Final Project
Final Project: My Testimony: A Finished Memoir Piece
Write a finished testimony or memoir piece of 2,500 to 4,000 words (or the handwritten equivalent, roughly 10 to 16 pages on standard lined paper) that tells one focused part of your story with honesty, craft, and care, followed by a short reflection. Handwritten work is fully acceptable. You decide what to share; you will never be graded on how much of your past you disclose.
Requirements
- A title and a stated focus question (on a cover page or at the top)
- A clear story shape: before, turning point, and after
- At least three developed scenes using sensory detail, action, and dialogue
- Showing in key moments, with telling used for connection and reflection
- Your own authentic voice, with clichés and preachiness revised out
- An ethics check: names and identifying details changed, a privacy note included, and nothing identifying victims, co-defendants, other residents, staff, or any pending case
- An honest ending that shows grace without glamorizing the past or forcing a tidy resolution
- A one-page reflection: what writing this piece taught you, how you paced yourself, and one next step as a writer
Timeline
- Module 2: story map and focus question
- Modules 3–5: draft and revise scenes
- Module 6: ethics check
- Module 7: complete first draft
- Module 8: final polish, submission, and optional read-aloud
Grading Rubrics
Grading Rubrics
Every rubric uses the same four levels. Your instructor will mark the level that best matches your work for each row and add a short comment.
Module Assignment Rubric
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completeness | Every required part is done | Most required parts are done | About half the parts are done | Little of the assignment is done |
| Accuracy & Skill | Skills applied correctly with no significant errors | Minor errors that do not affect the result | Several errors that affect the result | Major errors throughout |
| Professional Quality | Neat, clear, and ready for an employer to see | Clear with small issues | Hard to follow in places | Unclear or disorganized |
| Effort & Growth | Went beyond the minimum or clearly improved | Solid, consistent effort | Minimal effort | Little evidence of effort |
Total possible: 16 points.
Reflection Journal Rubric
Journals are graded on effort and reflection, never on spelling, grammar, or the details of a personal story.
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completion | Responds fully to every part of the prompt | Responds to most of the prompt | Responds to part of the prompt | Entry missing or one line |
| Connection to Lesson | Clearly applies the week's skill or idea | Mentions the lesson | Vague link to the lesson | No link to the lesson |
| Faith Reflection | Thoughtfully engages the Scripture or faith theme | Engages the faith theme | Brief mention of faith theme | Does not address the faith theme |
| Personal Application | Names a specific next step or change | Names a general next step | Next step is unclear | No next step |
Total possible: 16 points.
Participation Rubric
Scored at the end of each module. Average the eight scores for the Attendance & Participation grade.
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attendance & Punctuality | Present and on time for the full session | Present; late or left early once | Missed part of the session more than once | Absent without make-up work |
| Preparation | Completed assignment and brought workbook every time | Usually prepared | Sometimes prepared | Rarely prepared |
| Engagement | Contributes thoughtfully and draws others in | Contributes regularly | Contributes when asked | Seldom contributes, even when invited |
| Respect & Covenant | Models the classroom covenant for others | Follows the covenant consistently | Needs occasional reminders | Needs frequent reminders |
Total possible: 16 points.
Final Project Rubric: My Testimony
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completeness & Length | All required parts; 2,500–4,000 words or equivalent | Nearly all parts; close to length | Several parts missing or well under length | Incomplete draft |
| Story Shape | Clear before, turning point, and after with a strong focus | Clear shape with minor gaps | Shape unclear in places | No discernible shape |
| Scene & Craft | Vivid scenes; senses, showing, and voice used well | Good scenes with some telling | Mostly summary | Little scene work |
| Ethics & Safety | Names and details changed; nothing identifying victims, co-defendants, residents, staff, or a pending case | Minor fixes needed | Several privacy issues | Serious privacy or safety issues |
| Grace, Ending & Reflection | Honest ending without glamorizing; thoughtful reflection | Good ending and reflection | Tidy or vague ending; brief reflection | Missing ending or reflection |
Total possible: 20 points.
