This course introduces students to a range of genres of life writing, including autobiography, memoir, autobiographical fiction, graphic memoir, testimony and biography. The course will begin with the 18th century origins of life writing, but the focus will be on 20th and 21st century literature. Students will become familiar with critical concepts, terms and approaches used to analyse life narratives, and with debates relating to authenticity, identity, truth, memory and self-representation. Special attention will be paid gender and sexuality, place and memory, Indigenous life writing, and the representation of traumatic personal and historical events in life narrative. The class will engage with critical readings on life narrative, including biography, diaries and journals. Confessional and testimonial paradigms, and the socio-cultural contexts in which authors deploy particular rhetorical modes of address will also be considered.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. identify features and characteristics of different genres of life-writing, including graphic memoir;
2. explain and apply critical concepts used in analyzing autobiography, memoir, testimonial and autobiographical fiction;
3. identify confessional and testimonial paradigms and explain their relevance to life writing;
4. learn how to conduct detailed analysis of life narratives in written and oral presentations;
5. explain current debates relating to authenticity, truth, and self-representation in life writing; and
6. learn skills of critical thinking and oral presentation.

Research-Led Teaching

This is a research led course. I do research and publish in the field of life writing, and have published or am currently writing on some of the texts in this course.

Additional Course Costs

The only class cost will be the books required for the course, should you choose to purchase them. All books will be available through the library, some as ebooks, but others on 2 day short loan. Many of the books will be available through the local public library or second hand.

Required Resources

Ari Folman, Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation 

Syliva Plath, The Bell Jar

Amy Thunig, Tell Me Again

Stephanie Land, Maid

Thi Bui, The Best We Could Do (ebook at ANU library, but graphics are best viewed in the print version)

Lizzy Stewart, Alison

Diana Reid, Love and Virtue

Hannah Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction: self, identity, narrative	concepts: autobiographical memory, cultural scripts, identity, family secrets, storytelling, ethics of storytelling
2	Foundations: Rousseau, Confessions and Woolf, A Writer's Diary (selections will be provided)	Concepts: autobiography, autobiographical contract, diary, autonomous self; relational self; gender; subjectivity, Enlightenment, modernity, cultural form, narrative
3	Ari Folman, Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation	Concepts: cultural memory, mediation, transmission, visual metaphor, graphic narrative, frames, gutters
4	Syliva Plath, The Bell Jar	Concepts: voice, gender scripts, genre, irony, mother-daughter plot, autobiographical novel,
5	Syliva Plath, selections from letters, journals & poetry and from Ted Hughes, Birthday Letters	Concepts: voice, form and life writing in letters, poetry, journals; afterlives of Sylvia Plath in popular culture
6	Amy Thunig, Tell Me Again	Concepts: Indigenous life narrative, identity, intergenerational trauma, mother-daughter knot/plot, family scripts, ethics of storytelling, voiceEssay (assessment 1) due during mid-term break.
7	Stephanie Land, Maid	Concepts: testimony, confession, precarity, single motherhood, stigma, feminism for 99%, memoir activism
8	Thi Bui, The Best We Could Do	Concepts: graphic memoir, history and memory, cultural scripts, mother-daughter knot; expressionism; memory, intergenerational trauma, ethics of storytelling
9	Lizzy Stewart, Alison	concepts: graphic narrative, identity, jurisdictions, sexual consent, grey zones, #MeToo, testimonial justice
10	Diana Reid, Love and Virtue	concepts: sexual consent, grey zones, #MeToo, ethics: whose story to tell?
11	Hannah Gadsby, Ten Steps to Nanette (selections)	concepts: gender non-conformity, critique of comedy, confession, testimony, truth-telling, cultural scripts, mother-daughter knot; reparative aesthetics
12	Gadsby continued, Course Wrap-Up

Tutorial Registration

The course will be taught by lectorial - ie, combined lecture/discussion. There will be no separate tutorial.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Learning Outcomes
Mid-term essay 1600 words (35%). Due April 7, 11pm.	35 %	1, 2, 4, 5 & 6 
Final Essay, 2000 words (45%). Due May 30, 11pm.	45 %	1, 2, 3, 2, 5 & 6 
In-Class Presentation (10%) Once in semester, 5-6 mins. Sign up in week 1.	10 %	4, 5 & 6 
Tutorial participation - active contribution (10%)	10 %	5&6 

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Examination(s)

No examinations.

Assessment Task 1

Mid-term essay 1600 words (35%). Due April 7, 11pm.

You must respond to one of the set questions. There will be creative options as well as academic essays.

Assessment Task 2

Final Essay, 2000 words (45%). Due May 30, 11pm.

You must respond to one of the questions, or design your own question with the lecturer's approval. There will be creative options as well as standard academic essays.

Assessment Task 3

In-Class Presentation (10%) Once in semester, 5-6 mins. Sign up in week 1.

You will be asked to:

1 – Introduce a critical concept or

2 - present a secondary reading

3 – or do something creative – ie, link text to something in (social) media, to a podcast, a song, a poem, a critical review, make up a crossword about text, etc 

linking this to the text being studied. You will be expected tSio use powerpoint or similar to share presentation with the class.

Assessment Task 4

Tutorial participation - active contribution (10%)

There will be 12 lectorials in the semester. You are expected to attend all lectorials throughout the semester, and will be assessed on attendance and active participation.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

No submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date will be permitted. If an assessment task is not submitted by the due date, a mark of 0 will be awarded. OR Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students