Alexandra Klales
Biographic Data
| ID | 112317 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Alexandra Klales |
| GIVEN NAMES | Alexandra |
| FAMILY NAME | Klales |
| SIGNATURE | KLALES A |
| AFFILIATIONS | Washburn University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9547-0731 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 11 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 59 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 11 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Test Approaches to Population Affinity/Sex Classification Using Fordisc 3.1
Fordisc 3.1 is the primary quantitative method of estimating population affinity for the biological profile in forensic anthropology. The creators, Drs. Jantz and Ousley, put forth program use guidelines with two different approaches to population affinity estimation: simultaneous estimation with sex using all 13 available reference samples (Approach 1) or using reference samples from only one sex based on a priori sex estimation (Approach 2). Ou…
Supporting First-Generation Introductory Anthropology Students
First-generation college students (students whose parents did not complete a bachelor’s degree) are a growing population within U.S. colleges. These students often belong to historically underrepresented populations including racial and ethnic minority groups and those with lower socioeconomic status. This paper discusses a project to redesign introductory anthropology courses to be more “first-generation friendly.” Changes discussed include crea…
Examining the Reliability of Morphological Traits for Sex Estimation
Morphological skull and pubic traits are routinely used in forensic anthropological casework for sex estimation, with the Walker (2008) and Klales et al. (2012) methods commonly employed. This research aims to present a comprehensive evaluation of reliability in skull and pubic trait scoring and the implications of observer scoring variation on sex estimation accuracy. Results from previous studies are summarized and compiled into tables for comp…
Application of the Optimized Summed Score Attributes Method for Sex Estimation
The optimized summed scored attributes (OSSA) method was first developed for cranial ancestry estimation (Hefner & Ousley 2014). Tallman and Go (2018) adapted this method for sex estimation with the five skull traits described by Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994) and Walker (2008). Using an Asian sample, Tallman and Go (2018) achieved moderate accuracy rates (83.7% calibration; 81.9% validation) but also high sex bias (29.1% calibration; 34.5% validat…
Current State of Sex Estimation in Forensic Anthropology
Sex estimation is perhaps the most important component of the biological profile. Our sex estimates aid in decedent identification by helping to narrow the missing persons list, and set the basis for many of the remaining biological profile estimates (age, ancestry, stature), which factor in sexual differences. A review of the current research and general literature reveals the use of a wide variety of methodological approaches to sex estimation,…
Identifying Handsaw Tooth Shape Based on the Micro- and Macroscopic Analysis of the Kerf Floor Contour
Skeletal trauma analysis is a major facet of forensic anthropology casework and can entail interpretation of sharp force saw trauma. Hand-powered saws are commonly used in cases of dismemberment and analysis requires differentiating class characteristics. Features of the kerf walls and floor provide information utilized in identifying set, shape, size, power, and direction of sawing motion of the tool. The focus of this study is to examine validi…
The Value of Forensic Anthropology in Undergraduate Anthropology Programs
Anecdotally, it has been suggested that undergraduate anthropology students are more interested in forensic anthropology than any other specialty but that forensic anthropologists are less desired as colleagues in academia due to the nature of their work. The goal of this project was to examine two related questions: Does having a forensic anthropologist, or an undergraduate concentration in forensic anthropology, increase the number of majors in…
Response to multivariate ordinal probit analysis in the skeletal assessment of sex (Konigsberg and Frankenberg)
Recalibration of the Klales et al. (2012) method of sexing the human innominate for Mexican populations
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to test the accuracy of the Klales et al. (2012) equation for sex estimation in contemporary Mexican population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our investigation was carried out on a sample of 203 left innominates of identified adult skeletons from the UNAM-Collection and the Santa María Xigui Cemetery, in Central Mexico. The Klales' original equation produces a sex bias in sex estimation against males (86-92% accura…
Molar size and shape in the estimation of biological ancestry
