PRE-REQUISITE: Previous writing experience necessary.
COURSE FULFILLS: Concentration in Creative Writing and Social Action OR Concentration in Women’s Studies AND Service Learning Requirement
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Social Action Writing is a form of critical inquiry and an act of social responsibility. It is writing that witnesses, that breaks silences, that transforms lives. This is an advanced creative writing service learning class that centers on a particular public issue: welfare reform. Students will work collaboratively to research this issue, as well as co-create knowledge with those in the community who are affected by the new (Jan. 1, 1998) welfare reform policy. Students will write poetry, fiction, or life-story in response to the research. They will also create visual representations of their writings, in consultation with photographer and visual artist Kira Carrillo Corser.
This class is a collaboration with Monterey Peninsula College and with CST. It is a follow-up to the same class taught in Spring 1998, in which HCOM students collaborated with EOPS students at MPC, and produced a book titled, Education As Emancipation: Women On Welfare Speak Out.
The Spring 2000 class will again be a collaboration with our community partner, MPC. Instead of a book, two CST students will be collaborating with us to produce a web page and CD-ROM that will include an update of where the MPC students are now, in the form of poems, stories, and visual art produced by the class. It will also include the contents of the 1998 book and other resources.
The process brings together art, scholarship, and service learning involvement in the community. The intention is to bring the voices and lived experiences of those affected by welfare reform policies, as well as the students’ own responses as writers and informed citizens, into the center of the community, to use art to educate, to promote civic dialogue.
COMMUNITY PARTNER: Monterey Peninsula College’s CARE (Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education) and EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs and Services) Programs.
VISUAL ART CONSULTANT:
Photographer and visual artist Kira Carrillo Corser will be assisting the class with visual representations of their writing.
RESEARCH CONSULTANT:
Lisa Rowlison, Professor of Information Technology, Library.
TEXTS:
Whose Welfare? ed. Gwendolyn Mink, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1999.
Education As Emancipation: Women On Welfare Speak Out — A Collaboration: Creative Writing and Social Action Program at California State University Monterey Bay and the EOPS/CARE Program at Monterey Peninsula College, 1999.
http://www.lsnc.net/welfare.html
TEXTS on LIBRARY RESERVE:
Welfare Reform:
Kathryn Edin & Laura Lein, Making Ends Meet: How Single Mothers Survive Welfare and Low-Wage Work, New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1997.
Jill Duerr Berrick, Faces of Poverty: Portraits of Women and Children on Welfare, New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
Poetry Craft:
Mary Oliver, A Poetry Handbook, San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994.
Fiction:
?Janet Burroway, Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, NY: Harper Collins, 1996.
Anne Lamott, Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, NY & San Francisco: Pantheon Books, 1994
Creative Non-Fiction:
Lee Gutkind, Creative Non-Fiction: How To Live It and Write It, Chicago: Chicago Review Press
?Surviving Crisis: Twenty Prominent Authors Write About Events That Shaped Their Lives, ed. Lee Gutkind, NY: Tarcher/Putnam, 1997
?ADDITIONAL READING, ON RESERVE AT LIBRARY
ATTENDANCE AND OTHER GUIDELINES: The experiential form of this class requires participation and attendance. It is unlikely you can make up what you miss. Please arrange your schedule so that you do not miss class or site visits. More than 2 missed classes and any site visit affects your participation and therefore your grade.
Workshop:
Through the group workshop process, you will learn to critique your own and others’ writing. For the class session in which your writing is workshopped, bring copies for everyone. Each writer in the workshop will respond with comments about your writing. You’ll also receive comments from me about your writing.
Community Involvement:
Social action creative writing means knowing, in depth, your subject matter — in this case, welfare reform — and having it inform your writing. You will research texts and the Internet to critically examine the underlying social, cultural, historical or political contexts. You will interview the community involved, and co-create/ transform their stories into art. We’re committed to mutual sensitivity, thoughtfulness, and respect with our community partners, and working together to witness, break silences, and transform lives.
SOCIAL ACTION WRITING CONCENTRATION: Acquiring advanced competency in creative writing. Applying this skill to the production and presentation of an art project that actively responds to a public issue. Refining the skills to sustain the creative process throughout a given project, taking it to completion.
What does this mean:
The emphasis here is on moving the student to produce creative writing that is aware of its context in and impact on the larger community. The student witnesses her/his experience, communicates to a diverse audience, and links with the interests and needs of that audience. This MLO also develops the student’s awareness of what it takes to make creative writing happen.
