LITT27733GD
Life Writing: Personal Narrative and the Construction of Self |
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First Nations peoples have lived on this part of Turtle Island for millennia, stewarding the land, the water and all that contributes to life in this region. Today, the culture and presence of First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples enrich the lands and people of this territory.
Over two centuries ago, the Mississauga people welcomed settlers to this territory, providing sustenance and engaging in trade and commerce. Between 1781 to 1820, eight treaties were signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation who opened their territory to settlement. Today, Sheridan campuses are located on Treaty 14, also known as the Head of the Lake Purchase of 1806 and Treaty 22 and 23 of 1820.
Treaty history is foundational, and it is our collective responsibility to honour the land, as we honour and respect those who have gone before us, those who are here and those who have yet to come. We are grateful for the opportunity to be learning, working and thriving on this land, and we commit to learn the truth and be active in the process of reconciliation.
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Section I: Administrative Information
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Total hours: 42.0
Credit Value: 3.0
Credit Value Notes: N/A
Effective: Winter 2026
Prerequisites: (ENGL17889 OR ENGL17889GD)
Corequisites: N/A
Equivalents: N/A
Pre/Co/Equiv Notes: N/A |
Program(s):
Degree Breadth
Program Coordinator(s):
Alexander Hollenberg
Course Leader or Contact: Jessica Carey
Version: 20260105_01
Status: Approved (APPR)
Section I Notes:
This is a web-based course taught fully online. To take this course, students will need reliable access to the Internet. They should have a basic level of comfort using computers as well as self-discipline to work online.
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Section II: Course Details
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Detailed Description
This course is offered in 2 formats:
· 14-week format for students enrolled in synchronous programs, which could include in-person, hybrid of in-person and online, or fully online
· 7-week compressed format for Sheridan Online asynchronous programs
To see an Evaluation Plan for Sheridan Online students, please refer to your unique Topical Outline under Section III: Topical Outline of this document.
With the proliferation of contemporary memoirs and digital Life Writing platforms, people are expressing personal narratives in new ways. In this fully online course, students examine various forms of traditional and contemporary Life Writing. Students consider essential elements of personal narrative to investigate how these elements shape, and are shaped by, the social and cultural context of the times. Through e-learning activities such as online lectures, writing assignments, quizzes, and synchronous chats, students read, analyze, and compare different forms of Life Writing. Students demonstrate their learning by researching and writing responses to materials in multiple ways: creating and analyzing a personal memoir; writing quizzes; and utilizing new technologies to conduct research.
Program Context
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| Degree Breadth |
Program Coordinator(s):
Alexander Hollenberg |
This is a Baccalaureate elective for students in the Applied Degree programs. Electives make students aware of the distinctive assumptions and modes of analysis of at least one discipline outside their main field of study and of the society and culture in which they live and work.
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Course Critical Performance and Learning Outcomes
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Critical Performance: |
| By the end of this course, students will have demonstrated the ability to evaluate the concept of personal narrative and the
construction of self in relation to forms of Life Writing, both traditional and contemporary.
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Learning Outcomes:
To achieve the critical performance, students will have demonstrated the ability to:
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- Cultivate a critical vocabulary of the concepts and terms relevant to life writing as a literary genre.
- Compare selected theoretical approaches to analyzing cultural and social contexts in life writing and its representations of identity.
- Critique the construction of self in life writing in relation to expectations of cultural authenticity.
- Evaluate the construction of truth in life writing using selected critical theories.
- Analyze what constitutes life writing in contemporary media environments and genres.
- Create a personal narrative and analysis that reflects on the issues, concepts and controversies surrounding Life Writing.
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Evaluation Plan
Students demonstrate their learning in the following ways:
| | Evaluation Plan: ONLINE
| | Quizzes (2x10%) | 20.0% | | | Group Discussion | 20.0% | | | Personal Reading Responses (1 x 10%) (1 x 20%) | 30.0% | | | Personal Memoir & Analysis | 30.0% | | Total | 100.0% |
Evaluation Notes and Academic Missed Work Procedure: TEST AND ASSIGNMENT PROTOCOL
To encourage behaviours that will help students to be successful in the workplace and to ensure that students receive credit for their individual work, the following rules apply to every course offered within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
1. Students are responsible for staying abreast of test dates and times, as well as due dates and any special instructions for submitting assignments and projects as supplied to the class by the professor.
2. Students must write all tests at the specified times. Missed tests, in-class activities, assignments and presentations are awarded a mark of zero. If an extension or make-up opportunity is approved by the professor as outlined below, the mark of zero may be revised by subsequent performance. The penalty for late submission of written assignments is a loss of 10% per day for up to five business days (excluding weekends and statutory holidays), after which, a grade of zero is assigned. Business days include any day that the college is open for business, whether the student has scheduled classes that day or not.
3. Students, who miss a test or in-class activity or assignment or fail to submit an assignment on time due to exceptional circumstances, are required to notify their professor in advance of the class whenever possible. A make-up test may be supplied for students who provide an acceptable explanation of their absence and/or acceptable documentation explaining their absence (e.g., a medical certificate). All make-up tests are to be written at a time and place specified by the professor upon the student's return. Alternately, students may be given an opportunity to earn the associated marks by having a subsequent test count for the additional marks. Exceptional circumstances may result in a modification of due dates for assignments.
4. Unless otherwise specified, assignments and projects must be submitted at the beginning of class.
5. Students must complete every assignment as an individual effort unless, the professor specifies otherwise.
6. Inappropriate use of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technology (as defined in the Academic Integrity Policy) is not permitted in any course in FHASS. Faculty may provide explicit guidelines on the use of Generative AI, digital technology, and machine writing tools in all courses within FHASS. Where no course-specific guidelines are provided, any use of Generative AI is strictly prohibited. Students are responsible for understanding expectations for every evaluation.
7. Since there may be instances of grade appeal or questions regarding the timely completion of assignments and/or extent of individual effort, etc., students are strongly advised to keep, and make available to their professor, if requested, a copy of all assignments and working notes until the course grade has been finalized.
8. There will be no resubmission of work unless this has been previously agreed to or suggested by the professor.
9. Students must submit all assignments in courses with practical lab and field components in order to pass the course.
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Provincial Context
The course meets the following Ministry of Colleges and Universities requirements:
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Degree Breadth
This Degree Breadth course relates to the following field of study as specified by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
PLAR Contact (if course is PLAR-eligible) - Office of the Registrar
Students may apply to receive credit by demonstrating achievement of the course learning outcomes through previous relevant work/life experience, service, self-study and training on the job. This course is eligible for challenge through the following method(s):
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Section III: Topical Outline
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Some details of this outline may change as a result of circumstances such as weather cancellations, College and student activities, and class timetabling.
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It is recommended that students read the following policies in relation to course outlines:
All Sheridan policies can be viewed on the Sheridan policy website.
In alignment with Sheridan's Academic Integrity Policy, students should consult with their professors and/or refer to evaluation instructions regarding the appropriate use, or prohibition, of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for coursework. Turnitin AI detection software may be used by faculty members to screen assignment submissions or exams for unauthorized use of artificial intelligence. Students are encouraged to engage with generative AI in teaching and learning contexts thoughtfully. Please review the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence at Sheridan College.
The information contained in this Course Outline including but not limited to faculty and program information and course description is subject to change without notice. . Nothing in this Course Outline should be viewed as a representation, offer and/or warranty. Students are responsible for reading the Important Notice and Disclaimer which applies to Programs and Courses.
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