Alexa Winn

Matt Wilson
Writing 2
9 November, 2015
WP2
How does giving a friend your snack better their chance at survival and
lower your own? Biological Anthropology answers this strange question.
Biological Anthropology studies where humans came from and why we are the
superior species. This subject is offered as a Major at the University of California
at Santa Barbara and Professor Steve Gaulin teaches the introductory class. In
Gaulins class students learn not just about natural selection but obtain a better
understanding of themselves through the study of evolution. Biological
Anthropology is particularly interesting because it is a perfect balance between
humanities and science; more so, there are various conventions that distinguish
Biological Anthropology from any other discipline.
UCSBs Anthropology department describes itself as being well qualified in
the subject areas that will be learned. The general page description is very
persuasive. When the link is first clicked, right away it displays the accolades of
the professors teaching in that department. Professor Gaulin receives
Distinguished Teaching Award for 2014-2015 Professor Emerita Barbara
Voorhies receives Gender Equality Award Associate Professor Amber
VanDerwarker receives Distinguished Teaching Award for 2013-14
(Anthropology Department Homepage). They immediately show the awards the

Department members have earned to show that they are well qualified for their
position.
The department page for the Undergraduate Program is very generalized.
The page states, Most undergraduates in anthropology at UCSB select this
major because of the opportunity it affords them to acquire a sound liberal
education, even if they do not intend to become anthropologists (UCSB
Undergraduate Anthropology department web page). This statement also serves
its persuasive purpose by explaining that there a degree in Anthropology can be
applicable anywhere and that graduates dont necessarily have to be
Anthropologists. The department sees taking Anthropology as a positive thing
because it helps better communication skills and understand social interactions.
The department page doesnt specifically have a Biological Anthropology page
and only has the major requirement sheets with a brief description. This is
probably to keep the page as general as possible in order for people to want to
be Anthropology majors.
One of the earlier mentioned faculty, Professor Steve Gaulin, offers
Biological Anthropology as an Introductory class to Undergraduate students at
UCSB. Biological Anthropology is distinguished from any other class by how
lecture is structured. Professor Gaulin posts modules online with the lesson and
for the bi-weekly lectures, he answers questions students have about concepts
and goes in depth. He has various teaching methods because there are a lot of
complex concepts when it comes to Biological Anthropology and it gives an
individual supplemental understanding.

Professor Gaulin teaches this class Tuesday and Thursday at 11 in

Campbell hall. Over 500 undergraduate students are taking Biological
Anthropology, or Anth 5, and it is open to all students regardless of major.
Professor Gaulin always greets the class with, Good Evening Anth Fivers and
sets up the teaching tools he needs for lectures. He then walks off the stage and
gives his lecture walking up and down the aisles. He states the logic behind him
walking around during lecture is that it helps him interact better with the class and
semi-jokes about it as a way to see if people are focusing on lecture rather than
on Facebook.
Gaulin uses technology throughout his lectures to aid students in
understanding the material. He uses a popular teaching tool most people are
familiar with, PowerPoint. On the PowerPoint slides, he inserts a lot of pictures,
videos and diagrams for students to visualize what they are learning. He also
posts I-Clicker poll questions.
I-Clicker is another learning tool he uses to teach the class. For many
taking the course, Anthro 5 is not a priority and may feel like ditching lecture
because it isnt a class applicable for their major. He uses I-Clicker to his
advantage by keeping track of who is answering and using it for attendance. He
gives extra credit points, whether right or wrong, for every I-Clicker question
answered to insure students come to lecture. It also helps Professor Gaulin
figure out how many students are understanding the material. If the class seems
divided on the what is the right answer, he takes the time to explain the correct

answer at the end of class and refers back to the assigned reading when
possible.
In addition to watching the online videos and going to lecture, we read a
text book he wrote, Human Evolution: Processes and Adaptations, as the main
text book and another book on genetics as supplemental reading.
Biological Anthropology distinguishes itself from other majors writing by
the writing conventions used to the subject unique. Natural research is used
most, if not all, the time to prove points. Natural research differs from other forms
of research because there are no independent or dependent variables, meaning
researchers just observe what is happening naturally. In Human Evolution:
Processes and Adaptations by Professor Steve Gaulin, he gives an example of
natural selection from the natural research of Y.E Stuart on the Anolis lizards. I
have purposely chosen a study that is rather similar but more recent and more
complete in the sense that it considers multiple different hypothesis it is by Y.E
Stewart and colleagues and focuses on American lizards in the genus Anolis
(Gaulin 25). This example was to educate students about natural selection by
studying lizards in their habitats. These real life examples make reading about
Biological Anthropology interesting because they apply to all humans and the
variables are not manipulated. Jargon used by the discourse community also
makes Bio Anth unique. Would a person with no knowledge of Biological
Anthropology know what an Allopatric model is? Most likely not. This is why it
makes the discourse community unique.

Biological Anthropologys discourse community is structured as lower

division undergraduate students as initiates and Anthropology or Social Science
majors as novices. Masters, older members of this community are Anthropology
Professors or anyone with a PhD in Anthropology. Initiates are anyone that takes
an introductory Anthropology class, no matter if they plan on majoring in S.T.E.M
or Humanities. Initiates are there to learn from Novices and Masters in the major.
Novices direct their research to Masters in the discipline of Anthropology. For
example, in the academic journal article, Complexity in Biological Anthropology in
2011: Species, Reproduction, and Sociality by Christi L. Lewton, she states
Hinde and colleagues (2011) presented a review of recent research on Mothers
milk and commensal gut bacteria and noted the presence of 106 strains of 19
species of gut bacteria in mothers milk (Lewton 2). The academic journal was
written by a novice to Masters in the field in order to prove that they excel at
Anthropology and can become Masters one day. Masters in the field of
Anthropology focus their time and energy on creating new research and findings
in order to advance in the field and teach the younger generation to be able to do
the same.
Evidently, Biological Anthropology is equally scientific as literary. This is a
key aspect on what makes it unique. Many conventions distinguish it from any
other class at UCSB, some of those including the way research is conducted or
even the way class is held. Biological Anthropology affects every one of us in our
day to day lives and people who advance in the field go on to learn critical
thinking skills and have a better understanding of mankind.