FINAL PAPER: Sexual Autobiography Guidelines<
OBJECTIVE<
For your final paper, you will write a Sexual Autobiography. The autobiography is an analysis of the development of your “sexual self.” It should attempt to answer the question, “How did I become the sexual person I am today?” by considering your own development as it relates to the issues discussed in class, and by reflecting on what has influenced your beliefs, attitudes, values and behavior in the area of sexuality and intimate relationships (i.e. parents, religion, culture, media, peers, experiences). It is not the case that one needs to have had intercourse or be sexually active in order to write this paper. It is also not necessary to disclose any personal information beyond what is comfortable for you in order to write a thoughtful paper. You may disclose as little or as much as you are comfortable with.<
Please be sure that your confidentiality will be respected, and your professor will be the only person reading the paper. However, if you are more comfortable, feel free to use a fake name, your initials, or a student I.D. number on the actual paper itself. Just be sure to let the professor know verbally or by email that the paper belongs to you. The final paper is due in Week 13. You may upload on Canvas, or email it to the professor directly if you are more comfortable: hdh@berkeleycollege.edu<
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INSTRUCTIONS<
The final paper should be 6-8 pages in total. You are expected to include two complete reference citations in your Final Paper (The textbook is acceptable as a reference, but you must include the chapter title you are referring to in your reference. Web citations must include the date you saw it. At least 1 reference must be other than a web citation or a textbook citation). These may include books, journals, articles on psychological development, biographies and autobiographies which are meaningful to your own sexuality, poems, plays or films of significance in your evolution as a sexual being. Your Final Paper MUST INCLUDE a WORKS CITED page (which does NOT count as one of the 6-8 pages).<
* The reason you must include citations in your Final Paper is so that it is clear you have made broad connections and thought about outside sources or sources used in the course to inform your personal reflections on your life.<
NOTE: This should be obvious at this point in the term, but PLEASE DON’T PLAGIARIZE. Believe it or not, I’ve actually had students try to plagiarize this paper despite how personal it is. One semester, I actually had two unrelated students with the exact same paragraphs in their papers because they both plagiarized the same source. In order to protect your privacy, I do NOT have students submit this through TurnItIn. And I’m allowing you to email it to me if you don’t want to upload on Canvas due to privacy concerns. However, if I suspect that your paper is plagiarized, I will run it through TurnItIn to look for any copied material. I really don’t want to have to do this. So please be honest and maintain academic integrity in this final assignment! <
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POSSIBLE TOPICS <
Although you are free to employ whatever topics or issues you like, here are some suggestions of areas you may wish to address. Be sure to choose a few subjects from each of these areas, but you do NOT have to respond to every question in each area.<
1. Infancy and Childhood<
2. Describe your family situation at birth, during childhood and at other times in your life. Were you planned or an “accident”? Was a girl or boy preferred? Was there extended family involved? In what kind of family were your raised (structure, religion, etc.), and what was its impact on your sexuality?<
3. Describe childhood memories of how you learned about gender identity (examples of learning about being a boy or girl), the expression of affection and the values or attitudes about sexual matters. What toys did you play with and what games did you learn? Consider your childhood experiences in terms of stages or tasks of psychosexual development.<
4. What were your experiences in your neighborhood and while you attended school? Describe your relationships to the same and other genders. What were your frustrations and successes with school and community?<
5. Recall your early learning about masturbation and the birds and the bees. How did you learn about sexual matters? Romance? Where babies came from? What did your parents teach you? What did you learn from your friends and at school? What words did you learn to use to describe your genitals? What did you learn by watching and listening to your brothers and sisters?<
6. Remember your reactions to your body as you were going through childhood and approaching adolescence. Describe what this felt like.<
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1. Puberty and Adolescence<
2. Recall your early experiences with puberty and your body, as well as any identity changes that occurred at this phase. How was your self-esteem at this time in your life?<
3. What do you remember learning about sexual matters such as kissing, intimacy autoeroticism (masturbation, fantasies, etc.) and orgasm as a teenager? Who or what were your information resources?<
4. What role did reading sexually explicit magazines or books have in your learning? Viewing explicit movies or videos?<
5. Discuss your early experiences with dating and the decisions you made about being sexual with another person, or not.<
6. What was your experience of your first menstruation?<
7. What was your experience of your first ejaculation?<
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1. Young Adult to Present<
2. Describe your important romantic relationships, past and present.<
3. Describe your first sexual experience or sexual intercourse. Was it pleasurable, disappointing? What you expected?<
4. What impact have sexually transmitted infections had on your life? What is your personal understanding and practice about being screened for STIs and HIV?<
5. What does safe sex mean to you? Would/do you practice it? Why? Why not? Under which conditions?<
6. How would you describe your sexual identity, sexual self-esteem and perception about your body now?<
7. What ideas do you have about your plans and needs in your future intimate relationships? How do you feel about romantic love? What kinds of partners do you feel you’re attracted to and why?<
8. Describe experiences where you may have exchanged sex for gifts/food/money.<
9. Which of your ideas on sexuality have changed? How do you see yourself differently now than the way you were a few years ago?<
10. What are your goals in relationships, love or marriage? How important are these things for you? Are you more or less ‘traditional’ in your expectations?<
11. Summarize your reflections from writing this autobiography of your development as a unique sexual person. Has this course made any difference in your own view of your sexuality? If so, how?<
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GRADING RUBRIC<
Final Paper is due in Week 13.<
LATE PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.<
Your autobiography, as a Final Paper, should reflect a semester’s worth of thinking, research and writing.<
Your work will be graded on the following criteria:<
1. The amount of time and effort you’ve spent: 50%<
2. Your organization and clarity of expression: 25%<
3. The creativity and originality used in communicating your story: 10%<
4. The integration of issues discussed in class and background research (so as to build a foundation for your writing and provide it with context; you must cite a minimum of two outside sources via in-text citations throughout the text): 5%<
5. Works Cited page: 5%<
6. Meeting required 6-8 page length: 5% (does NOT include Works Cited page)<
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PreviousNext<
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Please base the paper off of this information<
Please keep it original and do no plagiarize<
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Things to write this paper off of but you can go into whatever details you would like in order to make it more interesting to the reader you can include explicit details of rape. <
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Lost virginity at the age of 15 forcefully by an ex- boyfriend that was 3 years older. During the whole relationship sex was forced. I was so scared to tell anyone and till this day not to many people know. I was embarrassed, ashamed, scared and disgusted because my mom was against the relationship from the moment she found out I was involved with him.<
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1- Got pregnant and had a miscarriage at 2 months. I was so relieved and thanked God because I did not want to be associated with this person my whole life.<
2- Was sexually, verbally and physically abused by this person regularly<
3- He would apologize and try to make things ok by buying me things all the time.<
4- He was a drug dealer and a criminal<
5- I was not allowed to Have any friends especially male ones.<
6- He threatened me that he would kill me if I told anyone. I was able to get free of him at age 17.5 because he was incarcerated for murder and robbery. He was sentenced to 25-30 years in prison. <
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As a young adult I didn’t want to be in an monogamous relationship and was more promiscuous. I dated many men and had many sexual partners throughout my life. As an older woman I settled down and got married. Husbands knows about my past and has helped me through it.<
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