resources! But listed below are helpful sources of information on how to complete the lab exercises about the scientific method, the metric system, and measuring indices (including calculating the cephalic and nasal indices). 

Read the text of Exercise 1 in its PDF file:  

  • Discussion: 

An entertaining short 14-minute video example of the scientific method. It is called called “Turtles and Snakes-Which do cars hit more?” by ex-NASA engineer Mark Rober (2013). LInk: 

Canvas Page for Part 1: 

Canvas Page for Part 2: 

My lecture slides for Part 1 “Scientific Method” are saved as a PDF file:

My lecture slides for Part 2 “Measuring Indices” are saved as a PDF file:

Pre-recorded and captioned video lecture for Part 1 “Scientific Method”: 

  1. Pre-recorded and captioned video lecture for Part 2 “Measuring Indices”: 

Microsoft Word file of the Lab Manual for Anth 111 (7th Edition): 
In this Word doc format, you can listen to its directions using an audio screen reader. You can also type your answers on its exercise questions. You can also copy-paste the questions and your typed answers onto a Google Doc or Microsoft Word doc and upload that file as your answers for this Canvas Assignment for Lab #1.  ALWAYS read the directions on the lab’s Canvas Assignment page first. When the directions on a Canvas Assignment differ from the lab manual’s directions in the PDF or Word file, use the directions on the Canvas Assignment page. Some of the exercises in these labs have been modified from their original lab manual directions for this 100% online class. [Updated 4/16/23]

Directions

Each lab assignment in this lab class will take an average of 1-2 hours to complete at home.

  1. Lab #1, is the online version of Exercise 1 “The Scientific Method” in the Lab Manual for Anth 111 (7th Ed.) that is required for this class. 

Lab #1 is one of the longest labs this semester. I recommend doing “Part 1” at a time, then “Part 2” another time, and then turning in your work all at once as copy-pasted text (or an uploaded single PDF file of only its exercise pages) after you finish both halves. For tips on converting your hard copies of the completed exercises into a single PDF file, scroll to the bottom of this webpage to “How to submit your completed paper exercise pages online.”

For example, you may want to complete this Canvas Assignment’s directions for the lab manual’s exercise  Ex. 1.1 “The Scientific Method” for the first half and then read this Canvas Assignment’s directions for the other part and complete Ex. 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and the Study Questions during the second half. And, then submit them together as one or two PDF files. 

Part 1 “The Scientific Method”

graphic that says science rules with a crown

Complete Exercise 1.1 according to the directions on this Canvas Assignment below.

Resources for Part 1 only

You probably will not need all of these resources! But listed below are helpful sources of information on how to complete the lab exercises about the scientific method, the metric system, and measuring indices (including calculating the cephalic and nasal indices). 

Read the text of Exercise 1 in its PDF file:  

An entertaining short 14-minute video example of the scientific method. It is called called “Turtles and Snakes-Which do cars hit more?” by ex-NASA engineer Mark Rober (2013). LInk: 

Canvas Page for Part 1: 

My lecture slides for Part 1 “Scientific Method” are saved as a PDF file:

Pre-recorded and captioned video lecture for Part 1 “Scientific Method”: 

Ex. 1.1 “The Scientific Method”  (pages 7-11 of the Lab Manual for Anth 111)
Read pages 7-8 in the Lab Manual for Anth 111 and then answer the following questions for Exercise 1.1: 

Page 9: “List three reasons why this experiment failed to support the hypothesis.”

  1. Page 10: “Describe three things that you would do to improve the experiment that will increase the ods of proving or disproving our hypothesis.”

Page 10: “List two hypotheses for why the plant you are talking to is doing better than the one you are ignoring other than the fact that you are talking to one and not the other.”

Page 11: “…identify which variables you would measure as your dependent variables and which variable you would measure as your independent variables.”

Dependent Variables:

Independent Variables: 

Page 11: “Design an experiment…”

Research Question (a, b, or c):

Hypothesis:

Experiment (Method):

Independent Variables (give two):

1.

  1. 2.

Dependent Variables (give two):

1.

2. 

  1. Part 2 “Measuring Skulls and Calculating Indices”

Complete Exercises 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, and “Study Questions” according to the directions on this Canvas Assignment below.

Resources for Part 2 only

You probably will not need all of these resources! But listed below are helpful sources of information on how to complete the lab exercises about the scientific method, the metric system, and measuring indices (including calculating the cephalic and nasal indices). 

Read the text of Exercise 1 in its PDF file:  

Canvas Page for Part 2: 

My lecture slides for Part 2 “Measuring Indices” are saved as a PDF file:

Pre-recorded and captioned video lecture for Part 2 “Measuring Indices”: 

Important: You can round up your index numbers to two decimal places if you want to.For example, 48 or 48.49 are both good answers for Lab #1. The specific numbers 48 or 48.49 may not be the correct answers for any of the questions in Lab #1. They are just examples. 

  1. Read this Canvas Page: 
    This Canvas Page is a re-print of the pages for Ex. 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, and Study Questions in the printed Lab Manual for Anth 111 (7th Edition). Scroll to the bottom of this webpage for how to convert paper pages into digital files using your smartphone to “How to su bmit your completed paper exercise pages online.”

Review the Lab #1 Measuring Indices lecture (PDF):

Review Zoom recorded and captioned video lecture for Ex. 1.2, Ex. 1.3, Ex. 1.4 and Study Questions: 

  1. Ex. 1.2 “The Metric System”  (pages 11-12 of the Lab Manual for Anth 111)

    graphic of boxA boxB and boxC to measure and calculate each index

    Read pages 11-13 in the Lab Manual for Anth 111 and then answer the following questions for Exercise 1.2:

Always measure in millimeters (not in centimeters and never in inches for these indices).  

