The Multi-genre Research Project



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 paperWhat is a multi-genre paper?It’s a collection of pieces written in a variety of genres, informed by your research on a particular subject, which 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.Why use more than one genre?There are ideas and perspectives that cannot be achieved through an expository paper. Consequently, when one uses more than one genre, more of the research found can be shared. In addition, an MPG is more engaging and requires a great degree of analytical thinking.Getting Started:Choose a topicSelect a topic/concept that interests you and that is a theme or idea that runs through at least 4 of the 5 novels or plays we read this year, such as love, racism, betrayal, friendship, mental illness, etc. Then, create an few essential questions to guide your research. Start with the essential question(s) you want to find an answer for. Examples: What is love? How do emotions affect your body and your health? How do emotions and love affect the lives and health of the characters?What is friendship? How does friendship help or hinder a person in life? How does friendship help or hurt the characters in the various novels?What is mental illness? Which types are the worst? Is there a pattern of mental illness in the stories?Is betrayal always a bad thing? When might it be good? Which characters dealt with betrayal and how did it change them?Create a thesis: Answer the questions as you research your ideas/themes/topics. This answer will become your thesis for your whole multigenre paper.Research your topicYou must cite at least nine sources; four of the seven sources will be the novels/plays we read together this year. The other three will be nonfiction sources you used to complete the smaller written research report. You will use both primary (the novels) and secondary sources. You will collect information and take notes using proper MLA format on notecards and source cards for the smaller written research report. These items will be turned in with the final copy of the project. Create bibliography page: Make sure that you do this step as you go. You are to keep detailed bibliography information for all sources. Please follow MLA guidelines.Choose genresSee list below:Choices and GenresNonfictionNewspaper articleObituaryEditorialAdvice ColumnMagazine ArticleApplication (job, school, etc)Interview Detailed Timeline Speech Manual/ Direction SheetGuideReviewCalendar/AgendaManualPoetrySong lyricsFree verseBlank verseSonnetsLyric poemsNO HAIKUSAll poems must be a minimum of 30 lines and be professionally created and original to you.Drama Pieces:Official Interview (1-2 pages minimum)Skits (3-4 pages please)Movie script/partial movie scriptOne Act PlaysVisual/ArtisticGraph/ChartMap w/ legendStoryboardCollageMagazine CoverAdvertisementTravel BrochureCartoonResponse to artFlyerPicture/PhotographFictionDiary entry/Journal Poem/Song Short Story Personal narrativeScriptEulogyletterYour multi-genre research paper 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.Using Repetend:Repetend is something added to your multi-genre project that repeats or continues. It is similar to a motif in literature. 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.Your Multi-genre Project will include: See Rubric for all detailsCover/Title PageTable of ContentsA Preface/Introduction page (Dear Reader) that will greet the readers, introduce the subject, its importance to you, your thesis, and provide any other information you think the readers should know.Genres/Categories: Expository research paper (2-3 pages) Poetry (4 from different categories), Nonfiction (4), Fiction (4) , Visual (4) Drama (1)Reflections (6)Annotated Bibliography all of your sources. ................
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