Week 9: SIFT Model; Database Literacy; Annotated Bibliography Peer Review
Week of Mon, Oct 12 · week closes Fri, Oct 16 · 15 points
This week's items
- Annotated Bibliographydue Fri, Oct 16 · 15 pts
Exact due times are in Canvas. Late out-of-class assignments accepted up to one week past the original due date. In-class process work and Discussion Board assignments cannot be made up.
Know these cold
- SIFT is a four-move checklist for source verification: Stop (don't react immediately to a headline), Investigate the source (who made this and why?), Find better coverage (what do other sources say?), Trace claims back to their origin (is this actually what the study said?).
- Lateral reading means opening new tabs to check what other authoritative sites say about a source, rather than just reading the source's own 'About' page. Experts verify sources laterally, not vertically.
- Database literacy means knowing how to refine a search beyond basic keywords: use subject headings (controlled vocabulary), date limiters, full-text filters, and peer-reviewed filters to reach high-quality results.
- Truncation in database searches uses an asterisk to retrieve all forms of a word: 'environ*' retrieves environment, environmental, environmentalism, and environmentally in one search.
- Wildcard symbols (?) substitute for a single unknown character: 'wom?n' retrieves both 'woman' and 'women.' Useful for variable spellings.
- In Thursday's annotated bibliography peer review, check each partner entry for: Does the citation match MLA format? Does the annotation have all three parts? Is the evaluation specific (names the author's credentials, names the publication type)? Is the use concrete?
- The most common annotation error is a vague use statement: 'This will help my paper.' Peer reviewers should ask: Which section? Which claim? How specifically does this source contribute?
- The Annotated Bibliography is due Friday October 16 by 11:59 PM. Submit the completed document (MLA heading, title 'Annotated Bibliography,' all entries alphabetized, hanging indents) via Canvas.
Discussion and forum — how to show up
Discussion post
- Apply SIFT to one source in your Annotated Bibliography. What did lateral reading reveal — did it confirm or complicate the source's credibility?
- What is the strongest source in your Annotated Bibliography, and what specific evidence makes you confident in its credibility?
Netiquette from the syllabus: address ideas, not people. Complete sentences, correct spelling. Personal matters go to email, never the board.
Meerk's quiz — open the Week 9 gate
10 questions, no time limit. 85% on your first attempt in a 24-hour window opens the gate. Retakes inside the window are practice — they help you learn, they don't count. Work alone; the point is to know it, not to have seen it.
Dinner Table Question
Ask at home: The next time you see a surprising statistic shared online, how would you apply SIFT before deciding whether to trust and share it?
En español: La próxima vez que veas una estadística sorprendente en línea, ¿cómo aplicarías SIFT antes de decidir si confiar en ella y compartirla?