Social action writing/art is a form of critical inquiry; it is writing that witnesses, that breaks silences, and that transforms lives.
Many MLOs in Human Communication focus on developing the student’s analytical skill. The creative writing social action MLO develops the student’s creative skill, as well as the ability to respond to public issues.
Criteria for Assessment:
?Is the portfolio original?
Does the portfolio/project demonstrate competency in creative writing?
Does the portfolio/ project demonstrate the student’s ability to produce imagery and communicate ideas and intent?
Does the portfolio/ project address the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art project emerges?
Does the coursework focus on the creative process?
?In a post-production analysis, has the student demonstrated the ability to recognize and sustain her/his own creative process throughout the project?
GRADING DISTRIBUTION:
Writing and Research-40%
Service Learning-40%
Group Production-20%
OUTCOMES/CRITERIA FOR GRADING: See end of syllabus for assessment standards of writing craft.
Does the student’s portfolio demonstrate that she or he has:
1. Social Action Writing and Research:
?Produced substantive portfolio of writing ? Completed all writing assignments and projects, all drafts and final revisions of work handed in as writing portfolio?
Researched the social, cultural, historical, political contexts of social action art project?
Sustained her/his own creative process throughout the project?
2. Service Learning:
Applied intercultural communication skills with MPC community partners? Informed and respectful participation in classroom discussions and with community partners?
?Understood how project served to benefit the community through the application of creative writing and social action?
Engaged reciprocally in knowledge exchange with community and became co-creators of knowledge?
Built responsively on community knowledge and responsively contributed to community?
Developed skills as a reflective practitioner to competently reflect on social impact of welfare reform?
3. Group Collaborative Production:
Actively participated in class discussions, workshop, and with community partner? Completed all assignments on schedule and with respect for HCOM class and CST partners’ deadlines? Actively participated in collaboration with CST web page, CD-Rom, and end-of-semester event?
SUMMARY of SOCIAL ACTION WRITING/ART ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Produce a portfolio in which the assignments (including your class notes, observations from the readings, and personal journal) will be kept, and also your creative writing & art:
– One poem/ story and visual about MPC community partner’s experience with welfare reform
– Facilitate one writing by MPC partner and/or child
– A second poem/story about partner OR one reflection of writer’s experience
– Research one aspect of welfare reform OR one web site for web page, and write intro.
– Produce visuals to accompany writings.
2. Journal: Keep a journal of your service learning experience: seeds for your creative writing, and your self- reflexive responses to the class, the readings, the discussions, your service learning partner, and anything else relevant to your learning experience.
3. Web page and CD-Rom, in collaboration with CST
4. An end-of-semester public event
(See below for more detail in course learning outcomes and assignments.)
TIMELINE DUE DATES:
Feb. 10: Poem, workshop.
Feb. 15: journals.
Feb. 29: First transcription.
March 7: Second transcriptions.
March 16: First poem/story, workshop.
March 16: Parent or child story due in to you.
March 28: Second poem/story, workshop.
March 28: Parent/child story to workshop.
April 4: Visual art.
April 6: Research for Web Site and Intros due, workshop.
April 6: Re-Writes poems, stories due, workshop.
April 11: Portfolios.
April 16: Journals.
April 18: Final poems/ stories/ visuals due web page.
April 25: CST discussion/ presentation.
May 2: Public presentation.
May 4: Reflection
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS TO FULFILL OUTCOMES: Students who successfully complete “Witnessing Welfare,” (HCOM 497S) will be able to demonstrate skills and knowledge in craft, research, reflection, service learning, and social action:
1. Social Action Writing Outcomes:
– Write at an advanced undergraduate level, social action poetry, fiction, or creative non-fiction.
– Critically analyze your own and others’ original writings.
– Recognize, implement, and sustain your creative writing process.
– Produce a portfolio of original creative writings.
– Facilitate production of community partner’s writing and/or child’s writing.
– Produce visual representations of your writings.
– Contribute to web page & CD-Rom that respond to issue of welfare reform.
Assignments:
– Read craft books on reserve in library and apply to writings.
– Participate actively and thoughtfully in the workshop process: reading with attention and offering considered constructive written and oral comments.
– Produce writings & visuals: one that witnesses the lived experiences of a community partner affected by welfare reform policies; facilitate production of community partner’s writing, or that of their child; and one that is your own reflection as a writer and informed citizen on an aspect of welfare reform.
– Contribute, on time, to a web page of class writing and visuals.
