GER week 5+6
elinaa
Paper1InstructionsPrompt.pptx
Paper 1 Instructions & Prompt
Finding everything you need
Find the prompt, expectations, rubric, and writing resources in this PPT (and most of it also on the syllabus and D2L again).
The paper is due on Thursday, 2/17, 3:30PM in the D2L Paper 1 Assignment folder.
Work on your draft before and during the Writing Lab class!
Come to any of the office hours offered to learn more, come up with or check your thesis, and earn 5%!
You can also get additional help from campus offerings like Think Tank and SALT and earn 5% for that (upload a separate picture with your paper submission that includes your name & the date and confirms you got help from one of those sources)
You can take a 48-hour extension (without asking) once on one of the papers! Just write “extension taken” in the comment field with your paper submission.
Paper 1 Prompt
Write a definition of the concept of life.
Please note that most definitions of life you have written so far would not be enough, mostly because they lacked concrete evidence, i.e., quotations from reputable sources. The paper is not about "the one, comprehensive right definition" (we've already figured out that that's impossible), but about going beyond what a dictionary or textbook can offer.
Think of it as making an argument/thesis/claim about the concept "life," not a subjective opinion or a dictionary entry. 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," "it's the biological characteristics") or tautological ("life is living") that it cannot be sustained for more than a paragraph or backed up with evidence.
Paper 1 Prompt Cont’d
Your thesis should specify how broadly or specifically you are defining life, e.g., "life for humans is..." or "life as a mammal is..." or "life in x text/for x philosopher is...", but make sure it is neither just your own private life you are defining, nor a summary or description of someone else's concept, like summarizing the biological characteristics or describing an existing philosopher's point of view.
A good approach would be to argue "life for x (e.g., humans) is... a (e.g., these biological characteristics), b (e.g., this philosophical idea), and c (e.g., this other thing)," where a/b/c each turn into a body paragraph and come from a different angle/perspective.
Argument & Evidence
An argument is one focused, debatable claim (can be argued against, not too simple or broad), written for an unknown audience (explain everything you mention), in a neutral tone (not personal, not colloquial), with supporting evidence (citations, works cited).
Each of these paragraphs should be supported by quoted evidence. Cite at least one of our class texts, and if you are using outside sources, make sure they are reputable (these can range from philosophy to science to poetry but avoid Wikipedia, dictionaries, and inspirational quotes… put keywords in the library search catalog & ask a librarian for help)!
Always explain how your evidence supports your argument!
Think of the task as convincing a stranger who does not know this class (i.e., contextualize/explain and use appropriate language).
How do I find a reputable outside source?
Depending on what your thesis is, think about what background information we need to know for that, for instance philosophical, cultural, or historical context.
That piece of background information might have come up in class, but you want to find an official source for it.
Start by googling your key words, and go from less reputable sources (study sites, Wikipedia) to THEIR sources (footnotes, bibliography), so you end up with a book or .edu source.
You can also use the library catalog and ask librarians for help (the library has a chat feature and delivers scans by email) if that doesn't work.
You don't necessarily have to quote from the source, but you can also use it as an in-text reference that supports your introductory background information, for instance.
If you’re not sure about a source, check with us!
Content & Structure
The paper should make an analytical argument with evidence from reputable sources for an unknown reader.
An introduction should
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.
Include the following information about the main text(s)/source(s) you are analyzing or drawing on: the title in italics, the author, publication date, and genre. E.g., “Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis (1915) is a novella about a man who wakes up as a bug.”
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 your main text/source or sources. This includes analyzing the quotations, i.e., stating which aspect of a quote supports your claim in which way.
(cont’d on next page)
Content & Structure Cont’d
Each body paragraph should also
Give necessary context to an audience that does not know the material. Don’t summarize or describe the entire text/context, only what is necessary for your reader to understand the part you’re analyzing and be convinced by your argument. Be brief. You can also make this part of your introduction.
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/source/issue 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/source/issue. That’s like responding to someone asking, Nice point, but so what? Why does this matter?
Format
Write 1000 words (+/-100 words), double-spaced, typed, with 1” margins all around and 12-point Times New Roman font (papers that are 100 words or more below/above the limit of 1000 will experience deductions, according to the percentage below/above—see syllabus re: Late and Incomplete Work).
Include your name, the date, the course, and the paper number in the header, and page numbers in the footer.
Special characters (e.g., punctuation) in your file name will lead to upload problems.
Quote properly and list all your sources (remember: at least one course & one reputable outside source) under Works Cited at the end: http://new.library.arizona.edu/research/citing/plagiarism
Chose and stick with a citation style, like MLA: https://new.library.arizona.edu/research/citing/guide
Grading Rubric (also see PDF in the D2L folder)
The grading rubric names five areas of varying importance:
Thesis & Analysis (30%): you have one clear overall thesis that you explain and analyze convincingly and in depth
Organization (20%): each paragraph makes one clear point and the paragraphs follow in logical order
Development and Evidence (20%): each point supports and develops your thesis further with strong evidence (quoting) and your paragraphs are well developed and connected
Style/Clarity/Flow (15%): the sentences are clear and fluidly connected, the style is appropriate for an academic essay (not colloquial, not personal)
Mechanics of Writing and Referencing (10%): there are no errors in grammar, spelling, or word choice, nor in citing and referencing (Works Cited)
Audience/Tone (5%): everything that needs to be explained to a stranger is explained in appropriate language for an academic paper
What to avoid? Pt. 1
Avoid 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 and try that out loud!
Avoid personal reflection: Avoid saying “I believe” or drawing from your personal experience. Instead focus on the text or sources to analyze. This is an analytical academic paper, not a personal essay.
Avoid 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.
Avoid letting quotations speak for themselves: Always explain what a specific piece of evidence contributes to your argument and/or what you see in it.
Avoid 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. Follow the instructions to succeed.
Avoid writing for your teacher: Write for a reader who is not familiar with the text or context (i.e. give them all the information about the text or topic 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 language).
What to avoid? Pt. 2
Avoid 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.
Avoid describing instead of analyzing: Don’t give too much summary or description and make sure you have an argument that you back up with quotations.
Avoid giving Wikipedia or other non-reputable sources as evidence: The sources Wikipedia gives for its claims are evidence, but Wikipedia itself can be changed by anyone and is not always in the best shape. The same goes for study sites. Go for the printed word over the posted word for quality control, and favor .edu and .gov sources. Google Books is a great resource, and so are the librarians next door. And when you use an online source, cite it properly; don’t just post a link into your Words Cited list (see above).
Avoid inspirational quotes. Famous people or inspirational sayings can be great, but they are not evidence that will hold up to analysis. The reader wants to hear your argument, supported by reputable academic evidence.
A few more tips
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?
Coming up with a thesis and organizing your thoughts is hard, so let us help you! Use the in-class exercises, office hours, etc. to run your thesis by us and your peers and refine it. The Writing Center offer lots of help too. Remember that you get an automatic 5% grade bonus if you upload evidence of having gotten help with your paper from either of these sources.
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.
Don't ignore the word minimum/maximum instructions! Re-read your own paper out loud, use spell-check, and double-check whether you followed all instructions (quotations? word count? format?...). This stuff goes a long way.
