FORM AND THEORY OF THE CREATIVE NONFICTION

ELL310
BUITEMS University Online Classes

Spring, 2020
(CURRICULUM OF ENGLISH, BS & MS/MPhil, Revised 2017, HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION ISLAMABAD)

Course Elements
Introduction
Creative non-fiction is currently undergoing rapid change and reformation. Instead of the old ‘cradle to
grave’ narratives of well-known literary or political figures, our best writers are now experimenting with
new forms and subjects. Nature writing, the personal essay, food journalism, art criticism and memoir
are all part of this exciting, emerging mix.

The course focusses on a variety of sub-genres of creative/imaginative nonfiction such as autobiography

and memoir, literary journalism, and the essay (including non-traditional forms like the lyric or graphic
essay). This course will provide students with the tools to read, analyze, think critically, and write about
creative nonfiction and to communicate their insights in oral and written forms. The course takes an
integrated approach to teaching the skills of reading, critical thinking and writing specific to the
interpretation of creative nonfiction, drawing on literary criticism and interpretive methods specific to
life narrative to explore fundamental elements of the creative nonfiction sub-genres, including: plot and
its relationship to thematic focus; the development of narrative personae and other aspects of
characterization; style; setting; authentication, “evidence” and truth, and other issues of representation.

Course Description
In this course, students will first review the concept of the ‘persona’ necessary for successful creative
nonfiction: what Vivian Gornick describes as ‘the narrator that is me and not me.’ With this basic idea in
mind, we will read several forms of creative nonfiction that can be used to produce a book-length
manuscript: personal essay, lyric essay, memoir and reportage. Then, turning to contemporary works
that illustrate many of the core principals, techniques, and problems of nonfiction writing, students will
read The Literary Journalists, edited by Norman Sims, This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff, The Art of the
Personal Essay: An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present and pertinent selections from The
Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction. This is primarily a literature and reading
course, but students will have the option of completing creative writing assignments, many derived from
the texts. Imitation and creative responses to the literature at hand will be a common strategy. Since
creative nonfiction contains such a variety of styles and forms, students will have room to research and
explore the form they are most interested in writing.

Course/Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, students should be able to understand/grasp:

▪ the various forms/genres of creative expression
▪ the theory or methods behind the creative expression(s)
▪ the social, cultural, and/or historical context of the creative expression(s)

Course Contents: Required Reading Textbooks

▪ The Art of the Personal Essay: An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present, edited by
Phillip Lopate
▪ The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction, edited by Williford &
Martone
▪ The Literary Journalists, edited by Norman Sims.
▪ This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff

Lesson Plan: Weekly schedule and break down of Lesson Plans

Weekly Schedule:

MONDAY/TUESDAY: Each new week I will be introducing the topic for the week, letting you know a
little bit more about the craft point we will be focusing on, the reading we will be doing together, and
directing you to the new Forum threads, including your Discussion Points about the week's readings and
your weekly writing exercises. (NOTE: Because many of you may have different schedules over the
week, the weekend might be your preferred time to work. Because of this, I have fixed all the deadlines
for posts and assignments for Sunday mid-night 12:00. Moreover, I am sharing with you the weekly
schedule in advance so, you can get a head start if you want.)

WEDNESDAY: I will hold weekly office hours in the chatroom for our classroom on Wednesdays 3pm.
Here we can talk more informally, discussing any general questions as well as specific issues you might
be having with your exercises or stories. You can get immediate feedback on your concerns from me and
from your classmates. You're not required to come to office hours every week, and feel free to drop in
for shorter periods of time within that hour. During Week One, I will get feedback from the class, we will
kick Chat off in Week Two. THROUGHOUT THE WEEK: You are encouraged to respond to posts, and
participate in discussions.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY: First responses to reading discussion questions due. You may continue weighing in
and participating in the discussion throughout the week, but this is when you should post your initial
thoughts on the prompts.