1. “Using a metric ruler, measure the height and width of Box A in millimeters.”

2. “Calculate the height divided by the width of Box A using the following formula: (height/width) x100 =

  1. 3. “Is this index a length?”

4. “What exactly does this index tell you about Box A (Hint: It’s shape! Okay that was the answer actually…).

5. Repeat the measurements and calculations for Box B:
Height = ___________
Width= ____________
(height/width) x100 = ______________

6. “How does Box B differ from Box A? Refer to the measurements and the indices in your answer.”

7. “Repeat the measurements and calculations for Box C”

Height = ___________
Width= ____________
(height/width) x100 = ______________

8 “How does Box C differ from Box A? Refer to the measurements and the indices in your answer.” 

Important: You can round up your index numbers to two decimal places (but for this lab you do not have to). For example, 48 or 48.49 are both good answers for Lab #1.

–> For Exercise 1.4 and Exercise 1.5, you can use the cranial measurements that I am giving you on this Canvas Page (see below) to calculate the cephalic index and the nasal index.

Exercise 1.3 ” The Metric Analysis of the Human Body” (pages 12-13 of the Lab Manual for Anth 111) 

  1. There are no questions or exercises. Just read this section.

Ex. 1.4 “Taking Anthropometric Measurements”  (pages 13-14 of the Lab Manual for Anth 111)
Read these pages in the Lab Manual for Anth 111 and then answer the following questions on page 14 using the measurements of a skull I nicknamed “Fred” on this Canvas Assignment.
Important: You can round up your index numbers to two decimal places (but for this lab you do not have to). For example, 48 or 48.49 are both good answers for Lab #1. The specific numbers 48 or 48.49 may not be the correct answers for any of the questions in Lab #1. They are just examples.

Cephalic IndexNasal Indexskull width and length measurements for the cranial_cephalic index/cranial indexnasal index points to measure the nasion and subnasale height and the left and right alare for width 

Calculate the cephalic (cranial) index for this exercise with the following measurements for a skull I named “Freda”:

Head width = euryon (eu) to euryon (eu)  (p. 17) =122

Head length = glabella (g) to opisthocranion (op)  (p. 18) = 165

Cephalic Index = (head width/head length) x 100 = 

Ex. 1.5 “Measuring the Human Skull” (pages 14-15 of the Lab Manual for Anth 111)
–> Instead of measuring a skull in the Anthro Lab  (which is impossible since this class is online), for this online lab use the cephalic and nasal measurements in millimeters for a skull I named “Freda” (see below)

Study Questions (page 16 in the Lab Manual for Anth 111)
–> Answer questions 1-12.

After you’re done, submit your answers via text or a photo (or scan) of your written answers on the bottom of page 20 of the Lab Manual for Anth 111 and upload to this Canvas Assignment. Below are some photos of the lab measuring tools mentioned. YOU DO NOT NEED ANY OF THESE TO COMPLETE THE LAB EXERCISES FOR THE ONLINE VERSION OF THIS CLASS.

  1. Sliding Caliper: It is used to measure nasal index and other small items like seeds and bird beaks in millimeters. You do not need to use this tool for this online class.

sliding caliper for noses and bird beaks and seeds 100mm-005mm
Spreading Caliper: It is used to measure skulls, (to get the cephalic index) and other large round things like tree trunks*. For this online class, you do not need this.
spreading caliper used to measure skulls

* A “cephalic index” is the same thing as a “cranial index”.

Fred’s cephalic (cranial) index:
Important: You can round up your index numbers to two decimal places (but for this lab you do not have to). For example, 48 or 48.49 are both good answers for Lab #1. The specific numbers 48 or 48.49 may not be the correct answers for any of the questions in Lab #1. They are just examples.

  1. Head width = euryon (eu) to euryon (eu)  (p. 17) =122

Head length = glabella (g) to opisthocranion (op)  (p. 18) = 165

Cephalic Index = (head width/head length) x 100 =  

Fred’s  cephalic index: ___________

  1. Fred’s type of head shape __________

Fred’s nasal index:

Nasal width = alare (al) to alare (al)  (p. 16) = 25

Nasal height = nasion (n) to nasospinale (n)  (p. 17) =  45

Nasal Index = (nasal width/nasal height) x 100 =

Fred’s  nasal index: ___________

Fred’s type of nose shape: __________

*in the Lab Manual to Accompany Anthropology 111:  Laboratory in Human Biological Evolution, 6th Edition, by Brian Pierson, Rebecca Frank, and Philip L. Stein

Lab #1 Grading Rubric

  2= Ex. 1.1 “The Scientific Method” (exercises on pages 9 & 10 )
  2 = Ex. 1.2 “The Metric System” and “The Meaning of Indices” (exercises on page 12)
  0 = Ex. 1.3 “The Metric Analysis of the Human Body” (there are no questions on pages 12-13)
  2 = Ex. 1.4 “Taking Anthropometric Measurements” (exercises on page 14)
  2 = Exercise 1.5 “Measuring the Human Skull” (exercise on page 15)
+ 2= Study Questions 1-13 (page 20 in the Lab Manual for Anth 111 (7th Edition)
10 points = Total maximum points that this lab is worth 

Important: You can round up your index numbers to two decimal places (but for this lab you do not have to). For example, 48 or 48.49 are both good answers for Lab #1.

lab #1 anthropology

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