Quick Guide
Testimony & Memoir Quick Guide
Keep this guide with your important papers after release.
The Shape of a Testimony
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Before | What life was like and what you believed |
| Turning Point | The moment or season when something changed (sudden or slow) |
| After | What is different now, and what is still growing |
| Focus Question | One open question that keeps your story on one thread |
Building a Scene
- ☐ Where and when: name the place and time
- ☐ Who: who is present?
- ☐ Senses: at least three details you remember
- ☐ Action: what happens, in order
- ☐ Words: one or two lines of what was said
- ☐ Then and now: what you felt then, and what you understand now
Showing vs. Telling
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Telling | I was nervous. |
| Showing | I read the same line of the letter four times and still could not tell you what it said. |
| General | flowers, food, a car |
| Specific | plastic daisies in a coffee can, grits with too much pepper, a blue station wagon with one gray door |
My Three Circles
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Private | Only for you and God. Raw and unedited. |
| Trusted | Might share with a counselor, chaplain, mentor, or trusted classmate. |
| Public | At peace with strangers, family, employers, or a parole board reading it. |
Safe-Writing Practices
- ☐ Write from scars, not open wounds
- ☐ Set the pace; write in small pieces or not at all
- ☐ Set the pen down and put both feet flat on the floor
- ☐ Breathe in for four, out for six, several times
- ☐ Name five things you see and three things you hear
- ☐ Pray: Lord, I am here, and You are here.
- ☐ Write one thing you are grateful for, then close the notebook
- ☐ Talk with the chaplain, a counselor, or mental health staff when writing feels heavy
Writing About Others Ethically
- ☐ Ask: Is it needed? Is it true? Is it fair? Would it cause harm?
- ☐ Change names and identifying details; add a privacy note
- ☐ No names or identifying details of other residents or staff
- ☐ Nothing about victims or co-defendants; never contact them; obey no-contact orders
- ☐ Talk with your attorney before writing about any pending case or appeal
- ☐ Check with an attorney, legal aid, or case manager before publishing or selling
Three Ways to End
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Image | Close on a picture that holds the meaning |
| Reflection | A few sentences on what you understand now |
| Forward | An honest look ahead, including what is still unfinished |
Final Polish Checklist
- ☐ Focus question answered
- ☐ Before, turning point, and after are clear
- ☐ At least three scenes with senses
- ☐ Showing in key moments
- ☐ Voice sounds like you; clichés replaced
- ☐ Names and details changed; ethics check complete
- ☐ Honest ending and a title chosen
- ☐ Two copies kept safe
My Progress
My focus question: ______________________________
My working title: ______________________________
Word or page count at finish: ______ My daily writing goal: ______ minutes
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.— Philippians 1:6 (KJV)
Final Exam
- 1.
Revelation 12:11 says the saints overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by:
- 2.
Psalm 107:2 says:
- 3.
A memoir differs from an autobiography because it:
- 4.
The simple testimony shape is:
- 5.
A focus question helps a writer:
- 6.
Which is a scene rather than a summary?
- 7.
If you are unsure of a detail, you should:
- 8.
Which sentence shows rather than tells?
- 9.
In Exodus 4, God answered Moses' fear by promising:
- 10.
Which is a calm grounding practice?
- 11.
Writing from scars, not open wounds means:
- 12.
Before writing about a pending case, a writer should:
- 13.
Which protects privacy in memoir?
- 14.
Glamorizing the past means:
- 15.
A writer should contact a victim or co-defendant to ask permission to write about them.
- 16.
Rules about profiting from stories connected to crimes vary, so writers should check before publishing.
- 17.
A memoir must end with every problem solved.
- 18.
Reading aloud at the final celebration is optional.
- 19.
Describe two ways a writer can keep herself safe while writing about hard things.
- 20.
Explain how Matthew 7:12 applies to writing about other people.