Writing exercise due (though the earlier you post, the more time you'll have to receive feedback). You
should respond to the members of your group by the end of the weekend, before the next week begins.

WEEKEND: The weekend might be your preferred time to work, if you want, use the weekend to get a
jumpstart on reading assigned chapters and drafting your writing exercise. More importantly, don’t
forget that Sunday mid-night 12:00 is the deadline for every week`s posts and assignments. I will not be
in the classroom over the weekend but you're welcome to start posting for the next week whenever you
are ready. The classroom is always open!

How All This Works:

Each week begins with an introductory talk about form and/or theory that you’ll find in the Schedule
section. I will be assigning approximately thirty – fifty pages of reading in the books that I’ll provide you
for this class, to illustrate and illuminate our discussions. You’ll find the page numbers/topics listed
under This Week’s Reading. Under Topics for Discussion I will pose a couple of questions based on the
readings to help you think through the week’s central ideas. Under Writing Assignments, you’ll find the
week’s writing exercise. Our group conversation begins when you post your questions and comments in
the Discussion Forum. The Forum is a bulletin board where all the action happens. Here, we’ll have
ongoing conversations about the books we read together, and different topics about the writing life.
This is where you’ll post your work, and where our discussions will take place.

Lesson Plans: Readings and assignments (day/time) of weeks 1-14:

Week 1: Introductions

Class 1: Detailed discussion on syllabus

Class 2: Why do we read? Why do we write? Study Tips – Note making techniques, tips for vocabulary
enhancement, reading improvement methods and writing tips. Methods to study and follow for
particularly class reading materials.

Assignment 1: What is creative nonfiction and literary journalism? What are the standard forms of
nonfiction? submission due by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Week 2: Introduction to creative nonfiction and its genres

Class 1: What is it about creative nonfiction that we find so attractive? What is our vision? Who are our
contemporaries, and what can we learn from their work? What do we, as nonfiction writers, bring to the
page and how do we begin to fashion a narrator out of our own raw material? What makes a piece of
creative nonfiction ‘sparkle?’ How do we see our own voices developing through our art?

Class 2: Research, Writing and Publication of nonfiction

Readings: Read ‘Wendell Berry Getting Along with Nature and Janet Burroway Embalming Mom’
from ‘The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Assignment 2: Describe the process of writing and publishing a piece of nonfiction. submission due by
Sunday mid-night 12:00
Week 3: The-Literary-Journalists
Class 1: (Reading in Class)
Class 2: (Reading in Class)

Readings: Read ‘Kelly Grey Carlisle Physical Evidence, Annie Dillard Living Like Weasels and Mark Doty
Return to Sender’ from The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Week 4: The personal essay’s history, development and form

Class 1: The concept of the ‘persona’ - Developing the Persona - How do different nonfiction writers
sound different on the page? What sense do we get of the variety of speaking voices, characters, angles
of vision, rhythms of language, and individual people who speak to us through our genre? This week, we
will consider these questions and how we might begin to think about our own literary personae,
necessarily separate entities from our living selves.

Class 2: The Personal Essay – A continuation of last class` investigation into the personal essay’s history,
development and form.

Readings: Read ‘Tony Earley Somehow Form a Family, Harrison Candelaria Fletcher The Beautiful City
of Tirzah and Diane Glancy Sun Dance’ from The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative
Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Week 5: The Personal Essay I - the structure and characteristics

Class 1: Michel de Montaigne, the great innovator and patron saint of personal essayists, wrote: “Every
man has within himself the entire human condition.” This week we will read and respond to several
personal essays, with an eye towards the structure and distinguishing characteristics of this classic
literary form.

Class 2: Truth behind the Facts - This week will be dedicated to what we each might consider the truth in
the context of our creative nonfiction. What do we really want to write about? Isn’t it, at the end of the
day, our individual rendering of the emotional truth at hand that we are working toward? Aren’t we
each writing about what it means to be human? What does it mean? Many different answers to these
questions will apply!

