Music connects people to time and place. For instance, many of you may remember a song that comforted you during a difficult time or that was playing during a happy occasion like a graduation or engagement. Despite varying tastes, the one constant across humanity is that music can play a role in times of comfort and celebration.

This weeks writing assignment asks you to consider what songs are important to you and why. Or, if you would prefer, you may interview another person and use their replies to write this essay from their point of view. You can think of this as collecting the soundtrack of someones life or a musical autobiography.

In 7501,000 words, consider and explain the role of music in your life story or of your interview subjects life story. Your assignment should be written in essay format with a thesis, main points, and substantive conclusion. You must incorporate a connection to the Unit 8 text reading material, so you need to cite at least one source. Be sure to incorporate APA citations throughout the analysis, and include a reference page at the end of your analysis.

For each of the following categories, you must include at least one specific song and artist. Express the music and link it directly to an experience and the emotions you felt. Remember to link your individual experience to broaden your understanding of the impact of music at large.

In your analysis, address the following to examine music in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood:

What music do you associate with childhood? How did/does this music make you feel? How do your choices reflect your childhood experiences? What can you conclude about the nature of music and its impact after this reflection on your personal experience? As you discuss this time in life, include at least one specific song/artist. Explain their role in this experience.
What music do you associate with adolescence? Was this music a way to fit in or rebel? What can you conclude about the nature of music and its impact after this reflection on your personal experience? As you discuss this time in life, include at least one specific song/artist. Explain their role in this experience.
What music do you associate with comfort or inspiration in your adulthood? How do these songs help you deal with disappointment or stress? What can you conclude about the nature of music and its impact after this reflection on your personal experience? Include at least one specific song/artist for this category.

Objective: To discuss and analyze one agricultural or food policy.
FIRST: Choose an agricultural or food policy like crop insurance, COOL, bioenergy, a food safety policy (like the Food Modernization Act, food labeling, etc.), a food assistance program (like the school lunch program, (NOT SNAP), etc.), an agricultural resource or environmental policy (like water policy, EQIP, CSP, or some EPA rule affecting agriculture), or an agricultural trade policy (like NAFTA, WTO, SPS rules, some import restriction or export subsidy for some commodity).
SECOND: Provide a brief introduction and thesis statement.
THIRD: Describe the agricultural or food policy you have chosen with emphasis on explaining its key characteristics and dimensions (for example, the policy goals and objectives, key policy provisions, markets/groups affected, etc.).
FOURTH: Analyze graphically and discuss the market effects and who gains and loses from the agricultural or food policy you have chosen.
FIFTH: Summarize the main conclusions of your paper and demonstrate how those conclusions relate to your thesis statement. See University Writing Center for help.
FINALLY: Provide a properly formatted list of Works Cited.

(Rubric)
1. Introduction
Does this section provide a brief introduction to the issues discussed in the paper?
Does this section provide a clearly worded thesis statement?
2. Policy Discussion
Does this section adequately and clearly describe an agricultural or food policy with emphasis on explaining its key characteristics and dimensions (for example, the policy goals and objectives, key policy provisions, markets/groups affected, etc.)?
Does the discussion flow well with appropriate transitions or does the discussion ramble?
Does this section simply list policy characteristics/dimensions of the policy without adequate
supporting discussion?
3. Policy Analysis
Does this section graphically analyze the economic market effects of the policy?
Is at least one analytical graph used to analyze the market effects?
Instead of analysis of market effects, is this section just a further description of the policy?
Does the section discuss/analyze who gains and who loses from the policy?
Is good sound economic thinking evident in the discussion?
4. Conclusions
Does this section summarize the main conclusions?
Does this section demonstrate how the conclusions relate to the thesis statement?
Rather than conclusions, does this section simply provide a collection of opinions?
5. Works Cited and other Items
Are there adequate, appropriate in-text citations of material used as sources?
Is there an appropriately formatted and complete list of works cited?
Does the paper follow the required format and is no less than 1,000 words?
Is this paper organized into the 5 sections as required?
6. English
Does the paper use correct grammar, spelling, and diction?
Is punctuation used properly?
Are the structure and style appropriate (professional language, effective flow and transition from
section to section, appropriate sentence structure, clearly stated objectives and conclusions, etc.)