Documentation of craft:
– Hand in a portfolio of writings: keep copies (in a folder) of the writing you bring to class for workshop, along with my comments. At the end of the semester, all drafts and final revisions of your work will be handed in.
– Journal for seeds of creative writing.
– Contribution to Web page & CD-Rom.
2. Research Outcomes:
Collaborate to research current welfare reform policy, addressing the social, cultural, historical, political contexts of social action art project.
Assignments:
Research and reflect about issue of welfare reform:
– Read assigned texts, web site, and other research.
– Collaborate to research current welfare reform policy and issues.
– Research one aspect OR one web site that is central to college students receiving welfare reform, and write 3 brief paragraphs explaining its relevance. Your paragraphs & web link will be included on Web site.
Documentation:
Keep a self-reflective and weekly journal of your research notes. One aspect or web site resource.
3. Service Learning Outcomes:
– Engage with community partner affected by welfare reform, apply intercultural communication skills.
– Understand how creative writing and social action benefits the community.
– Engage reciprocally in knowledge exchange with partner to become co-creators of knowledge.
– Build responsively on community knowledge and responsively contribute to community through writing and visuals, witnessing the effect of welfare reform on the community.
– Present your original project to a diverse public audience to promote civic dialogue.
Assignments:
– Participate in classroom discussions, exercises, and reflections.
– Five site visits, interacting with sensitivity, thoughtfulness, and respect.
– Establish relationship with & interview community partner affected by welfare reform policy.
– Keep a self-reflective and weekly journal of your learning experience, your reflections.
– Produce one self-reflective writing of your experience for web page.
– Participate actively and thoughtfully in presentation of end-of-semester collaborative class event.
– Writings and visuals to be used by sites to educate the community.
Documentation: One self-reflective writing for web page. Reflective journal responses. Site’s director’s reflection. One -page reflective summary of learning experience due at end of semester.
4. Group Production Outcomes:
Envision class of the whole as resource.
Assignments: Collaboration in class discussions, workshop. Complete all assignments on schedule, respect for HCOM class & CST partners’ needs. Collaboration in CST web page, CD-Rom, and end-of-semester event.
“Witnessing Welfare” (HCOM 497S)
COURSE OUTLINE:
Week One, Thurs. Jan. 2 : Introduction
Introduction, Syllabus, journal handout. Choose poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction. For Thurs, Feb. 1: Read Education As Emancipation: Gwendolyn Mink, “Introduction,” and Frances Fox Piven, Whose Welfare, “Welfare and Work.” Research questions, journal entry.
Week Two: Social Action Writing and Service Learning
Tues. Feb. 1: Visitor to class, Seth Pollack, Director, Service Learning Institute: “Whose Story Is This?”
Discussion service learning, social action writing.
For Thurs: Read two more chapters in Whose Welfare: Eileen Boris, “When Work Is
Slavery,” and Dorothy Roberts, “Welfare’s Ban on Poor Motherhood. Also, in Stone on
Stone: Carolyn Forche, “The Colonel,” Jayne Cortez, “Rape.”
Thurs. Feb. 3: Discussion, Education As Emancipation: and 4 chps. in Whose Welfare. Presentation of answers to research questions. If time, discussion of Forche and Cortez. Writing exercise. Volunteer for workshop Tues. Bring copies for everyone. Everyone else bring 6 copies, one to hand in. For Tues: Writing due Tues. Read Mary Oliver, in Poetry Handbook, “Intro,” “Getting Ready,” “Sound,” “More Devices of Sound,” “Imagery.” Also, prepare for visitor to class: read “Welfare At A Glance,” “Monterey County Statistics, 1997,” “California Community College CalWorks Advisory, 1997,” and “Tammy’s Story.”
NOTE: Attend social action theatre and Biko film next week in World Theatre.
Week Three:
Tues. Feb. 8: Hand in response to Seth Pollack. Michelle Slade, of Service Learning Institute to class.
Discuss readings, County stats, narratives. Carol Lasquade, Monterey Peninsula College’s CARE and EOPS
Program to class.
For Thurs: Writing due for workshop. Read narratives welfare reform: “Welfare To Work: A Sequel,” “A Gathering Purpose,” “Who Should Still Be On Welfare and “As Benefits Expire, The Experts Worry.” Read two essays inWhose Welfare: Gwendolyn Mink, “Aren’t Poor Mothers Women? Feminists, Welfare Reform, and Welfare justice,” and Mimi Abramovitz, “Toward a Framework For Understanding Activism among Poor and Working-Class Women in 20th-Century America.”
