English 12--Multi-Genre Research Project
Topic: Your Family Story
What is a multi-genre research essay?
What is multi-genre project? In terms of this assignment, it is a creative research paper. Don’t be distracted
by the term “creative,” rather focus on the term “research.” Your project will not meet the course requirement
without extensive, valid, documented research. 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 likely) more perspectives on a
research question. Done effectively, this accomplishes the same goals as a traditional research essay, but in a
more expansive way. For this project, for instance, you will use different genres to create a paper that leaves
the reader with a clear idea about your answer(s) to the research question that guided your work, and these
answers will be informed by "traditional" research (e.g., library-based work, interviews, and so on). However,
you'll present these ideas in a highly-creative way that capitalizes on their complexity. This will not be a
haphazard collection of disjointed stuff; you must connect the genres and what they represent with a central,
significant framework.
But, how do I connect all of this?
Since you are not writing a typical essay, you must figure out a new way to present your information—this is
known as your framework. Like a picture hanging on your wall, the frame encompasses all that you want to
be seen. Once you decide your topic and complete some of your research, then you must decide on your
framework. Think-what would be a logical way to tie this all together? Some examples: a magazine- you’ll
have your series of articles and don’t forget the rest of the extras that are needed to make your magazine like
a typical magazine. You could also make a scrapbook, using your articles as pages and adding the extras as
needed to make your scrapbook like a typical scrapbook. You need to do whatever you need to make this
project work. **All projects must be bound within a three ring binder or a scrapbook. Other ideas may
be acceptable, but please clear with me first.
On Thursday, April 7, you will turn in a multi-genre project that contains ten items:
1. Title Page
2. Table of Contents (labeling all parts of the project with appropriate page numbers)
3. First Piece of the Multi-genre Paper – Attention-getter/Audience Hook
Create an opening piece that is engaging, informative, and reader-friendly.
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Write a narrative about a main character.
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Write vividly about the central image of your topic.
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Develop an extended metaphor that captures your character or topic or theme.
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Render a defining moment in your central character's life.
4. Introduction to your project – (this does not count as one of your genres)
This will greet readers and give a bit of background information about your project.
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You'll need to introduce the subject, your research question, and anything you think the
readers should know about your project before they read it.
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Write down important things readers ought to know before they begin reading your papers.
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Your introduction will be a brief history of your family heritage (ex. If you’re Irish, tell your
readers about some of the hardships the Irish went through and when they started coming to
America).
5. Main Body: Genres
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This is the fun part. You must choose at least four (4) genres from the lists below.
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Your genres will communicate 4 stories that you gather from your family members.
These stories can be anything significant to your family and their place in history.
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You must choose one from Creative Writing, two from Informative Writing, and one from the
remaining groups, Art and Other. Your last choice can come from any of the groups.
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A multi-genre paper depends on the writer using a variety of genres to get his/her point
across. REMEMBER THESE ARE ALL ORIGINAL PIECES - YOU DO NOT MERELY COPY
THEM FROM A SOURCE!
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All pieces are linked by your thesis
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Every piece must make its own point
Each piece is on its own page
Each piece of writing, music, video, picture, etc., you create must be fully documented,
following the MLA format as to the source of your information for creating that piece of
work.
Only one piece allowed per genre
Make sure all your pieces transition smoothly and logically into one another. Even the
arrangement of the pieces is important.
Color, graphics, fonts other than Times New Roman or Bookman Old Style should be
used only to contribute to the overall impression of a piece.
MLA Documentation--Any sources quoted or used in shaping your own work must be
acknowledged. Give the source credit in the form of a MLA citation at the bottom of the
page. Also make sure you include the source in your works consulted page.
REMEMBER ALL WRITINGS ARE YOUR ORIGINAL WORKS!
6. Transitions Leading into every genre, you must have a transition piece. This smaller piece of writing will
transition the reader from the previous piece to the next. It will also tell the reader what he/she is
supposed to learn from (or get out of) the next genre. Please make sure that it fits within the framework.
7. Conclusion—however you would like to complete this. Please be sure to sum up your project and restate
your thesis.
8. A 2-3 page reflective essay about your project that thoroughly discusses the following:
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What you knew about your subject before you started
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What you hoped to discover through your research
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What you learned and how that affected your choice of audience
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The genres you chose to include and why you chose them
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A specific explanation of how you integrated sources from your research into your project and
why you felt this was a good idea
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An evaluation of how successfully you accomplished integrating your sources in order to
communicate your overall theme and why you feel this way
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A statement of what you learned from this project
9.
A Works Cited Page: you must have everything you cite in your works cited page. Any project that
has an in- text citation without a properly documented works cited entry will lose points for research!
That, my friends, is what we call plagiarism. Any student that does not have parenthetical
documentations will immediately fail the project. Be sure to have six works cited, and only three can
be internet only sources.
*A note about citing pictures: all pictures must be cited as pictures from the source containing the
picture. YOU CANNOT CITE A SEARCH ENGINE! It is incorrect to cite a search engine because the
engine does not house the picture; it is only the method to find the picture.
**With that said, please check your Parenthetical Citations with your documentation in your works
cited page. If I’m missing a work in your works cited page that is cited in your project, or vice versa, I
will deduct 10%. You must take the time to link them- make sure they are correct!
10.
Research Journal: articles, interviews, copies, photos, notes, etc. Any piece of evidence that aided in
the culmination of your research project needs to be included in this “journal.”
Possible Genres
Creative Writing
Extended metaphor
Short story
Menus
Brochure
Scrapbook
Computer game
Fictional memoirs
A legend
Mystery
Romance
Detective story
fairy tale
poetry of a recognized form
yearbook page
diploma
advice column
story map
fictional letters
children's story
sci-fi story
humorous piece
fable
stream of consciousness
greeting card
script (play, movie, radio, TV)
answering machine message
one-act play
fictional diaries
anecdote
western
horror story
Informative Writing
Biography
film critique
press conference
Court transcript
character sketch
school work (test, essay)
Dialogue
phone conversation
talk show transcript
Monologue
editorial
magazine article or page
Web page
postcard
book review
Police report
lab report
pamphlet
Book cover
map
historical document
Eyewitness report
newsletter
time line
News reports
sports features
personality feature
Weather reports
how-to pieces
scientific piece
Letter to the editor
license (driver’s, doctor’s, other professional)
Newspaper article/page (obituary, sports, news)
historical piece
Letter (formal, friendly, business, complaint, thank-you)
Art
Wanted poster
CD cover
Model
Photo essay
Comic strip
Diorama
Ceramics
Mixed media
Logos
movie poster
banner
photograph
rebus story
advertisement
drawing
sculpture
comic books
billboards
Other
Journal/diary entry
classified ad
Prayer
crossword puzzle
Trivia game (Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, etc.)
Original instrumentals, songs with lyrics
collage
product package
cartoon
political cartoons
mural
paintings
jewelry
T-shirt
architectural designs
recipe
mail conversation
I also encourage you to propose including other genres that aren't included here -- if you think of something,
let me know.
We will have plenty of class time to work on these projects, but do not expect to do well if you put this off until
the last minute. If it were that easy, I’d give you this material only two weeks before the due date, not eight
weeks…
You will also be presenting your projects to the class, so start thinking of creative aspects to include that
relate to your heritage.
Senior Project Points Total: 850 (no, we aren’t messing around here)