supplementary materials
Research projects and resulting manuscripts with substantial data components need to provide readers access to their data and justify the validity of each step of the research process that produced the data -- in our case these are the codes we assigned to each variable. This text would overburden the manuscript and is placed in "Supplementary Materials." These material are an essential part of our research project.
EXAMPLE:
Hohokam
Resource Depletion (Analytical variable): Low
Narrative description: Strategically positioned on the lower Salt and Gila Rivers, the Hohokam build large-scale irrigation canals which allowed them to practice agriculture in the arid desert environment (Abbott 2003:5-7). Abbott (2003:49, 59-59) suggests that periodic flooding contributed to soils with high agricultural potential, leading him to conclude that arable land was unlikely to ever have been a limiting factor for the Hohokam, especially given high concentrations of wild foods available as supplements to agricultural staples. More recently, however, Hill’s (2016:633-637) analysis of soils known as Salt River Adobes has revealed increasing distances between habitations and primary irrigation features from the 1200-1400s CE, suggesting that soil degradation due to salinization occurred on a large scale, especially in the vicinity of canal intakes.
Uncertainty of variable coding: Medium
Justification of uncertainty of coding: Abbott (2003:62, 79-80) finds evidence that many of the Hohokam’s staple animal protein sources declined significantly by the Late Classic Period, including deer, large freshwater fish, and small game. In conjunction with the degradation of the Salt River Adobes, declining accessibility to food sources may have played a larger role in the Hohokam decline than yet realized.
Notes: There is significant evidence for diet-related health problems at Pueblo Grande and other Classic Period Hohokam settlements, which can be attributed to reduced maize consumption, but Abbott (2003:62-63) considers it far more likely that these stresses arose from water shortages than from shortages of arable land. More research should be done into Hill’s (2016) hypotheses about the Salt River Adobes to determine the likelihood that food shortages were caused by environmental degradation due to intensive irrigation in the arid desert climate.
Hohokam
Population level (Descriptive variable): 40,000
Narrative description: Hohokam population appears to have peaked in approximately 1300 CE with an estimated 40,000 individuals (Hill et al. 2004:689). These estimates are based on room counts with an average of two persons assigned per room, a conservative estimate consistent with assumptions generally used for assigning population densities in the North American Southwest (Hill et al. 2004:692).
Uncertainty of variable coding: Low
Justification of uncertainty of coding: Although Loendorf and Lewis (2017:127-128) argue that room counts are a poor tool for estimating population in the Preclassic Period due to the prevalence of underground pithouse residences, most settlements during the Classic Period were more archaeologically-evident above-ground rooms. Using room counts to estimate population of the Hohokam in the 14th century is therefore a valid means of estimating Classic Period Hohokam populations, despite potentially conservative assumptions about the number of people assigned per room (Hill et al. 2004:692). Evidence for high populations in the Early Classic Period are consistent with Akimel O’Odham oral history accounts of severe overpopulation prior to the decline of platform mound societies (Loendorf and Lewis 2017:125-126).
Notes: It is important to note the temporal scale being used here. There is evidence that Hohokam population peaked just prior to 1300 CE (Hill et al. 2004:693-694), at the very beginning of our study’s period of focus. After 1350 CE, Hohokam populations decline rapidly (Hill et al. 2004:694), accounting for the coding of population trajectories as decreasing alongside the coding of population levels as high.
CODING SHEET (see our Google Drive link)
RUBRIC:
Exceeds expectations: All coding decisions are well explained and supported by multiple, appropriate peer-reviewed sources. Sources relied upon to support the coding provide confidence for accurate sub-regional scale coding. The supplementary materials are well written and contain information that supports both the descriptive and analytical aims of the research.
Meets expectations: Most coding decisions are well explained and supported by several appropriate peer-reviewed sources. The supplementary materials are clearly written and contain information that supports both the descriptive and analytical aims of the research.