Thurs. Feb. 10: Writing due for workshop. Discuss handout readings and two essays. Preparation site visits. Consents.
For Tues: Write in journals, reflection experience next week with community partner. What expect at site? Due in Tues. Call partner, set appt for wk of Feb. 15-18.
Week Four:
Tues. Feb. 15: Writing back. Reflection due. Visitor to class: Photographer Kira Carrillo Corser, discussion social action art. Photos: composition, aesthetics, tips. Use of cameras/audio equipment.
For Thurs: Practice, apply photographic skills. Preparation site visits.
Thurs, Feb. 17: No class. Visit to sites. Intros, initial discussions. journal entry immediately after leaving site. Also, list of 10 significant concrete details from experience. For Tues, 2/22: read : Lee Gutkind, in Creative Non-Fiction, “The 5 Rs of Creative NonFiction;” How To Live and To Write It; Jeanne Marie Laskas, “What’s Driving Tom Cruise?” “Remembering To Be Cinematic,” and “Elements of a Scene.”
Week Five:
Feb. 22 : Reflection and writing exercise. Discussion research writing: practical web sites, intro.
For Thurs. Feb. 24: Readings, research, preparation for 2″ site visit.
Feb. 24: No class. Second site visit. Interview. Journal entry immediately after leaving site. Two images? For Tues. 2/29: After journal entry, transcription of interview. Read Anne Lamott, in Bird by Bird, “Intro,” “Getting Started,” “Short Assignments,” “Shitty First Drafts,” and Janet Burroway, in Writing Fiction, Annie Dillard, “The Writing Life;” “Seeing Is Believing: Showing and Telling.”
Week Six:
Feb. 29: Journal entry and transcription due. Two images. Discussion of LaMotte and Burroway. Reflection
and writing exercise toward poem/story.
For Thurs. March 2: Readings, research, preparation site visit.
March 2: No class. Third site visit. Interview and photo. Journal entry after leaving site. For March 7: Journal entry and transcription of interview due. Make appt to meet with Kira Carrillo Corser next week. Bring photo.
Week Seven:
March 7: Transcription and journal entry due. Reflection and writing exercise toward poem/story.
For 3/12: Prepare for site visit. Work on poem/story. Due 3/17. Meet with Kira.
March 9: No class. Fourth site visit. Work with partner on her writing or child’s . Due to you next week. Journal entry after site.
For March 16: Poem/story due. Volunteer workshop, copies for everyone. Everyone else bring 4 copies, 3 for workshop, 1 to hand in.
Week Eight:
March 14: Poets Cynthia Hogue and Peg Cronin of the Poetry Center at Bucknell University to class.
Writing exercise.
For March 16: Prepare for site visits: follow-up questions, closure. Begin research aspect or web site.
March 16: Yes, class this week: First poem/story due for large and small workshops. Last site visit this week: Parent or child’s story due in to you. Follow-up questions and closure. Alert will call partner when story/poem ready.
Over Spring break: Due March 28: Second poem/story (your reflection) and parent/child’s story. Volunteer workshop, copies everyone. Everyone else bring four copies: 3 for small workshops, one to hand in.
Week Nine:
March 21 and 23: SPRING BREAK: NO CLASSES
Week Ten:
March 28: Poem/story back. Due: Second poem/story and parent/child story. Lg & sm. workshops: poem and parent/child’s story. Make appt to see professor.
For Thurs: Research. Work on practical web site intro for April 6. Copies.
March 30: No class. Research, write intros for Web site. Work on visuals. For Tues, April 4: Bring photos.
For Thurs. April 6: Workshop rewrites site poem/story, and intros. Make appt with professor to discuss re-writes.
Week Eleven:
April 4: Kira Carrillo Corser to class. Visual art due. 2nd poem/story back.
April 6: Plan event. Research or web site due. Also, rewrites site poem/story. Workshop both.
For April 11: Portfolios due.
Week Twelve:
April 11: Portfolios due in. Reflection exercise.
Call partner, alert reread poem/story.
April 13: Portfolios back. Planning, production end-of semester project.
For Tues, April 18: Work on portfolios, DUE. Contact partner for final read.
Week Thirteen:
April 18: All poems/stories/visuals due in digitized form for web page, CD-Rom. journals due in.
April 20: Reflection.
Week Fourteen:
April 25: journals back. CST students to class.
