Autoethnography is a form of narrative writing that views the author’s own experience as a topic of investigation in its own right. (For more on Autoethnography, see Autoethnography: An Overview (Links to an external site.).) Key to this experience and hence the paper is clarifying how culture (e.g., the sexual division of labor, gendered use of communication styles & tools, gendered attributes of leadership, equation between productivity and hours worked, etc.) shapes norms & events. This paper will explore

1. your current and/or past working life – compensated and/or non-compensated – and/or
2. work/family balance, an issue that affects men and women,

using data you collect (e.g., quotes, pay rates, social security income, numbers of employees, length of employment, etc.) and will include a thesis, select references and a bibliography. That is, while the paper will focus on you, it is important to frame or contextualize your experience using class materials including readings, videos, audio and/or lectures. You will produce and provide a draft for review along the way. Papers must be double-spaced throughout and 4 pages in length, each numbered with standard one-inch margins and 12-pitch font. Late papers may downgraded. Note: data does NOT include academic references, but is from your experience.

Students in the past have written about their workplace

• wherein males (M) and females (F) rotate through all positions though some activities might be considered gender-specific;
• experiencing sexual harassment from an owner, supervisor/manager or fellow employee;
• structures wherein a F majority have less power, prestige and/or compensation; or
• and their personal experience of having a child and returning or not returning to work affected them financially and emotionally.

Alternatively, students have written about their parent’s experience (M or F) of leaving the workforce to raise children and how it financially (e.g., “mommy tax”) and emotionally affected the family.

Before submitting your paper, make sure you have answered all of the following questions as these comprise the points on which your work will be graded:

Examples of autoethnographic writing:

• See doc sharing and Autoethnography for past student papers
• Fowler, S. (2017). Reflecting On One Very, Very Strange Year At Uber (Links to an external site.).