You should understand that anthropology is a holistic science (with a discussion of the subfields of anthropology) and its dual emphasis on human culture and biological variation.
You should understand the general structure and nature of anthropology, including the four subfields. You should be especially familiar with biological anthropology and its concern with biological evolution and past and present variation of the human species.
You should consider three basic questions: 1) What is our place in nature? 2) What are our origins? And 3) how are humans around the world like, or unlike each other?
You should understand the biocultural approach to studying humans—shared learned behavior and biology, and their interaction. Both are vital.
You should understand biological anthropology as an evolutionary science and how as a dynamic process knowledge can be scientifically acquired and tested using the scientific method.
You should familiarize yourself with the development of evolutionary science as an ongoing, dynamic process.
You should understand the role of adaptation, variation, and natural selection in evolution. You should also know the important ideas contributing to the theory of evolution developed before Darwin. You should be able to describe the contributions of Darwin to this model, and how modern evolutionary thought interprets Darwin's work today.
You should be able to discuss how the arguments for evolutionary science and creation science (including 'intelligent design') differ, especially in relation to testable hypotheses and the scientific method. Evidence for evolution is interpreted differently by both, and you should be able to understand these fundamental differences.