Human molars exhibit varying shapes when viewed from the occlusal surface. Available methods for quantifying molar occlusal shape have historically been confined to qualitative descriptions. The present study utilized geometric morphometric analyses to capture molar shape as defined through relative cusp locations. Cusp apices of maxillary and mandibular first and second molars were digitized from 190 American Blacks and Whites to estimate biolog…
A revised method of sexing the human innominate using Phenice's nonmetric traits and statistical methods
The traits of the pubis described by Phenice (Am J Phys Anthropol 30 (1969) 297–302) have been used extensively by physical anthropologist for sex estimation. This study investigates all three of Phenice's characteristics in an approach similar to Walker's (Am J Phys Anthropol 136 (2008) 39–50) study using observations from the cranium and mandible. The ventral arc, the subpubic contour, and the medial aspect of the ischio‐pubic ramus were scored…
A revised method of sexing the human innominate using Phenice's nonmetric traits and statistical methods
The traits of the pubis described by Phenice (Am J Phys Anthropol 30 (1969) 297–302) have been used extensively by physical anthropologist for sex estimation. This study investigates all three of Phenice's characteristics in an approach similar to Walker's (Am J Phys Anthropol 136 (2008) 39–50) study using observations from the cranium and mandible. The ventral arc, the subpubic contour, and the medial aspect of the ischio‐pubic ramus were scored…
The Value of Forensic Anthropology in Undergraduate Anthropology Programs
Anecdotally, it has been suggested that undergraduate anthropology students are more interested in forensic anthropology than any other specialty but that forensic anthropologists are less desired as colleagues in academia due to the nature of their work. The goal of this project was to examine two related questions: Does having a forensic anthropologist, or an undergraduate concentration in forensic anthropology, increase the number of majors in…
Response to multivariate ordinal probit analysis in the skeletal assessment of sex (Konigsberg and Frankenberg)
Molar size and shape in the estimation of biological ancestry
Human molars exhibit varying shapes when viewed from the occlusal surface. Available methods for quantifying molar occlusal shape have historically been confined to qualitative descriptions. The present study utilized geometric morphometric analyses to capture molar shape as defined through relative cusp locations. Cusp apices of maxillary and mandibular first and second molars were digitized from 190 American Blacks and Whites to estimate biolog…
Examining the Reliability of Morphological Traits for Sex Estimation
Morphological skull and pubic traits are routinely used in forensic anthropological casework for sex estimation, with the Walker (2008) and Klales et al. (2012) methods commonly employed. This research aims to present a comprehensive evaluation of reliability in skull and pubic trait scoring and the implications of observer scoring variation on sex estimation accuracy. Results from previous studies are summarized and compiled into tables for comp…
Application of the Optimized Summed Score Attributes Method for Sex Estimation
The optimized summed scored attributes (OSSA) method was first developed for cranial ancestry estimation (Hefner & Ousley 2014). Tallman and Go (2018) adapted this method for sex estimation with the five skull traits described by Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994) and Walker (2008). Using an Asian sample, Tallman and Go (2018) achieved moderate accuracy rates (83.7% calibration; 81.9% validation) but also high sex bias (29.1% calibration; 34.5% validat…
Current State of Sex Estimation in Forensic Anthropology
Sex estimation is perhaps the most important component of the biological profile. Our sex estimates aid in decedent identification by helping to narrow the missing persons list, and set the basis for many of the remaining biological profile estimates (age, ancestry, stature), which factor in sexual differences. A review of the current research and general literature reveals the use of a wide variety of methodological approaches to sex estimation,…
A revised method of sexing the human innominate using Phenice's nonmetric traits and statistical methods
The traits of the pubis described by Phenice (Am J Phys Anthropol 30 (1969) 297–302) have been used extensively by physical anthropologist for sex estimation. This study investigates all three of Phenice's characteristics in an approach similar to Walker's (Am J Phys Anthropol 136 (2008) 39–50) study using observations from the cranium and mandible. The ventral arc, the subpubic contour, and the medial aspect of the ischio‐pubic ramus were scored…
Molar size and shape in the estimation of biological ancestry
