Multi-genre Paper

Description

A multi genre paper arises from research, experience, and imagination. It is not an uninterrupted, expository monolog, nor a seamless narrative, nor a collection of poems. A multi genre paper is composed of many genres and subgenres, each piece self-contained, making a point of its own, yet connected by theme or topic and sometimes by language, images, and content. In addition to many genres, a multi genre paper may also contain many voices, not just the author’s. The trick is to make such a paper hang together.

(Romano x-xi)

Resources

Vivian Torvik “The Oregon Trail” (student sample) library reserve—

Jennifer Sorensen “Cosmetic Clips” library reserve

Melinda Hill “Miriam’s Song” library reserve

Jeff Stebbins (seventh grader) “The Allosaurs in Phoenix” library reserve)

Process

As with any research project, I advise students to begin the process by first doing some general inquiry on the topic. Immerse yourself in the topic so you understand something about it.

You have been assigned two years from history. Find out about those two years. What major events were taking place in the United States, in Europe, in the World? Who were the major artists, architects, musicians of the day? Once you find out something about the time and these people, you can begin to formulate a direction.

Once you have explored the time period generally, I want you to look more specifically at the artisans working during that time period and more specifically what they were working on and why. Your focus for the paper then is on one artisan—artist, music composer, architect, film producer, etc and on the work they produced. I do not want you to write a typical biography though. I am much more concerned in the work the artist produced and the ideas behind it.

It may help you to form a research question to help focus your inquiry. For example, why did Gauguin travel to the South Pacific to paint and how did it influence his work? And/or how was his work a reaction to earlier work?

Required Elements

For this paper, I would like you to include six specific genres: image, newspaper article--that you create, letter—that you create, two analytical essays, and a preface. To round out the project, you should create at least two more pieces from these choices: poem, song, newspaper writing or review or a show or artifact, diary entry, short story, essay, poetry, biography, or a character’s scrapbook. In addition, you should find a quote from the artisan that you think is central to your project and include it with an explanation of how it fits in your preface.

In addition to the quotation in your preface, you may use quotations or lines from other works in your multi genre paper, but they should be included to supplement your own work, and you should provide proper citation for them both within the work and in a works cited page at the end of your paper.

When completed, the paper should be seven to eight pages with a separate works cited page. I want you to consider the impact that white space and images have when you create the work, and I will ask you to reflect on the creative choices and provide guidance in your preface.

You will present the paper to the class during the week scheduled for the period; for example, 1900-1920 is scheduled for Week thirteen. For your presentation, spend some time preparing to present the work. Plan out how you will present the work and create note cards to guide you—these will be turned in with the paper after you present it in class. You should also have a clear image or images of the work the artisan created to accompany your presentation, so we can understand and see or hear if it is music what the artist created. Do not, though simply play or show artifacts without explaining them. You will have access to the Elmo projector, which allows you to lay your paper or images under the camera and project it in large format on the screen in the classroom.

Multi genre Research Paper Grade

6 genres (minimum) 25 pts.

7-8 typed pages 12.5 pts.

Content/historical accuracy 100 pts.

Focus/Connection of all parts to a theme or concept 30 pts.

Mechanics/ Documentation/Bibliography 25 pts.

Presentation of work/Preface--reflection piece 32.5 pts.

Total Points 225 pts.

Romano, Tom Blending Genre, Altering Style. Boynton/Cook Publishers: Portsmouth, NH, 2000.