The Multi-genre Research Project

“[Multi-genre papers] recognize that there are many ways to see the world, many ways to show others what we see.” ~Tom Romano, teacher, author, and “founder” of the multi-genre paper

What is a multi-genre project?It’s a collection of pieces written in a variety of genres, informed by your research on a particular subject, that presents one or more perspectives on a research question or topic. A multi-genre paper is personal, creative, and can’t be copied from some other source. It involves you, as a writer, making conscious decisions about what information is important and how it should be presented to the reader.

Genre Ideas:The genres you can use are just about limitless. You can write and relay important messages in so many ways it’s mind boggling! But BEWARE! This should not be a haphazard collage of disjointed elements; you must connect the genres and what they represent with a central, significant theme (a thesis). Your creative efforts MUST be informed by solid research, including research about the genres themselves.

When you choose a genre ask yourself, “Why am I choosing it? What do I want to show through this genre?” Your purpose must be clear and each genre should express a different piece of the whole puzzle, not repeat the same thing in a variety of ways.

Here is a starting point: You must have FIVE genres for this project. Please choose one from each category.

Group 1: Print Media • Newspaper Article • Obituary • Editorial • Letter to the Editor • Advice Column • Magazine Article • Recipe • Application-job, school, etc. • Wanted Poster • Headlines/Front Page • Dictionary of specific language • Mission Statement

Group 2: Visual with Words • Poster • Invitation • Ad • Travel Brochure • Greeting Card • Cartoon • Bumper Sticker • Business Cards • Response to Art • Neighborhood Flyers • PowerPoint

Group 3: Visual Display • Picture/Photograph • Graph/Chart • Map • Certificate-award, death, degree • Storyboard • Postcard • Menu • PowerPoint • Scrapbook Page • Magazine Cover

Group 4: Informational • Interview • Timeline • Directions • Campaign Speech • Assignment Sheet • Resume • Encyclopedia Entry • Memo • Lab Report • Calendar/Agenda • Membership Cards • Will • Police Report • Pro/con List

Group 5: Creative Writing • Diary Entry • Song • Poem—many variations! • Short Story • Personal Narrative • Conversation • Pledge • Top Ten List • Travel Journal • Report Card • Telegram • Prayers/Meditations • Eulogy • Letter

Using Repetend:Repetend is something added to your multi-genre project that repeats or continues. The purpose of repetend is to create unity among the various genre pieces and to give the writer an editorial voice that the reader can easily relate to.

Since multi-genre papers are unique and non-linear, they require a lot of work from a reader. You, as a conscientious writer, do not want to let your reader get confused as they move from genre to genre. If you provide your reader with reoccurring images or phrases, or a running commentary or even a narrative or story, you will create unity that will help your reader better understand your central theme. This is much like weaving your thesis throughout a traditional essay. You must find some way to incorporate repetend in your project.

Ways to incorporate repetend: • include the same phrase, sentence, or passage in each genre page as a heading or somewhere

else in the text • include a description or design in each piece (written or graphic), placed strategically and

meaningfully for easy recognition • include a running commentary from you, the writer, following or preceding each genre piece • create a character and follow his/her reactions to pieces • create a character involved somehow in each piece of writing—an ongoing story • create a cartoon strip at the top or bottom of each genre that comments on the ideas presented • etc. Get the idea?

Your Multi-genre Project will include:

• Title Page• An Opening/Preface/Forward/Introduction that will greet the readers, introduce

the subject, and provide any other information you think the readers should know.• Table of Contents• Five different genres from different categories. (If you have an idea that is not

listed see me for approval please).• Epilogue• Rationale Cards• A Bibliography

The Elements of the Multi-genre ProjectSection Description Helpful Hints1. Title Page This cover page includes the

following information : • title (not label) • your full name • the date (due date) • graphics, borders, creative

stuff 2. Table of Contents This page will help your reader

navigate your project. Each genre is listed with its title following. Each title is significant and meaningful on its own.

3. Opening/Preface

This preface, forward, or introduction will greet readers and give a bit of background information about your project. You'll need to introduce the subject and anything you think the reader should know about you and/or your project before they read it.

What kind of information might I include in the preface? • why you chose your topic • why your topic is important • an introduction to the person

of interest • a description of a crucial

setting or central activity • a theme that will be carried

through your genres • what you learned about your

topic and/or genres.

3. Body Your body consists of five base pieces from five different genres.

To unify the separate pieces, use some type of repetend or unifying device—imagery, theme, etc.

The body of your multi-genre project is composed of the various pieces you create to help your reader understand your subject. Some of the pieces will be written, some visual, and some a combination.

Ways to incorporate repetend in your multi-genre • include the same phrase,

sentence, or passage in each genre page as a heading or somewhere else in the text

• include a description or design in each piece (written or graphic), placed strategically for easy recognition

• include a running commentary from you, the writer, following or preceding each genre piece

• create a character and follow his/her reactions to pieces

• create a cartoon strip at the top or bottom of each genre page that comments on the ideas presented

"Everything you need to know to succeed." Your Multi-genre Web. 2002. 7 Jan 2007 <http://www.sheboyganfalls.k12wi.us/cyberenglish9/multi_genre.htm>.

4. Epilogue

This is your conclusion. It should have its own page.

Some aspects you might include: • how writing about this

topic has changed your perspective on your topic

• what you learned overall • how you felt about using

the multi-genre medium to write rather than just writing a traditional story/essay

• what you hope your audience learns from your multi-genre web

• what you feel you accomplished from this project overall

• any information that would help clarify anything you wrote

5. Rationale Cards

You will provide your rationale for choosing each genre and which source(s) you used to develop each genre.

Rationale Card

Genre_______________________

What does this genre tell us about your

topic?

What is your rationale for selecting

this genre to present this information

specifically?

Source(s) Used:

6. Works Cited You must have 3 (minimum) sources from a variety of information types. One of your sources, clearly, should be the biography that you read during this project. Your other resources may be found in a variety of places. Try to use both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are created at the time period you are researching. They include letters, newspaper articles, diary entries, etc. Secondary sources are sources created after the fact that reflect on the event or time period. They often analyze the primary sources.

This list of your sources includes a brief description of the source and its value to your project

Citationmachine.net

www.easybib.com

Procedures Checklist

Choose a biography. Settle on one that interests you and is written at a level that is suitable

for your abilities.

Fill out the “Genre Plan” on google classroom and submit it to me for approval.

Read your book and perform other research such as checking the Internet for more sources.

You might want to also research by conducting interviews, or finding other hidden treasures.

Throughout the researching process make sure to keep notes, ideas, questions, and reflections

in your writing notebook. Remember to write down the websites or book titles of any

sources you use.

Play around with different genres and see which ones work for the information you have.

Conference with your peers in class to get suggestions, ideas, and critiques. Conference with

me.

Do whatever necessary to make your project the best possible. You may choose to change

some of your genres to something more suitable. Decide on an overall theme or structure to

tie your project together. Make sure you have a Title Page, a Table of Contents, an

Introduction, an Epilogue, Rationale Cards and a Works Cited page with appropriate citation

of sources.

With finished drafts in hand (“finished” in the sense that it includes every required

component), conference with your peers and myself.

Revise and proofread. Present your project with pride.

Name______________________________

Hour___________________

Genre Plan

1. What is your topic?

2. Describe what you know about your topic.

3. What do you hope to find out about your topic?

4.Which five genres are you thinking of doing at this point? What will each one show?