Narrative Essay

Our next assignment will be to write a narrative essay of your choice. This essay should be 700 to 1000 words, or about three pages. You may write about any event in your life, such as: an emergency that brought out the best or worst in you, an incident that made you believe or disbelieve in fate, an important learning experience, a narrow escape, a memorable childhood experience, an unpleasant confrontation, or whatever other topic you desire.

Here is a rubric showing what is expected on this essay and how it will be graded. This essay will be worth 100 points towards your final grade. It is due by midnight on June the 9th (Sunday).


Please use the MLA format, which we will go over in class.

Narrative essay assessment rubric/score sheet:

Narrative essays must be typed, double spaced using 12 point font. Headings must be left justified and include name, teacher’s name, class number, and date. Titles must be centered. Page numbers are in the upper right hand corner.

Area 1
Ideas and Content:
_____ focuses on a specific experience or time in the writer’s life.
_____ presents an appealing picture of the action and the people
_____ uses dialogue and sensory details
_____ makes the reader want to know what happens next
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Area 2
Organization:
_____ has a beginning, a middle, and an end
_____ pulls reader into the text with beginnings techniques
_____ gives events in an order that is easy to follow
_____ uses transition words and phrases to connect ideas
5 4 3 2 1

Area 3
Voice:
_____ creates a tone and a mood that fits the topic
_____ shows the writer’s personality
5 4 3 2 1

Area 4
Word Choice:
_____ contains specific nouns, vivid verbs, and colorful modifiers
_____ uses sensory details and figurative comparisons
5 4 3 2 1

Area 5
Sentence Fluency:
_____ flows smoothly from one idea to the next
_____ uses a variety of sentence lengths and structures
5 4 3 2 1

Area 6
Conventions:
_____ applies basic rules of grammar, usage, and mechanics
_____ presents paper according to format listed in directions
5 4 3 2 1