Readings: Read ‘Lucy Grealy Mirrorings and William Harrison Present Tense Africa’ from The
Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Assignment 3: Describe in detail the characteristics of a ‘Personal Essay’, submission due by Sunday
mid-night 12:00
Week 6: The Personal Essay II – Readings
Class 1: Readings – Essay 1 (8 pages daily)
Class 2: Readings – Essay 2

Readings: Read ‘Robin Hemley Reading History to My Mother and Adam Hochschild World on a
Hilltop’ from The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Week 7: The Personal Essay III - Readings

Class 1: – Essay 3
Class 2: – Essay 4

Readings: Read ‘Jamaica Kincaid A Small Place, Ted Kooser Small Rooms in Time and E.J. Levy
Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ from The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative
Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Week 8: Concluding the Personal Essay

Class 1: The essay is exciting partly because of the flexibility and freedom it affords the writer. In
addition, the essay enjoys popularity in literary journals. What distinguishes a lyric from a personal
essay?

Class 2: The Memoir

We certainly live in the age of the memoir, and it’s an important component of creative nonfiction,
although by no means the only one. How does a memoir differ from an essay collection? Why might a
writer choose to work in one subgenre instead of the other? What constraints might the memoir bring
to the writer, and how can we work with them?
‘This Boy`s Life’ by Tobias Wolff – Introductions: Author and book

Readings: Read ‘Thomas Lynch The Undertaking, Lee Martin Sorry and Erin Mcgraw Bad Eyes’ from The
Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Assignment 4 (Part 1): Discuss the book and the life of author

Week 9: The Memoir I - ‘This Boy`s Life’ by Tobias Wolff (21-22 pages daily)
Class 1: Reading in Class - Fortune
Q: When Rosemary asks if Dwight and Jack are getting along, Jack lies: “I said we were. He was in the
living room with me, painting some chairs, but I probably would have given the same answer if I'd been
alone.” Why can't he tell his mother about Dwight? Do you think his reluctance stems from fear? What
else might make Jack protect Dwight's early, nice-guy façade? Do you think this protective behavior is
positive or negative?
Class 2: Reading in Class - Uncool
Jack's tongue becomes so tied at his first confession that he finds his voice only by borrowing the sins of
Sister James. Why is Jack unable to confess his real sins? The father and Sister James are satisfied, even
proud of Jack, when he completes the ritual. Do you think Jack is absolved for his sins even though he
lied? To the narrator, in the eyes of the church, is the act more important than the truth behind the
confession?

Readings: Read ‘Naomi Shihab Nye This is Not Who We Are, Lia Purpura Autopsy Report and Richard
Selzer Imelda’ from The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Week 10: The Memoir II - ‘This Boy`s Life’ by Tobias Wolff

Class 1: Reading in Class – A Whole New Deal and Citizenship in the Home

Q: Extend the idea from the last question to the act of writing a memoir: In the introduction the author
attests that he tried to “tell a truthful story.” Do you think the morals and themes of the memoir remain
intact even if they don't always adhere to the facts?

Q: When Jack is accused of scrawling obscene graffiti on the bathroom wall at school, we are introduced
to the vice-principal and principal, men whose disciplinary approaches radically differ. Compare these
two authority figures with the two father figures in Jack's life—Rosemary's first boyfriend, Roy, and her
new husband, Dwight. Is there any correlation? About the principal, Jack writes, “He wore his weakness
in a way that excited belligerence and cruelty.” How does this relate to Jack's concept of what a man
should be? How is Jack's original impression of Dwight turned upside down? (Pg-55)

Class 2: Reading in Class - Citizenship in the Home

Q: Alienation defined much of Jack's childhood, in part because of his fractured family. Once settled in
Chinook, his mother, Rosemary, attempts to recreate a “real” family. Jack writes, “But our failure was
ordained, because the real family we set out to imitate does not exist in nature.” Do you agree with
this? Do you think the perfect family is a myth? What expectations does Jack have of his family? (Pg-74)