April 27: Reflection
Week Fifteen:
May 2: End-of-semester event.
May 4: Closure, written and oral reflections due. Class evaluation.
Creative Writing and Social Action Assessment Standards (A level of 3 is necessarit to fulfill the built-in assessment).
Fiction
5 . Exemplary The short story meets all of the criteria stated above. The work establishes a resonant dramatic situation and an engaging plot. Characters are fully developed. The point of view is cleverly chosen to relate the story. Setting is described to evoke a strong sense of place. The story employs an excellent use of sensory details and concrete language to develop plot and characters. It excludes unnecessary details and inconsistencies. It effectively uses a range of strategies such as dialogue, dramatic tension, rhythm, and figurative language. The story addresses, excellently, the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. It demonstrates, profoundly, an informed and ethical reflection of a significant social issue. The story has been presented very effectively to a diverse audience and profoundly engaged with the interests and needs of that audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage are rare.
4. Very Good The short story meets all of the criteria stated above. The work establishes a clear dramatic situation and an engaging plot. Characters are developed fairly completely. The point of view is cleverly chosen to relate the story, but may be inconsistent at times. Setting is generally described to evoke an adequate sense of place. The story employs some sensory details and some concrete language. Plot and characters need some development. Few unrelated details and inconsistencies exist. Dialogue, dramatic tension, rhythm, figurative language are adequately employed. The story addresses, fairly completely, the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. It adequately demonstrates an informed and ethical reflection of a significant social issue. The story has been presented story fairly well to a diverse audience and engaged adequately with the interests and needs of that audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage do not impede understanding.
3 . Satisfactory The short story meets most of the criteria above. A basic dramatic situation and plot exists in the work. Characters, setting, and point of view chosen to relate the story are discernible. Sensory details and concrete language are adequately used. Several unnecessary details and inconsistencies are present. Dialogue, dramatic tension, rhythm, and figurative language need further crafting. The story is moving, toward addressing the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. Some evidence exists of an informed and ethical reflection of the significant social issue. The story has been presented to a diverse audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage do not impede understanding.
2. Needs Improvement The short story meets some of the criteria stated above. The work may need a clear dramatic situation and an engaging plot. Characters need development. The point of view chosen to relate the story requires consistency. Setting requires more description. An awareness of sensory details and concrete language is necessary, and plot and characters need development. Dialogue, dramatic tension, rhythm, and figurative language may need work. The story may need to address the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. Work needs to demonstrate a more informed and ethical reflection of the significant social issue. The story may need to be presented to a diverse audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage impedes understanding.
1. Needs Considerable Improvement The short story meets a few of the criteria stated above. The dramatic Situation, characters, plot, setting and point of view need development. Dialogue, dramatic tension, rhythm, and figurative language need extensive work. The story needs to address the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges The work needs, to demonstrate a more informed and ethical reflection of the significant social issue. The story needs to be presented to a diverse audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage impedes understanding.
Poetry
5 . Exemplary. The poem meets all of the criteria stated above. The work establishes a resonant moment or illumination. The poem employs utmost precision and vividness in the use of language, producing density and intensity of expression. It achieves maximum impact with a minimal number of words. The poem uses specific, strong, representative details, and avoids abstractions and generalities. Excellent use of figurative language. The rhythm is compelling. There is evocative use of the senses, effective linebreaks, and an authentic voice. The poem addresses, excellently, the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. The poem demonstrates, profoundly, an informed and ethical reflection of a significant social issue. The poem has been presented to a diverse audience and profoundly engaged with the interests and needs of that audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage are rare.
4. Very Good. The poem meets all of the criteria stated above. The work establishes a clear moment or illumination. The poem employs some precision and vividness in the use of language, producing some density and intensity of expression. It achieves an adequate impact, despite its need, occasionally, for tightening the number of words. The poem uses representative details, and occasional abstractions and generalities. Some use of figurative language. The rhythm is apparent. The senses, voice, linebreaks are adequately employed. The poem addresses, fairly completely, the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. It demonstrates, fairly well, an informed and ethical reflection of a significant social issue. The poem has been presented to a diverse audience and engaged adequately with the interests and needs of that audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage do not impede understanding.
3 . Satisfactory The poem meets most of the criteria stated above. The work demonstrates a basic moment or illumination. Representative details, senses, rhythm chosen to relate the poem are discernible. Occasional use of figurative language. Adequate linebreaks. Voice is apparent. Density and intensity of expression need further development. Several unnecessary details are present or more detail required. Tends toward abstractions and generalities. The poem is moving toward the social, cultural, historical or political contexts Out of which the social action art emerges. Some evidence exists of an informed and ethical reflection of the significant social issue. The poem has been presented to a diverse audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage do not impede understanding.
