Chapter Five
Narrating: Memories
Chapter Outline and Lecture Notes
I. Learning Outcomes
In this chapter you will learn techniques for the following:
Identify real-world applications for writing a narrative.
Understand the qualities of an effective narrative.
Interpret images and narrative readings about memories.
Analyze the rhetorical star for narrating.
Apply the qualities of narrative writing.
II. Real-World Applications for Narrating (pages 87-89)
Learning Outcome 5-1: Identify real-world applications for writing a narrative.
a. You may be required to write narratives in college to retell important
historical events, share cultural experiences, or write narrative journals
based on your field of study.
b. You may write narratives in your daily life through personal journals, baby
books, Facebook pages, or other data sharing forums.
c. You may write narratives in your career to share previous experiences, to
document problems, or to apply for a promotion.
III. Qualities of an Effective Narrative (pages 89-95)
Learning Outcome 5-2: Understand the qualities of an effective narrative.
a. Establish a clear purpose.
i. Use an attention getter in your introductory paragraph to grab the
reader’s attention.
ii. State or imply your thesis early in the paper.
iii. Develop a title that entices the reader.
b. Identify the time and place.
i. Provide time and place early in the narrative.
ii. Mention the time of year if relevant to the story.
iii. Provide physical descriptions of the setting to help your audience
create a visual image in their minds.
c. Keep a consistent point of view.
i. Utilize first person point of view if the story is about you.
ii. Avoid overusing the word “I”.
iii. Vary sentence structure.
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