Readings: Read ‘Sue William Silverman The Pat Boone Fan Club and Floyd Skloot A Measure of
Acceptance’ from The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Week 11: The Memoir III - ‘This Boy`s Life’ by Tobias Wolff
Class 1: Reading in Class – Citizenship in the School

Leaving Seattle, Jack and Chuck become giddy because, as Jack puts it, “We were rubes, after all, and for
a rube the whole point of a trip to the city is the moment of leaving it.” More frequently, an intelligent,
disaffected youth runs to the city to get away. Yet Jack doesn't dream of blending into the crowd of an
urban center—his one serious plan of escape is to Alaska. Why is Jack's sense of freedom so connected
to open spaces? (Pg-100/106)

Class 2: Reading in Class – Citizenship in the School

Q: Jack's botched attempt to run away to Alaska may be one of the more heart-wrenching episodes in
the narrative. Why does Jack disregard the urging of his friend Arthur at the Gathering of the Tribes?
Why do you think Jack is unable to carry out his plan? Discuss the conflict between Jack's desire for
freedom and his desire to belong. Compare this incident to when Jack nearly gets caught writing a bad
check at the corner drugstore. How does Jack regain his composure? (Pg-127)

Readings: Read ‘Lauren Slater Black Swans’ from The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative
Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Week 12: The Memoir IV - ‘This Boy`s Life’ by Tobias Wolff

Class 1: Reading in Class – The Amen Corner and Amen

Q: When applying to prep schools, Jack writes all of his own letters of recommendation and transcripts.
He justifies this by suggesting that only he knows the truth about himself. Do you think this assertion
applies to everyone? When accepted at Hill, did you consider this a turning point in Jack's life? (Pg-165)

Class 2: Reading in Class - The Amen Corner and Amen

Q: Guns are a constant presence in Jack's life. Trace the arc of guns throughout the memoir, beginning
with Jack's initial exposure with Roy and ending with his stealing and selling the guns at the pawnshop in
Seattle. Does Jack's attachment to guns affect his behavior? Who, if anyone, dissuades Jack from gun
use? Do you think Jack displayed any transformation or development by getting rid of the stolen guns?

Readings: Read ‘Amy Tan Mother Tongue, David Foster Wallace Consider the Lobster and Joy Williams
Hawk’ from The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Week 13: The Memoir V - ‘This Boy`s Life’ by Tobias Wolff

Class 1: Themes

Q: The residual influence of fathers plays a prominent role in the story, hinging on brief glimpses of
Rosemary's father, referred to as Daddy, and the late emergence of Jack's biological father from back
East. Compare the influence of these fathers—one violent, the other irresponsible—on their children.
How do Rosemary's and Jack's behaviors reveal the kind of interaction they had with their fathers?
Which father do you think left a more permanent “mark” on his child?

Class 2: Settings, symbols and motifs

Q: The memoir is set mostly in rural Washington, high in the forested mountains. The author uses the
weather common to this area as a metaphor for Dwight's badgering: “I experienced it as more bad
weather to get through, not biting, just close and dim and heavy.” How else does the stark
Northwestern landscape enter and influence the narrative? Contrast the depiction of exterior spaces
with that of the white interior one in which the family lives. What does Dwight's obsession with painting
everything white, including the tree outside, suggest about his personality?

Readings: Read ‘ from The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Assignment 4 (Part 2): Discuss the themes and comment on use of language, settings, symbols and
motifs in the reading ‘This Boy`s Life’ by Tobias Wolff.

Week 14: The Memoir VI - ‘This Boy`s Life’ by Tobias Wolff

Class 1: Major Characters

Q: As a young child Jack plays a game in which he is an imaginary sniper firing at people who held an
“absurd and innocent belief that they were safe.” As a teenager Jack goes to the Welches after his theft:
“It had to make them feel small and alone, knowing this—that was the harm we had done. I understood
some of this and felt the rest.” Discuss the significance of these two disclosures by the author. (Pg-156)

Class 2: Minor Characters

Q: Begin the discussion by considering the book's epigraphs: “The first duty in life is to assume a pose.
What the second is, no one has yet discovered.”—Oscar Wilde. “He who fears corruption fears life.”—
Saul Alinsky. Why did the author choose these quotes? Do you think they fit the themes explored in This
Boy's Life? Describe the primary pose assumed by each character. Is there tension between these poses
and those of other “corrupt” ones that surface?

