ESSAY #1:
PERSONAL ESSAY: CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY MEMOIR
GRADING PROFILE
LONG FORM
NAME: __________________________________ GRADE: ___________ / ________
WRITING ASSIGNMENT AND ESSAY REQUIREMENTS
Write a 750 word (or no more than three double-spaced pages) first-person point of view essay in the form of a
childhood and family memoir. Focus on a specific experience that taught you a significant lesson or left a lasting
impression. Your purposes are to reflect by looking back upon and to express a tone (attitude, feeling, or mood)
about that specific experience. Your audience is your English 1301 class—a supportive community of writers and
your instructor.
Your essay should be thesis driven as you reveal a main idea that unifies your essay, clarifies your purpose, and
suggests your primary strategy of narration. Set your plot into motion: after a brief exposition, establish conflict
or adversity (the heart of your story), create suspense, let the rising action build to a climax, and maybe offer an
epiphany (sudden understanding), resolution and/or denouement. Your essay might also include irony.
Description is your secondary or supporting strategy as you sketch in your setting and characters. Use figurative
language, imagery appealing to the five senses, and vivid and concrete diction. In addition, give your characters
speaking voices with dialog, and let these characters’ actions and words help move your plot forward. Our motto
for Essay #1 is “Show, don’t just tell, your story.”
ESSAY EVALUATION CRITERIA
____1. Content, Thesis, and Development (27% of grade)
____2. Organization and Strategy(23% of grade)
____3. Sentences (20% of grade)
____4. Diction and Tone (17% of grade)
____5. Punctuation and Mechanics (13% of grade)
____ TOTAL POINTS
____ - minus 10 (This essay has been submitted late.)
____ - minus 3 points each for missing
(from writing process):
(1) list of possible topics, (2) creating activities,
(3) planning page, and (4) self/peer critique page
____ TOTAL POINTS (numeric grade)
INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS:
____ LETTER GRADE
OTHER
____ This essay contains plagiarized material: grade of 0/F with no opportunity for a revision.
____ This essay contains numerous grammatical errors that seriously impede clear communication. The
grade on Essay #1 is “R” for “Revise.” You may revise the first essay until it earns a grade of 75. To help
you with your revision, you must see either the tutor or me. (I’m in office 221. Check syllabus for times.)
____ This essay needs to be revised because it does not fulfill the assignment. See tutor or me for help.
____ I will not accept a final draft without at least one marked rough draft.
English 1301 Grading Profile, Version #10, Childhood and Family Memoir, Mr. Jeff Lindemann
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1. CONTENT: 27% of Grade
____ A: Excellent/Exceptional/Exceeds Expectations 27 26 25 24
Superior understanding of writing assignment/context. Strong sense of purpose and audience. Insightful thesis supported with at
least 750 words of substantial, thorough, significant, and meaningful content. Strong conflict at the heart of the narrative.
Impressive narrative enriched by detailed, rich description. Author “shows” the story more than “tells” it. Narrative distinctive
because of originality and perceptiveness. Intelligently handled focus and depth of development. Strong reader interest.
____B: Good/Solid Quality/Meets Expectations 23 22
Good understanding of writing assignment/context. Good thesis supported with at least 750 words of thoughtful, worthwhile
content. Good conflict at the heart of the narrative. Relevant narrative enriched with concrete, specific description. Well focused
content. Substantial reader interest.
____C: Adequate/Average/Acceptable 21 20 19
Adequate understanding of writing assignment/context. Adequate thesis supported with 750 or fewer words of related content.
Narrative might be somewhat sketchy, overly general, occasionally repetitive, or irrelevant. Narrative may lack specific focus.
Adequate conflict. Little use of descriptive strategies to enrich the narrative. Some reader interest.
____ D: Poor/Inadequate/Needs More Work 18 17
Poor understanding of writing assignment/context. Weak thesis supported with 750 words or fewer words of inadequate content.
Narrative is too general, very sketchy, repetitive, or irrelevant. Narrative lacks specific focus. Little conflict at the heart of the
narrative. Insufficient or vague description. Minimal reader interest.
____ F: Unacceptable in Academic Setting of Houston Business Community 16 15 14 13 12 11
Unclear, indiscernible thesis supported with fewer than 750 words of inadequate content. Lacking in originality and insight.
