Writing a Memoir Essay Discussion

Due Date: 11:59 p.m. EST, Sunday of Unit 1 Points: 100

Overview: Think of the stories you heard growing up. You know the ones…they have repeated over and over again until they took on an almost mythic quality.

We all have stories that define us that are a part of us. Even a really good book or a movie is comprised of stories that draw the reader into them. In this memoir, you will be focusing on three elements: actions, dialogue, and thoughts. You will select a real-life story, something that is non-fiction and true, to write about.

Within that story, you will need to determine what happened, what was stated, and what you thought both at the time and now when you are writing this memoir. These three elements will come together to help tell your story. Instructions:

• Create a Memoir about a specific positive event in your life. • Consider the following questions when starting your essay:

o What was a specific past event that was particularly memorable to you? o What was the significance of that event on you?

Action, Dialogue, and Thoughts – A memoir is a combination of the description of the action, specific dialogue spoken at the time, and your thoughts on what happened. Think about this assignment like you are writing about a scene in your life. You will have to pick a scene that can be discussed in a short number of pages.

• Begin by describing what happened. Allow the reader to experience the action of the story as you are writing it.
• During this scene, what important conversations did you have with people? Consider the best of the dialogue you had and include that dialogue. You want the dialogue to move the scene along.
• Finally, be sure to offer your thoughts on the experience both as you were living through it and as you are now writing about it.

ENG 110 – College Writing

Unit 1 Assignment: Memoir

Requirements:

• The essay should be one to two pages in length.
• You should include an APA-style title page and headers in addition to the one to two pages for the assignment. Please double-space the assignment, write it in 12-point Times New Roman font and use a 1-inch margin.
• You should include a title page in addition to the one to two pages for the essay.
• Utilise the senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell) to help you tell the story. Through description, show the readers what is happening in your memoir. Include details that help paint a picture.
• You need an introduction and conclusion for this essay. The introduction should set up what specifically the reader needs to know before you get into the main action of the memoir. You also can include a thesis, or a controlling idea statement, that lets the reader know your purpose for writing the essay.

Finally, the conclusion will wrap up the essay and show how the action in the memoir was resolved.

• Your body paragraphs should focus on one specific part of the experience each. Please do not try to include too much information in each paragraph.
• Your writing should be free of punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors and contain appropriate word choice for an academic setting with a clear sentence structure.

Be sure to read the criteria by which your work will be evaluated before you write and again after you write.

Evaluation Rubric for the Memoir Assignment

Criteria Novice Needs Improvement Proficient Exemplary Introduction and Conclusion

(0-10 Points) (11-14 Points) (15-17 Points) (18-20 Points) Introduction and/or the conclusion are not present. Introduction/ conclusion is very hard to understand and significantly missing details.

Introduction and conclusion are attempted. The introduction and conclusion may be lacking details to properly set up and then wrap up the essay. The introduction/ conclusion is not related.

Introduction and conclusion nicely set up and wrap up the essay. The introduction/ conclusion could relate better.

Introduction and conclusion effectively set up and wrap up the essay. The introduction/ conclusion relates well to each other.

Organisation and Structure

Many details are not in a logical or expected order. The paper does not use paragraphs, or they do not each focus on one part of the experience each.

Writing may have some discernible organisation, but some details are not in a logical or expected order. The paper uses paragraphs ineffectively by lacking some focus on one part of the experience each.

Writing is organised, and details are placed in a logical order. Paragraphs are mostly used effectively and generally focus on one part of the experience each.

Writing is effective, purposeful, and well- organised. Paragraph s are used effectively and focus on one part of the experience each.

Story There is no clear story because of a lack of development of action, dialogue, and thoughts.

Some aspects of a story exist through the development of actions, dialogue, and thoughts.

Many aspects of a story exist through the development of actions, dialogue, and thoughts.

A clear story exists through the development of actions, dialogue, and thoughts.

Description and Details

Content does not include any description or details that utilise the senses.

Content includes very little description or details that utilise the senses.

Content includes some description or details that utilise the senses.

Content includes descriptions or details that effectively utilise the senses.

Criteria Novice Needs Improvement Proficient Exemplary Paper Length

(0-5 Points) (6-7 Points) (8 Points) (9-10 Points) Significantly less than 1 page or significantly more than 2 pages.

Only half a page in length.

Only three- quarters of a page in length.

One to two pages in length.

Clear and Professional Writing and APA Format

Writing is hard to understand because of errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Word choice is inappropriate for an academic setting. Sentence structure is often unclear. APA format is not followed.

Writing is sometimes difficult to understand because of several errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Word choice is sometimes inappropriate for an academic setting. Sentence structure is sometimes unclear. APA format is sometimes followed.

Writing is easy to understand despite minor errors in punctuation, spelling, and grammar. Appropriate word choice is used for an academic setting. Sentence structure is mostly clear. APA format is mostly followed.

Writing is free of almost all punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors. Appropriate word choice is used for an academic setting. Sentence structure is clear. APA format is followed.

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