Readings: Read ‘ from The Touchstone Anthology of Contemporary Creative Nonfiction’ and
post your views by Sunday mid-night 12:00

Weekly Writing Exercises:

Your assignments for this class will remain consistent for most of this term. (1) In Discussion Points, I will
ask you to respond to the weekly readings. Here, we will focus our conversation on questions about
creative nonfiction form and theory. (2) Your REQUIRED post questions every week will be exactly the
same: Make a claim about a specific element of craft you identify in this week’s reading, and support
that claim with evidence from the text. 250 words minimum. You will also be assigned two OPTIONAL
assignments that are creative in nature. Imitating or emulating the primary texts we are reading
encourages you to keep writing, and to consider the development of your own manuscript while
thinking critically about published nonfiction.

Reading Groups:

Becoming a good reader is an important part in your development as a writer. Learning how to discuss
the core principals, techniques and problems in a piece of creative nonfiction will help you explore them
in your own. Starting in Week 3, we will form small groups. The purpose of the groups is to foster
intensive community, and to begin to allow research into your particular area of creative nonfiction. For
example, some of you may be interested in writing an essay collection, others a memoir, and others a
more information-based or journalistic type of creative nonfiction. In your reading groups, you will have
the chance to delve more specifically into the particular form that you feel is most compelling. To keep
things fresh, and so that you receive feedback from a variety of students. So if you develop a strong
rapport with a particular student, you may continue to read/comment each other’s work.

Grading Policy
To establish clear criteria for grading, grading criteria sheets and rubrics would be provided by
the teacher, as all students want good grades, and they want to know exactly how to get those
grades. Students want to know where they stand on any given day in the semester thus, marking
would be updated regularly ensuring transparency.
Sessional Marks 25

▪ Assignment 1
▪ Assignment 2
▪ Assignment 3
▪ Assignment 4
▪ Presentation Task 1
▪ Presentation Task 2

Mid Term 25
▪ Exam/Assignment
Final Term 50
▪ Exam/Assignment

Assignments
Distribution of Sessional Marks: 4marks for each task and, 1mark will be added to students score for
perfect attendance and behaviour

▪ Assignment 1: What is creative nonfiction and literary journalism? What are the
standard forms of nonfiction?
 ▪ Assignment 2: Describe the process of writing and publishing a piece of nonfiction.
▪ Assignment 3: Describe in detail the characteristics of a ‘Personal Essay’.
▪ Assignment 4: Discuss the book, author, themes and comment on use of language,
settings, symbols and motifs in ‘This Boy`s Life’ by Tobias Wolff.
▪ Presentation Task 1: monitor posts
Class Discussion Leaders: Each week a student or a group of students would be responsible to
lead the class. Discussion leader would have the duty to present the topic in 30 minutes, they
may consult the teacher for assistance (before the actual class) if required. Teacher will be
monitoring and supervising activities at all times.
Students work would be shared in the form of a PowerPoint presentation and teachers would
rap up the topic by analyzing and adding to the presentation shared in a 40 to 60 minutes
lecture (pre-recorded or live & recorded) available to the students after the scheduled class
(allowing individual convenience).
▪ Presentation Task 2:
Discussion Board: It would be an online classroom board requiring each student to post 3
questions/comments (250 words minimum) from the readings of that class/week (making sure
students are going through the reading materials) and also to comment on or answer one of the
questions posted by other classmates (indicating students understanding of the material read).
This practice will provide opportunity for students to be able to ask questions and get their
queries answered.
Complete reading material to be covered during the semester would be provided at the
beginning of semester, with weekly breakdown.