Does not meet expectations: Coding decision are not well explained and supported by appropriate peer-reviewed sources. The coding does support accurate sub-regional scale coding. The codes rely on too few sources to provide confidence in their accuracy.
EXAMPLE:
Hohokam
Resource Depletion (Analytical variable): Low
Narrative description: Strategically positioned on the lower Salt and Gila Rivers, the Hohokam build large-scale irrigation canals which allowed them to practice agriculture in the arid desert environment (Abbott 2003:5-7). Abbott (2003:49, 59-59) suggests that periodic flooding contributed to soils with high agricultural potential, leading him to conclude that arable land was unlikely to ever have been a limiting factor for the Hohokam, especially given high concentrations of wild foods available as supplements to agricultural staples. More recently, however, Hill’s (2016:633-637) analysis of soils known as Salt River Adobes has revealed increasing distances between habitations and primary irrigation features from the 1200-1400s CE, suggesting that soil degradation due to salinization occurred on a large scale, especially in the vicinity of canal intakes.
Uncertainty of variable coding: Medium
Justification of uncertainty of coding: Abbott (2003:62, 79-80) finds evidence that many of the Hohokam’s staple animal protein sources declined significantly by the Late Classic Period, including deer, large freshwater fish, and small game. In conjunction with the degradation of the Salt River Adobes, declining accessibility to food sources may have played a larger role in the Hohokam decline than yet realized.
Notes: There is significant evidence for diet-related health problems at Pueblo Grande and other Classic Period Hohokam settlements, which can be attributed to reduced maize consumption, but Abbott (2003:62-63) considers it far more likely that these stresses arose from water shortages than from shortages of arable land. More research should be done into Hill’s (2016) hypotheses about the Salt River Adobes to determine the likelihood that food shortages were caused by environmental degradation due to intensive irrigation in the arid desert climate.
Hohokam
Population level (Descriptive variable): 40,000
Narrative description: Hohokam population appears to have peaked in approximately 1300 CE with an estimated 40,000 individuals (Hill et al. 2004:689). These estimates are based on room counts with an average of two persons assigned per room, a conservative estimate consistent with assumptions generally used for assigning population densities in the North American Southwest (Hill et al. 2004:692).
Uncertainty of variable coding: Low
Justification of uncertainty of coding: Although Loendorf and Lewis (2017:127-128) argue that room counts are a poor tool for estimating population in the Preclassic Period due to the prevalence of underground pithouse residences, most settlements during the Classic Period were more archaeologically-evident above-ground rooms. Using room counts to estimate population of the Hohokam in the 14th century is therefore a valid means of estimating Classic Period Hohokam populations, despite potentially conservative assumptions about the number of people assigned per room (Hill et al. 2004:692). Evidence for high populations in the Early Classic Period are consistent with Akimel O’Odham oral history accounts of severe overpopulation prior to the decline of platform mound societies (Loendorf and Lewis 2017:125-126).
Notes: It is important to note the temporal scale being used here. There is evidence that Hohokam population peaked just prior to 1300 CE (Hill et al. 2004:693-694), at the very beginning of our study’s period of focus. After 1350 CE, Hohokam populations decline rapidly (Hill et al. 2004:694), accounting for the coding of population trajectories as decreasing alongside the coding of population levels as high.
CODING SHEET (see our Google Drive link)
RUBRIC:
Exceeds expectations: All coding decisions are well explained and supported by multiple, appropriate peer-reviewed sources. Sources relied upon to support the coding provide confidence for accurate sub-regional scale coding. The supplementary materials are well written and contain information that supports both the descriptive and analytical aims of the research.
Meets expectations: Most coding decisions are well explained and supported by several appropriate peer-reviewed sources. The supplementary materials are clearly written and contain information that supports both the descriptive and analytical aims of the research.
Does not meet expectations: Coding decision are not well explained and supported by appropriate peer-reviewed sources. The coding does support accurate sub-regional scale coding. The codes rely on too few sources to provide confidence in their accuracy.
