Multi-Genre
Research Project
Using Non-Fiction Writing in Your
Classroom
Developed by Jesse Priest
What is the Multi-Genre Research
Project?
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Definition: The Multi-Genre Research
Project is a compilation of written and
visual work that is based on the research
of one topic.
What is the purpose of the MultiGenre Research Project?
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Students are able to choose a topic of
interest, research it, and present their
writing in a creative manner.
Students learn how to write different forms
of Non-Fiction and gain understanding of
how and why each genre should be used.
Who can do this project?
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Anyone! This project is very easily
differentiated based on students’ interests,
ability and need.
It can even be done by interdisciplinary
teams…talk with your team and decide who
teaches each topic and share grading.
How do I start this project?
Starting this project is easy….
 1. Give yourself a timeframe to work in. It is not uncommon
for this project to span the entirety of a marking period.
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2. Decide what your project requirements will be and
formulate a checklist for yourself and the students.
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3. Announce the project and explain it to your class. Give
students a few days to think about a topic that they might like.
a. students must really like their topic!
b. it must follow guidelines that you set.
Researching for the project
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4. Provide Research Days. Schedule time in the library as well as
time in the computer lab for students to further research their
interests.
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5. Make the students commit! They must tell you the topic by a
certain deadline…switching a topic mid-project is difficult for you
and them.
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6. Spend time teaching students how to research. Provide note
taking sheets with specific questions and guidelines. Provide
students will reputable websites to gather information off-line! And
discourage mass printing! Students should record all information
on their note sheet or cut and paste into a word document.
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7. Students should have a folder to keep all research materials.
They should be encouraged to keep this information in a safe
location at school.
Duration of the Project:
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8. State your expectations for daily writing.
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9. Encourage students to use facts but be creative!
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10. Keep a checklist of completed assignments for students to refer
to.
Writing Genres
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autobiography
advertisement
announcement
assignment sheet
book jacket
business report/prospectus
campaign speech
character sketch
clinical lab report
collage (visual or word)
critical analysis
descriptive paragraph: or a specific description of some sort
diary or journal entry
encyclopedia entry
eulogy
informative essay
narrative essay
Writing Genres
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persuasive essay
grocery list or list of some other sort
interview: real or imagined; however you must say which it is
letter
memo
menu
movie review
newspaper article
obituary
personal commentary
radio broadcast
recipe
rhetorical analysis
scientific lab report
stream of consciousness
song/ballad (the lyrics)
travel journal
Visual Genres
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cartoon or comic strip
CD cover
graph/chart
illustration
photographs
map w/ legend
travel poster
wanted poster
sports card
birth certificate
postcard
bumper sticker
My Personal Experience
I was first introduced to this project in college by one of my professors. I loved
it so much that I have done it every year that I have worked at Windham. It is a
wonderful thing to see kids excited about a project that could potentially be 25 writing
pieces. But the reason that they are excited is because they love the topic and they
want to research it and they want to write about it! And when it is completed, they
want to bring it home and share it with others.
When the project is completed, I have students do a creative project about
their topic. Then we write invitations home to invite parents to come to school for
lunch and presentations. The kids are always so excited to share their work and
sometimes they don’t even realize the amount and quality of their work until it is all
bound up into a nice little book for them.
I hope that some of you find this project interesting and feel as if you might like
to give it a try on your teams or in your classroom. It would be great if many people
tried it out and we could host a multi-genre research faire for parents and community
members. It would be a great way to showcase the works of our students!
Good Luck!
Jesse
Multi-Genre Links:
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http://www.users.muohio.edu/romanots/
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http://blog.lib.umn.edu/doer0026/cyborgs/M
ultigenre.assignmentsheet.doc
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http://www.angelfire.com/ok2/metu/multige
nre.html