Mid Term: Work on the characters and themes from the reading ‘This Boy`s Life’ by Tobias Wolff.
Final Term: Create your own piece of non-fiction writing e.g. personal essay, memoir or travel log.

Evaluations
Forum presence: This factor is your ability and willingness to contribute to a constructive online
classroom and working as a part of an interactive group rather than as an isolated individual.

Responses to Readings: This measures the intensity, thoughtfulness, and specificity of your approach to
the readings, including your ability to cite specific passages from the readings and relate them to topics
or questions of process in creative writing.

Feedback for Colleagues: This covers your responses to your fellow writers’ posts, which are graded on
their constructiveness and thoughtfulness, not their length.

Word Limits: I ask that you try to respect the word limits I set every week. Again, we are looking for
quality, not quantity. I wish I had time to read everyone’s work completely and give thorough feedback
on everything, but this is primarily a ‘reading-as-a-writer’ course and I’m sure you understand the
constraints on my time as well.

Rubrics:
 General Writing Evaluation Rubric for CNF
Criteria 4 3 2 1
Outstanding Average Just Made It Needs More Work
Memorable Moment focuses on moments that seem focuses moments that seem focuses on a single moment Author does not seem to be
significant to the author’s life. kind of significant to the that does not seem significant aware of the significance of
author’s life. to the author’s life. the moment.
Content. Focus and Strong description and Tells a story with some The story may try to cover too Mostly “telling” with no clear
ideas. concrete detail pulls the reader turning point. May tell the much time or lack in concrete turning point or purpose.
into a focused experience that moral too explicitly. detail in areas. Moment or Little attention to concrete
has a satisfying turning point turning point may not seem as detail.
or significant moment. A significant to the reader.
theme is present, though
implicit. (No moral at the end
of the story).
Orients and Immediately engages and Engages and orients the Attempts to engage the reader Does not engage or orient the
Engages the Reader orients the reader by reader by establishing a by establishing a situation. reader. The situation is
establishing a clear situation, situation, introducing the Introduces the narrator and unclear, the narrator is not
introducing the narrator, and narrator, and developing develops at least one introduced, and the characters
developing interesting characters. character. are poorly developed.
characters.
Author clearly “shows” Author’s attitudes and Direct statements indicate the includes irrelevant events that
Structure - attitudes and feelings feelings before are evident author’s feelings and attitudes cause the reader confusion in
Events before numerous times through the & occur numerous times and/or some events are not trying to determine
thoughts, action and dialogue through the thoughts and necessarily significant. the before feelings and
of the characters. actions of the character. attitudes.
Structure - clearly “shows” how the Although word choice does Change is evident; but is includes irrelevant events that
Events after learning changed the author’s not always “show”, it is “told” to the reader through cause confusion when
life. clear to the reader how the direct statements. noticing the change in the
learning changed the author’s life.
author’s life.
Style & Technique Author consistently “shows” Author sometimes “shows” Author “tells” the significance No effort is made to reveal the
the significance of the events the significance of the of the events through direct significance of the events to
through engaging details, events through details, statements. the reader.
compelling language, and a compelling language, and a little or no attempt to use
balance of action, thoughts, balance of action, thoughts, dialogue, description and
and dialogue. and dialogue. pacing. Experiences and
events are underdeveloped
throughout.
Sentence structure, Clear writing voice, smoothly Some awkward wording or Throughout awkward Consistent errors in sentence
wording, and tone. worded sentences, appropriate perhaps too wordy in sentence construction structure that interfere with
tone. places. Could combine meaning.
sentences for a better flow.
Organization. Flow Skillfully structures the Clear story but beginning or Could do more with the Lacks a clear ending or
of ideas and narrative into a beginning, ending may feel weak—not structure to make the story beginning. Jumps around in a
transitions. middle, and end. May try pulling the reader in or flow. way that is confusing or hard
creative ways of weaving giving a satisfying for the reader to follow.
together more than one conclusion.
moment or experience.
Format It is neatly done and presented It is neatly done and Format may or may not be Format is not appropriate.
in an appropriate and presented in an appropriate appropriate.
attractive format and could be format.
used as a model for others.
Conventions: Writing is error-free. Writing contains minimal Numerous minor errors often Many errors in spelling,
Correctness. Minimal errors mistakes that do not make Writing difficult to read. capitalization, and
Grammar, interfere with meaning. Minor errors throughout punctuation often interfere
mechanics, usage, Minor errors with meaning.
Excessive errors interfere
spelling.
with meaning.

