Write a definition of the context of life.

You might want to think along the lines of “life for humans is…” or “life as a biological category is…” or “life in x text/for x philosopher is…”, but make sure it is not just a summary or description (arguments are debatable claims, like saying “Plant and human life are not much different… here is why and how”). Pick one understanding of life for which you want to argue or an argument about the concept of “life” that you want to make. Remember that you will have to say enough about it to fill 1000 words. Think of the task as convincing someone you don’t know of your way of understanding the concept of life. It cannot be so subjective (“life is my family”) that nobody else could possibly be included or convinced and it cannot be so general (“we can’t define it”) or tautological (“life is living”) that it cannot be sustained for more than a paragraph or backed up with evidence. In order to convince, you need to give evidence (i.e. quote reputable sources, which can range from philosophy to science to literature… put keywords in the library search catalog & ask a librarian for help) and explain how this specific quote supports your argument. Quote at least one of the texts we have read in class so far in your essay (ideally more and, if you want, also others, but avoid Wikipedia or too many dictionaries; also check your sources and don’t just rely on one). Make sure you explain everything well and in appropriate language, and don’t assume that I or anyone in this class is your reader (think of a stranger with no previous knowledge of the topic instead). Avoid trying to argue for several understandings and jumping back and forth between ideas. Instead, plan out the structure of your paper: If this is my argument, what do I need to explain and prove for all it’s components, and which order makes this clearest? Or, where do I need to go and which steps do I need to take to make my point? Re-read your own essay, use spell-check, and double-check whether you followed all instructions (quotations? word count? format?… read that section in the syllabus!). Test your argument on your roommate, your mom, your best friend… share what you’ve written to get feedback. It can only improve your paper. Write 1000 words (+/-100 words), double-spaced, typed, with 1” margins all around and 12-point Times New Roman font (papers that are 100 wordsor more below/above the limit of 1000 will be deducted at least 5% or more, according to the percentage below/above). Includeyour name, the date, the course, and the paper number in the header, page numbers in the footer, and the word count at the end ofthe paper.Special characters in your file name will lead to upload problems.Quote properly and list all of your sources under Works Cited at the end:http://www.plagiarism.org/resources/student-materialsChose and stick with a citation style, like MLA: http://www.library.arizona.edu/search/reference/citation-mla.htmlDr. Joela Jacobs (joelajacobs@email.arizona.edu) TAs: Agnes Cser (acser@email.arizona.edu)Office Hours: Tu/Th 11-12 & by appt in LSB 306K. Lee Gagum (kgagum@email.arizona.edu) 4Content & Structure: Papers should make an analytical argument to an unknown reader and give evidence for it from select course materials. An introduction shouldInclude the title in italics, the author, publication date, and genre of the text/film/source you are analyzing. E.g., “Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis (1915)is a novella about a man who wakes up as a bug.”Propose one argument that responds to the prompt. An argument is a thesis that is debatable and is not simply a description or observation. Have no more than one main argument.Each body paragraph shouldBe organized around one sub-claim that helps support your main argument. Give evidence for your sub-claim by quoting from the text/film/source. This includes analyzing the quote, i.e. stating which aspect of the quote supports your claim in which way. Give necessary context to an audience that does not know your source. Don’t summarize the entiretext/film, only what is necessary for your reader to a) understand the passage you’re analyzing and b) to be convinced by your argument. Be brief. You can also make this part of your introduction or dedicate your second paragraph to this entirely.In the same way, make sure the main terms of your argument are defined for your specific context. Don’t assume everybody knows how you understand a term. You can do this ‘by the way’ rather than dictionary style, e.g. “Life, in its biological sense, is central to…”A conclusion shouldSummarize the paper’s argument, telling us what we learned about the text from your argument. State the stakes or implications of your analysis, i.e. tell us what your argument changes about our understanding of the text/film/source/idea. Respond to someone saying, Nice argument, but so what? Why does this matter?Grading Criteria: For more information about these expectations for the paper, please consult the grading rubricon D2L.Ideas and level of analysis30%Organization 20%Development and support 20%Style 15%Mechanics of writing 10%Audience 5%What to avoid?1.Spelling mistakes and incorrect word choices: Proofread and edit your paper, and use spell-check. Ask others to read your paper (Writing Center, preceptors, roommates…). Re-read it yourself!2.Personal reflection: Avoid saying “I” or drawing from your personal experience. Instead focus on the text to analyze. This is an analytical academic paper, not a personal essay.3.Generalizations: Don’t make statements about “things all people do/think/agree on,” “stuff everybody knows,” or “what’s normal.” Instead be specific and give evidence for all your claims.4.Letting quotations speak for themselves: Always explain what a specific piece of evidence contributes to your argument.5.Writing more because you have more to say: Edit carefully and be succinct. This is part of the challenge of paper writing. More is not better.Dr. Joela Jacobs (joelajacobs@email.arizona.edu) TAs: Agnes Cser (acser@email.arizona.edu)Office Hours: Tu/Th 11-12 & by appt in LSB 306K. Lee Gagum (kgagum@email.arizona.edu) 4Content & Structure: Papers should make an analytical argument to an unknown reader and give evidence for it from select course materials. An introduction shouldInclude the title in italics, the author, publication date, and genre of the text/film/source you are analyzing. E.g., “Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis (1915)is a novella about a man who wakes up as a bug.”Propose one argument that responds to the prompt. An argument is a thesis that is debatable and is not simply a description or observation. Have no more than one main argument.Each body paragraph shouldBe organized around one sub-claim that helps support your main argument. Give evidence for your sub-claim by quoting from the text/film/source. This includes analyzing the quote, i.e. stating which aspect of the quote supports your claim in which way. Give necessary context to an audience that does not know your source. 56.Writing for your teacher: Write for a reader who is not familiar with the text (i.e. give them the information about the text they will need to understand your argument) and write in a tone that is appropriate for a stranger and an analytical paper (i.e. no colloquial terms).7.Having more than one argument or focusing on too many texts: Less is more. Go for a well backed-up argument and an in-depth analysis rather than touching on this and that superficially. This will also help with a clear structure.8.Describing instead of analyzing: Don’t give too much plot summary and make sure you have an argument that you back up with quotations.9.Giving Wikipedia as evidence: The sources Wikipedia gives for its claims are evidence, but Wikipedia can be changed by anyone and is not always in the best shape. Go for the printed word over the posted word for qualitycontrol. Google Books is a great resource. And when you use an online source, cite it properly; don’t just post a link into your Words Cited list