Instructor's Background and Course Content

This video introduces the vertebrate paleontology course at Utah State University, led by Benjamin Berger. The course covers the fossil record of vertebrates, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and humans. It is a survey course focusing on major concepts, controversies, and current thinking in vertebrate evolution. The instructor shares his expertise and experience in fossil collection and outlines the course's structure, emphasizing learning objectives. Additional resources are available for those interested in further study.

What is the main focus of the vertebrate paleontology course?

• Fossil record of plants

• Fossil record of animals with backbones

• Fossil record of invertebrates

• Fossil record of microorganisms

Which group is NOT mentioned as part of the course content?

• Fish

• Insects

• Amphibians

• Mammals

What additional course does the instructor teach at USU?

• Botany

• Geology

• Marine Biology

• Natural history of Dinosaurs

Which group is given more attention in this course compared to Dinosaurs?

• Birds

• Fish

• Amphibians

• All of the above

What is the instructor's educational background?

• Biology and Chemistry

• Geology and Anatomy

• History and Archaeology

• Physics and Mathematics

Since when has the instructor been collecting vertebrate fossils?

• 1985

• 2010

• 1995

• 2000

In which regions has the instructor worked on the fossil record of mammals?

• Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma

• California, Nevada, and Arizona

• Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado

• Florida, Georgia, and Alabama

What is the purpose of the learning objectives in each lecture?

• To outline the goals for student learning

• To provide a summary of the lecture

• To list the references used

• To give homework assignments

Where can students find more information about the instructor's research?

• In the course textbook

• On the instructor's webpage

• In the library

• In the course syllabus

What is the instructor's hope for students who want to learn more?

• They will conduct their own research

• They will read more primary literature

• They will attend more classes

• They will watch more videos