MEMOIR ASSESSMENT
CRITERIA 4 3 2 1
Theme:(Meaning, Writing contains Writer successfully Reader learns a little Reader does not get a
ideas and information, important themes and opens a window into about the life of the clear view into the
use of detail, sense of demonstrates his/her life. Writing writer. It’s difficult to window of the writer’s
audience sensitivity and contains a theme that figure out what the main life. Theme is difficult
awareness to larger helped shape him/her. theme is. to find.
issues framing his/her
life.
Style:(clarity, variety Writer mostly shows Colorful, vivid words A few interesting words. Basic words. Writer
and impact of what he/she is used. Writer has a More description needed. mostly tells rather
language) thinking and feeling. good balance Language is generally than shows. Little
Writing flows between show clear, appropriate and sentence variety:
smoothly. Some and tell. Some variety direct, but often sentences tend to be
figurative language of sentence imprecise. short and choppy or
structures. long and awkward.
Form: (narrative lead, The narrative lead Narrative lead reveals The narrative lead is The narrative lead
creative presentation) introduces problems the problem through “typical,” and does to does not invite the
and invites the reader. an action, reaction, or establish a clear problem. reader or establish the
dialogue. Ending is The ending seems forced problem. It is left
predictable and and abrupt. unresolved.
logical.
Organization: Writing is clear, Generally predictable Memoir develops through Series of weakly
creative and easy to events smoothly a series of related events. connected events
(development of
follow. Develops flowing together. Connections among without a clear
connection
conflict through Events all connect to Events are unclear. problem or resolution
throughout the story)
events. the story. lacks connection.

Polishing:(Complete Excellent spelling and Very few errors. A few grammatical and Many mistakes.
developed sentences, grammar. Variety of Writing is clear and spelling mistakes. Ideas Difficult for the reader
spelling, punctuation, sentence types. easy to follow. are mainly clear. to understand.
grammar)