Narrative is underdeveloped, irrelevant, or unsuitable for assignment. Essay lacks specific focus. Little or no conflict at the heart
of the narrative. No clear plan. Little or no description. No reader interest.
2. ORGANIZATION: 23% of Grade
____ A: Excellent//Exceptional/Exceeds Expectations
23 22 21
Excellent organization related to thesis. Narrative is effectively organized with exposition, strong conflict, rising action, climax,
and denouement or narrative effectively and creatively subverts the traditional narrative flow with the distinctive use of
flashbacks and/or omitted denouement. Effective use of dialog paragraphs. Narrative is distinctive due to adept handling of
foreshadowing and suspense. Excellent narrative flow. Excellent title.
____ B: Good/Solid Quality/Meets Expectations
20 19 18
Good organization related to thesis. Narrative is well organized with exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, and optional
denouement. Good use of dialog paragraphs. Usually smooth narrative flow. Good title.
____ C: Adequate/Average/Acceptable 17 16
Adequate, routine or predictable organization related to thesis. Narrative organized with exposition, conflict, rising action,
climax, and optional denouement. Adequate use of dialog paragraphs. Narrative flow occasionally slowed. Occasionally
disorganized and/or rambling. Routine title.
____ D: Poor/Inadequate/Needs More Work 15 14
Poor narrative organization due to minimal exposition, weak conflict, unrelated or monotonous rising action, ineffective climax
and denouement. Weak connection between thesis and organization of narrative. Narrative flow is often confusing. Disconnected
ideas and/or actions. Faulty or no dialog paragraphs. Frequently disorganized and/or rambling. Minimally clear plan. Vague or
overly general title.
____ F: Unacceptable 13 12 11 10 9 8 7
Unacceptable narrative organization due to lack of exposition, no conflict, or unapparent narrative plan. Little or no connection
between thesis and organization of narrative. Faulty or no use of dialog paragraphs. Narrative flow is overly confusing. Weak,
confusing, or ineffective title.
English 1301 Grading Profile, Version #10, Childhood and Family Memoir, Mr. Jeff Lindemann
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3. SENTENCES: 20% of Grade
____ A: Excellent/Exceptional/Exceeds Expectations
20 19 18
Sentences are artistically constructed. Excellent sentence variety achieved adding a richness and sophistication to the memoir. No
major sentence errors of fragment, comma splice, and/or run-on. Correct and effective modification and parallelism. No awkward
of confusing sentences. Effective use of intentional fragment (if used) for stylistic effect. Forceful sentence style: graceful yet
energetic. Polished, finished prose.
____ B: Good/Solid Quality/Meets Expectations
17 16
Sentences are correctly constructed exhibiting a variety of sentence types. No major sentence errors of fragment, comma splice,
and/or run-on. Correct modification and parallelism. No awkward/confusing sentences. Some sentence combining may be
needed.
____ C: Adequate/Average/Acceptable 15 14
Sentences are clearly constructed but lacking in distinction. Minimal sentence variety. Short, choppy sentences or long, rambling
sentences. Sentence clarity may be affected due to a major sentence error of fragment, comma splice, and/or run on. A sentence
error may exist due a modification or parallelism problem. Smooth flow of reading may be halted due to an awkward or garbled
sentence. Sentences could be improved with sentence combining.
____ D: Poor/Needs More Work 13 12
Sentence construction is marred occasionally enough to annoy or frustrate the reader. Minimal sentence variety. Sentence clarity
affected due to two major sentence errors of fragment, comma splice, and/or run-on. Sentence errors may exist due to
modification or/or parallelism problems. Sentences could be improved with sentence combining. Smooth flow of reading halted
due to two awkward or garbled sentences.
