Memoir Assignment

Writers create memoirs when they have true personal stories that they hope will inspire others to reflect on or understand interesting questions or social issues - Writing Today Important Dates January 31st February 2nd February 5th- 10th Description For the first writing assignment of the semester you will be writing a memoir about how you have been affected by a text within popular culture. Think about a time in your life when something from popular culture (e.g. seeing your favorite artist perform live, a song that spoke to you, a movie that made you question life, etc.) changed the way you think about the world around you. This event can be from any point in your life, as long as it had a significant effect on your perception of the popular culture texts you witness on a daily basis or if it gave you a new view on life. The memoir is a personal document, but make sure it isnt too personal. This assignment will be shared with your peers and you do not want to discuss a topic that you are not comfortable sharing with a public audience. Each memoir should be 4-5 full pages of text (3.5 pages doesnt equal 4 pages). Five Factors Genre: Memoir Purpose: To inform/entertain the reader on a significant popular culture event Audience: Your college peers and professor Style/Tone: Informal to Mid-level Social Context: The memoir is written in the current moment and a public document that be used in a blog post, personal essay collection, etc. Important Note While writing your memoir, remember to use specific and vivid language to describe your experience. The thesis of your memoir should be clear, and the sources used within the memoir should be able to relate to your experience. Remember to include a works cited page at the end of the memoir in proper MLA formatting. First Draft Due Final Pencil Graded Draft Conferences

Evaluation/Rubric 100 points: A = 90-100 B = 80-89 C = 70-79 D = 60-69 F = 0-59 A B C D F

Evaluation Criteria: Memoir Memoir/Genre Requirements: The memoir has a clear focus on an event that changed the way you thought about popular culture, and follows the genre requirements presented in Writing Today. Development and Detail in Service of Purpose: The memoir is fully developed, has 4-5 full pages, incorporates two sources, and all the content is thoughtful and thorough. Audience/Style and Voice: The memoir is written in plain style and also entertains/informs the reader. MLA Citation/Works Cited: Proper MLA style is used throughout the memoir, including in-text citations and a Works Cited page. Mechanics, Grammar, Spelling: Standard English is used throughout the memoir and proofreading is evident.