RUBRIC for PERSONAL ESSAY

a form of writing in which an author explores and shares the meaning of a personal experience and
relates this experience to ideas
4 3 2 1
Style The writing is honest, Writer's voice is Writer's voice may emerge Writing is confusing, hard to
Writer’s Voice, enthusiastic, natural and consistent and strong. strongly on occasion, then follow; language is vague; no
Audience Awareness thought-provoking, the The writer is aware of retreat behind general, audience awareness;
reader an audience. The reader vague, tentative, or abstract disorganized; no variety in
feels a strong sense of interaction is informed and remains language. The writer may be sentence structure.
with the writer and senses the engaged. Sentences aware of an audience. The
person behind the words; have varied structure; reader is informed but must
sentences are strong and coherent, but relies on work at remaining engaged.
expressive with varied structure; prescribed Sentence structure shows
reveals deepening insight, organizational structure some variety; generally,
sometimes expressed as wonder, rather than following stays on topic but lapses
the essay concludes, but the lines or patterns of into digressions; simple,
thinking does not, reader is left thought; predictable generic word choice
with ideas to ponder word choice
Occasion for Reflection Memorably presents the occasion The occasion itself may Both the occasion and the Occasion for reflection and
Context, the set of facts for reflection; uses fine detail, dominate or reflection are unclear or purpose may be omitted or
or circumstances that sensory language, narrative overshadow the actual simplistic; may be simply presented only in the title
lead to the reflection; accounts, controlled pacing, reflection; explaining, and autobiographical
occasion merits the dialogue or quotations to explain rather than exploring, a account of a single incident
consideration afforded sophisticated purpose generalized idea or instead of articulating a
it; occasion is profound, occasion, lacking detail purpose.
not ordinary or in presentation of the
mundane occasion.
Reflection Reflection is thoughtful and Thoughtful but Reflection is a simple Little or no evidence of
Traces the process of convincing, emerges from the predictable, essay is restatement of the belief, reflection
idea development, occasion, not around or alongside grounded in the limited to superficial
making connections it; presents ideas in an original occasion, not the generalizations, may have
between thought or way; reflection may be implicit, reflection; establishes a little connection to the
belief and experience embedded in a way that leads the loose connection occasion being discussed
reader from the specific to the between the experience
abstraction that underlies it and the essay purpose;
may be convincing but
lacking sophisticated
exploration
Development Pays attention to particulars of Uses some detail and Limited to lists of details or No attempt to elaborate, or
Vivid, sensory observation which are recounted some sensory language generalizations attempt may be simple
description, persuasion, as a way of grounding the and strategies for repetition of the initial
explanation which reflection; uses imaginative yet developing insight statement
supports the purpose precise language to enhance
and elaborates on the presentation of subtleties of
reflection thought; metaphoric language
Conventions Writing has been well edited. Writing has clearly been Writing has not been Writing has not been edited.
Grammar, Punctuation, Grammar and Punctuation rules edited. Grammar and carefully edited. Grammar Mistakes make it impossible to
Editing are followed, few to no errors. Punctuation rules are and Punctuation rules are understand what the author’s
mostly followed. Some loosely followed. Errors message is.
errors, but they do not make it difficult to
affect the reading of the understand the author’s
piece. message.

Rules:

Protocol for a Productive Conversation:

In order to keep us focused on our art, I would ask that we use the Forum as a place for serious
attention to one another. In addition, we are not sitting across from one another in a classroom, being
funny might not work so well online and use of emoticons or ‘winks’ or ‘hahahaha’ easily becomes a
habit, and if the Forum posts are full of emoticons the important information might get lost, mixed-up
and ignored. So, I need to ask that we each slow down and think through every response that we post
and abstain from posting anything unnecessary or non-serious. Remember all posts will be public and
each one has the responsibility to act civil. I want everyone to feel free to express themselves, we are all
in this together, and I want us to have a wonderful time making art!

My Online Presence:

I’ll be online and actively responding to new posts in the classroom. If there’s a holiday or I have some
conflicting obligation, I will let you know ahead of time. The beauty of an online class is that we can all
do our work when our schedules permit; we don't have to be working simultaneously. So, log on when
it's convenient for you, morning or night, daily or every few days. Please try to avoid, as much as
possible, from texting me on phone and make use of the online office hour, but I am always available if
the need arises. I will hold a one-hour chat session, a kind of live office hour, once a week on
Wednesdays. Participation is encouraged but not mandatory.

Meeting the Deadlines:

Please plan a head and meet all deadlines, no flexibility will be allowed. Keep in mind the everyday
constraints you may face such as, electricity issues and loss of data. So, don’t wait for the last-minute
submissions. All students will be treated equally, this rule leaves no room for favours on any conditions.

A Final Important Note:

This is your class. I’m the guide, yes, but the quality of our discussions will depend upon your
engagement and insightfulness. This course will be as good as your response. So, please participate fully
and generously. Read all the work with a keen eye and a sense of possibility. And please, let me know if
there’s anything I can do to make this a better experience for you. I welcome suggestions. If there’s
something you want to discuss, let me know. If you find something that you’re very excited about
sharing with the group, please do so! We are here to develop as writers, something I believe we do
throughout the course of our lives. There is always a new topic to explore, and because creative
nonfiction affords us so much possibility, it’s important that we remain open and inspired.