Human molars exhibit varying shapes when viewed from the occlusal surface. Available methods for quantifying molar occlusal shape have historically been confined to qualitative descriptions. The present study utilized geometric morphometric analyses to capture molar shape as defined through relative cusp locations. Cusp apices of maxillary and mandibular first and second molars were digitized from 190 American Blacks and Whites to estimate biolog…
Recalibration of the Klales et al. (2012) method of sexing the human innominate for Mexican populations
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to test the accuracy of the Klales et al. (2012) equation for sex estimation in contemporary Mexican population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our investigation was carried out on a sample of 203 left innominates of identified adult skeletons from the UNAM-Collection and the Santa María Xigui Cemetery, in Central Mexico. The Klales' original equation produces a sex bias in sex estimation against males (86-92% accura…
Response to multivariate ordinal probit analysis in the skeletal assessment of sex (Konigsberg and Frankenberg)
Examining the Reliability of Morphological Traits for Sex Estimation
Morphological skull and pubic traits are routinely used in forensic anthropological casework for sex estimation, with the Walker (2008) and Klales et al. (2012) methods commonly employed. This research aims to present a comprehensive evaluation of reliability in skull and pubic trait scoring and the implications of observer scoring variation on sex estimation accuracy. Results from previous studies are summarized and compiled into tables for comp…
Application of the Optimized Summed Score Attributes Method for Sex Estimation
The optimized summed scored attributes (OSSA) method was first developed for cranial ancestry estimation (Hefner & Ousley 2014). Tallman and Go (2018) adapted this method for sex estimation with the five skull traits described by Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994) and Walker (2008). Using an Asian sample, Tallman and Go (2018) achieved moderate accuracy rates (83.7% calibration; 81.9% validation) but also high sex bias (29.1% calibration; 34.5% validat…
Current State of Sex Estimation in Forensic Anthropology
Sex estimation is perhaps the most important component of the biological profile. Our sex estimates aid in decedent identification by helping to narrow the missing persons list, and set the basis for many of the remaining biological profile estimates (age, ancestry, stature), which factor in sexual differences. A review of the current research and general literature reveals the use of a wide variety of methodological approaches to sex estimation,…
Identifying Handsaw Tooth Shape Based on the Micro- and Macroscopic Analysis of the Kerf Floor Contour
Skeletal trauma analysis is a major facet of forensic anthropology casework and can entail interpretation of sharp force saw trauma. Hand-powered saws are commonly used in cases of dismemberment and analysis requires differentiating class characteristics. Features of the kerf walls and floor provide information utilized in identifying set, shape, size, power, and direction of sawing motion of the tool. The focus of this study is to examine validi…
The Value of Forensic Anthropology in Undergraduate Anthropology Programs
Anecdotally, it has been suggested that undergraduate anthropology students are more interested in forensic anthropology than any other specialty but that forensic anthropologists are less desired as colleagues in academia due to the nature of their work. The goal of this project was to examine two related questions: Does having a forensic anthropologist, or an undergraduate concentration in forensic anthropology, increase the number of majors in…
Supporting First-Generation Introductory Anthropology Students
First-generation college students (students whose parents did not complete a bachelor’s degree) are a growing population within U.S. colleges. These students often belong to historically underrepresented populations including racial and ethnic minority groups and those with lower socioeconomic status. This paper discusses a project to redesign introductory anthropology courses to be more “first-generation friendly.” Changes discussed include crea…
Test Approaches to Population Affinity/Sex Classification Using Fordisc 3.1
Fordisc 3.1 is the primary quantitative method of estimating population affinity for the biological profile in forensic anthropology. The creators, Drs. Jantz and Ousley, put forth program use guidelines with two different approaches to population affinity estimation: simultaneous estimation with sex using all 13 available reference samples (Approach 1) or using reference samples from only one sex based on a priori sex estimation (Approach 2). Ou…
Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies (9 works) · Forensic and Genetic Research (7 works) · Mathematics (6 works) · Biology (5 works) · Computer Science (5 works) · Estimation (5 works) · Statistics (5 works) · Psychology (4 works) · Sociology (4 works) · Anthropology (3 works)