2. Needs Improvement The poem meets some of the criteria stated above. The work may need a clearer moment or illumination. The representative details, senses, rhythm may require more work. The poem needs to demonstrate a greater use of figurative language. Linebreaks and voice may need work. Density and intensity of expression may need extensive development. Attention to detail may require more work. The work primarily tends toward abstractions and generalities. The poem may need to demonstrate the social, Cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. It may need to demonstrate a more informed and ethical reflection of the significant social issue. The poem may need to be presented to a diverse audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage impedes understanding.
1. Needs Considerable Improvement The poem meets a few of the criteria stated above The work needs a more clear moment or illumination. Representative details, senses, rhythm, figurative language, linebreaks, and voice may not be discernible. Attention to detail requires work. The work primarily tends toward abstractions and generalities. The poem needs to demonstrate the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. The work needs to demonstrate a more informed and ethical reflection of the significant social issue. The poem needs to be presented to a diverse audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage impedes understanding.
Creative Non-Fiction (Narrative, Life-Story, Personal Essay):
5. Exemplary The creative non-fiction writing meets all of the criteria stated above. The work establishes a resonant dramatic situation and an engaging narrative, around a lived experience. Characters are fully developed. Extensive research has been done and facts are accurate. The voice is authentic. The point of view is cleverly chosen to relate the narrative. Setting is described to evoke a strong sense of place. The story employs an excellent use of sensory details and concrete language to develop narrative and characters. It excludes unnecessary details and inconsistencies. It effectively uses a range of strategies such as dialogue, dramatic tension, rhythm, and figurative language. The writing addresses, excellently, the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. It demonstrates, profoundly, an informed and ethical reflection of a significant social issue. The work has been presented to a diverse audience and engaged with the interests and needs of that audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage are rare.
4.Very Good The creative non-fiction writing meets all of the criteria stated above. The work establishes a clear dramatic situation and an interesting narrative. Characters are developed fairly completely. Substantial research has been done and facts are accurate. The voice is fairly authentic. The point of view is cleverly chosen to relate the narrative, but may be inconsistent at times. Setting is generally described to evoke an adequate sense of place. The writing employs some sensory details and some concrete language. Few unrelated details and inconsistencies. Dialogue, dramatic tension, rhythm, figurative language are adequately employed. The writing addresses, fairly completely, the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. It demonstrates, fairly well, an informed and ethical reflection of a significant social issue. The work has been presented to a diverse audience and engaged with the interests and needs of that audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage do not impede understanding.
3 . Satisfactory The creative non-fiction writing meets most of the criteria stated above. A basic dramatic situation and narrative exist in the work. Characters, setting, voice, and point of view are discernible. Research has been done but facts are occasionally inconsistent. Occasional sensory details and concrete language exist. Many unnecessary details and inconsistencies. Dialogue, dramatic tension, rhythm, and figurative language need further crafting. The writing is moving toward addressing the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. Some evidence exists of an informed and ethical reflection of the significant social issue. The writing has been presented to a diverse audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage do not impede understanding.
2. Needs Improvement. The creative non-fiction writing meets some of the criteria stated above. The work may need a clear dramatic situation and more adequate narrative. Characters may need more development. The work may need more research and many facts may need to be reconsidered. The voice may need more authenticity. The point of view chosen to relate the story requires consistency. Setting requires more development. An awareness of sensory details and concrete language may be necessary. Dialogue, dramatic tension, rhythm, and figurative language may need work. The writing may need to address the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. The work needs to demonstrate a more informed and ethical reflection of the significant social issue. The creative non-fiction writing may need to be presented to a diverse audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage impede understanding.
1. Needs Considerable Improvement The creative non-fiction writing meets few of the criteria stated above The characters, narrative, setting, voice, point of view needs development. The work needs more research and the facts need to be reconsidered. An awareness of sensory details and concrete language is necessary. Dialogue, dramatic tension, rhythm, sensory details, concrete and figurative language needs work. The writing needs to address the social, cultural, historical or political contexts out of which the social action art emerges. The work needs to demonstrate a more informed and ethical reflection of the significant social issue. The creative non-fiction writing is to be presented to a diverse audience. Errors in spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage impede understanding