Detailed Instructions: Read the given story and classify it as 'imagined', 'recalled', or 'retold'. If a story is imagined, the person who wrote the story is making it up, pretending they experienced it. If a story is recalled, the person who wrote the story really experienced it and is recalling it from memory. If a story is retold, it is a real memory like the 'recalled' stories, but written down much later after previously writing a 'recalled' story about the same events. So, recalled stories and retold stories will be fairly similar, in that they both were real experiences for the writer. Imagined stories have a more linear flow and contain more commonsense knowledge, whereas recalled stories are less connected and contain more specific concrete events. Additionally, higher levels of self reference are found in imagined stories. Between recalled and retold stories, retold stories flow significantly more linearly than recalled stories, and retold stories are significantly higher in scores for cognitive processes and positive tone.
See one example below:
Problem: Concerts are my most favorite thing, and my boyfriend knew it. That's why, for our anniversary, he got me tickets to see my favorite artist. Not only that, but the tickets were for an outdoor show, which I love much more than being in a crowded stadium. Since he knew I was such a big fan of music, he got tickets for himself, and even a couple of my friends. He is so incredibly nice and considerate to me and what I like to do. I will always remember this event and I will always cherish him. On the day of the concert, I got ready, and he picked me up and we went out to a restaurant beforehand. He is so incredibly romantic. He knew exactly where to take me without asking. We ate, laughed, and had a wonderful dinner date before the big event. We arrived at the concert and the music was so incredibly beautiful. I loved every minute of it. My friends, boyfriend, and I all sat down next to each other. As the music was slowly dying down, I found us all getting lost just staring at the stars. It was such an incredibly unforgettable and beautiful night.
Solution: imagined
Explanation: This is a good example because it really was an imagined story. The attributes that should tip you off are that the story is light on concrete events (they describe things in broad terms such as going to a restaurant and being at the stadium, but nothing specific about who was exactly where and anything specifically notable someone said or did) and heavy on references to the writer themselves and their internal feelings (they frequently repeat how much they loved it, how romantic they felt, how they cherished the night, etc). It's also very linear and structured, pointing to this being an imagined story. Additionally, the events and feelings described seem a little romanticized or idealized beyond what is usually a realistic circumstance.

Problem: A diagnosis of a heath condition can be so devastating not only for the person receiving it but also for other family members and friends. In this particular case, my sister in law had two daughters and a husband who were also affected by the diagnosis. The girls had a very close relationship with their mother. One daughter was planning a wedding at the time and her mother was very involved in helping with the planning. This was a very difficult time for all involved. The illness put a damper on the wedding planning and placed a dark very cloud over the joyous occasion. My niece had a difficult time keeping things in perspective during this time and even thought of postponing the event. My sister-in-law was determined, however, to keep the focus on the wedding planning and go forward with my niece's wedding. In the end it was probably the best therapy for all to go forward with the plans. Her other daughter suffered from ADHD and had been under the care of her mother all of her life. Although she was almost an adult now, the news of her mother's illness was very devastating to her. She relied on her mother heavily in her day to day life. The thought of losing her mother was overwhelming. My sister-in-law's husband was also quite dependent upon her as he also had a seizure disorder. He could not drive and needed her assistance throughout the day to manage. As the illness unfolded and eventually ended in my sister-in-law's tragic death, her family continues to struggle to live their lives without her.
Solution:
retold