____ F: Unacceptable 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Sentence construction is marred frequently enough to annoy or frustrate the reader. Little or no sentence variety creates a
monotonous sentence style. Sentence clarity is affected due to three or more major sentence errors of fragment, comma splice,
and/or run-on. Sentence errors may exist due to several modification or parallelism problems. Smooth flow of reading may be
halted due to more than two awkward or garbled sentences. Non-standard written English appears in the essay. Sentence
combining needed to revise short, choppy sentences Five major sentence errors results in a grade of R (rewrite on out-of-class)
4. DICTION (word choice and usage) and TONE: 17% of Grade
____ A: Excellent/Exceptional/Exceeds Expectations
17 16 15
Excellent use of diction and tone. Diction for the memoir is distinctive and exhibits word form mastery. No word form errors. No
clichés. Artistic use of figurative language: metaphor, simile, personification, allusion, symbol, hyperbole, understatement. Vivid
imagery. Strong verbs. No errors in idiomatic language. Concrete and specific language. Tone is appropriate and complements
the subject. Any switch in tone is done carefully. Mature vocabulary. No misspelled words.
____ B: Good/Solid Quality/Meets Expectations
14
Good use of diction and tone. Diction for the memoir is clear and accurate but might exhibit a word form error or occasional error
in word choice. Skillful use of figurative language: metaphor, simile, personification, allusion, symbol, hyperbole, and
understatement. Vivid imagery. Strong verbs but occasional passive voice. Mostly concrete and specific language. One or two
errors in idiomatic language or problems with word form. One or no clichés. Tone is appropriate and complements the subject.
Any switch in tone is done purposefully and carefully. Good vocabulary. No or one misspelled word.
____ C: Adequate/Average/Acceptable 13 12
Diction is adequate and generally accurate, competent, appropriate, and idiomatic. At times diction is wordy, vague or imprecise.
Minimal attempt at using figurative language. Occasional attempts at creating imagery. Word choice is undistinguished. In a few
instances, language is not concrete and specific. Several word form errors. Several instances of weak verbs and passive voice.
Several clichés. Inconsistent or inappropriate tone for subject matter. Adequate vocabulary. Several misspelled words.
____ D: Poor/Needs More Work 11 10
Diction is poor due to frequent errors in word form, unidiomatic language, and/or word choice. Substandard language
occasionally disrupts clear flow of communication. Little or no attempt to use figurative language. Weak imagery. Numerous
instances of weak verbs and passive voice. Diction frequently lacking in concrete and specific language. Frequent use of cliché.
Inappropriate and/or inconsistent tone. Limited vocabulary. Many misspelled words.
English 1301 Grading Profile, Version #10, Childhood and Family Memoir, Mr. Jeff Lindemann
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____ F: Unacceptable 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Diction is unacceptable due to numerous errors in word form, unidiomatic language, and word choice. Substandard language
obscures understanding of content and stops a reader’s smooth flow of clear communication. No attempt to use figurative
language. Weak or very little imagery. Numerous instances of weak verbs and passive voice. Numerous clichés. Inappropriate
and/or inconsistent tone. Limited vocabulary. Numerous misspelled words.
5. PUNCTUATION AND MECHANICS: 13% of Grade
____ A: Excellent/Exceptional/Exceeds Expectations
13 12
Clarity and effectiveness of expression is promoted by effective and consistent use of standard punctuation and capitalization.
Attractive and correct manuscript. Correct course information and headers.
____ B: Good/Solid Quality/Meets Expectations
11 10
Flow of clear communication occasionally diverted but not confused by errors in standard punctuation and/or capitalization.
Standard manuscript form. Correct course information and headers.
____ C: Adequate/Average/Acceptable 9
Adequate clarity and effectiveness of expression, but weakened by any combination of some errors in punctuation and/or
capitalization. Some unnecessary punctuation. Adequate manuscript form. Mostly correct course information and headers.
____ D: Poor/Needs More Work 8 7
Clear communication is hindered by several errors in punctuation and/or capitalization. Unattractive manuscript form with
numerous errors.
____ F: Unacceptable 6 5 4 3 2 1
Clear communication is hindered by numerous errors in punctuation and/or capitalization. Unattractive and/or incorrect
manuscript form.
(This 2010 version #12 of my English 1301 Grading Profile for a Childhood and Family Memoir is loosely based on the HCCS English
Department Grading Profile from 1988 created by a committee including Dr. Martha Weathers, SuzAnne Cole, Leslie Waltman, Dr. Robert
Ford, and Jeff Lindemann.)
English 1301 Grading Profile, Version #10, Childhood and Family Memoir, Mr. Jeff Lindemann
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