You will need to have at least 4 genre "artifacts" in your project. Two MUST be traditional creative writing pieces such as a poem, a short story, a nonfiction piece, or a dramatic piece.
The other TWO may be anything you choose from the list of ideas below.
Since we have learned that research is valuable in most creative writing projects, you are encouraged to do research on your topic and to included an annotated bibliography of your research.
Here is some more information about what this project entails.
/writing.colostate.edu/gallery/multigenre/graffiti/index.htm
The purpose of any paper/project is to explore and learn about a subject
and to extend our thinking. The multi-genre project accomplishes that purpose, but
it also gives you the opportunity to express the idea/subject in a less linear
way than a regular paper. Writing is thinking, and each time we write, we are
teaching our brains to think.
What is a genre?
A genre is a type of writing. A poem is a genre. A traditional research paper is a genre. A newspaper editorial is a genre. So are plays and diaries and cartoons and billboards.
What is a multi-genre "essay" or 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 likely) 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.
What are some genres I might use?
You could write an editorial, a poem, a dialogue between characters, a letter, a debate. You could include a collage, a poster, a book, a CD cover. You will have much choice about what to include. But beware -- this should not be a haphazard collage of disjointed stuff; 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.
But I've never done anything like this before. What do I do?
As you research, you'll need to consider an audience or audiences who would be interested in your topic, and you need to consider what genre/s would be effective for communicating with those audiences. In other words, what genres will "speak" to the people whom you want to reach? (Those are the ones you can use in your multi-genre project.) And why? You'll need to be fully engaged in your research -- don't approach it as if you were on a scavenger hunt to find information to spit back in an "academic" paper, because you're not. Instead, you'll need to think about what you want to do, for whom, and how best to do that.
Creating a
central theme:
We want to encourage students to choose
themes/subjects/ideas/concepts from across the curriculum. What this means is
that you may want to write about an idea that you studied in history or in
science or in health, and not just in English. All topics must be researchable.
Therefore, a very personal topic, such as your dog, would not be a good choice.
While you could research information about a breed of dog, there would be little
else you could research.
Also, a good topic will be one that has a human element:
humanity in conflict with society, science, itself.
All topics must be approved! Do not begin work until you have
verified your topic with your teacher.
Questions to ask about your topic:
1. Am I truly interested in this topic?
2. Do I have access to enough information?
3. Is the subject limited enough?
4. Is there a human element to the topic? Can I personalize it? Could I create a character who would represent the main problems, struggles, or ideas of this topic?
1. Am I truly interested in this topic?
2. Do I have access to enough information?
3. Is the subject limited enough?
4. Is there a human element to the topic? Can I personalize it? Could I create a character who would represent the main problems, struggles, or ideas of this topic?
Limiting the topic:
We begin with the general idea and move to the specific. See an example of the selecting process below.
We begin with the general idea and move to the specific. See an example of the selecting process below.
| General Subject AreaHolocaust |  |
Specific
SubjectConcentration Camps |
|
Focus or
Special InterestHow concentration camps affected people's lives. |
| Auschwitz | |
People sent to Auschwitz often lost family members, lost faith in God, and lost a sense of self. |
| Parts of your Multi-Genre Project | ||
| Section | Description | Links & Help |
| 1. Title Page No black backgrounds. No graphic backgrounds. You may add a photo if it is not a copyrighted image. Be sure you check. | This cover page
includes the following information (centered, in this order):
|
|
| 2. Table of Contents | . | Example: Table of ContentsFollow the example for this table of contents. Do not deviate from these instructions. |
| 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. | For help writing your opening/preface click here. |
| 3. Body
Your body consists of at least
seven base pieces from at least seven different genres. You can
repeat genres only after you have completed the initial seven. There must be a minimum of five in-text hyperlinks in the text overall. They may be scattered among the seven genres or clustered in one or two pieces as you deem appropriate. These links must be to information that is relevant and that adds to your readers' understanding of your subject. Drawing and design are in addition to the seven base pieces. Think of the presentation quality of your web. To unify the separate pieces, use some type of repetend or unifying device. |
The body of your multi-genre web is composed of the various pieces you create to help your reader understand your subject. Here is where multi-genre happens. Some of the pieces will be written, some visual, and some a combination. This part of your project may include several pages linked to the opening page. It will be important for you to create a logical order. In other words, as the writer you have to be aware of how your reader will read your project. | \ |
| 4. Epilogue | This is your conclusion. It should have its own page. | For help writing your epilogue click here. |
| 5. Annotated BibliographyYou must have four (minimum) sources from a variety of information types. | This list of your sources includes a brief
description of the source and its value to your project.An annotation
is a note that is included with the bibliographic citation that gives a
brief summary of the source and sometimes a judgment of its value. Your annotations should be between 30-50 words. |
|
Types of Genres:
The genres here are linked to examples or descriptions. Use real life examples as models whenever you can.
Before you select a genre from this list, ask yourself, why am I choosing it? What do I want to be able to say or express through this genre? If you can't answer that question, you are not ready to work on it.
Getting ready to research:
-
make a list of what you already know about this topic
-
make a list of what you need to know or want to find out
-
use a KWHL chart to help you plan
-
create a concept map of related ideas or use a brainstorming web
-
make a list of ideas you have about where to find the information you need
Types of sources:
Choose a variety of sources. You
must have at least four different sources from the following list.
| Books | Magazines* | Newspapers* |
| Radio Transcripts* | Videos | Internet sites |
| Personal interviews | *These sources are easily found using the Electric Library | Encyclopedias |
Taking notes:
-
Taking notes is important, and many people have found success with 3 x 5 note cards.. The main thing to remember about note cards is that you have to have the following information on each card: 1. the title of the source, 2. the page or other marker for identifying just where the information has come from, 3. the context of the note (what the discussion or paragraph or situation is about), and 4. one note only: either a direct quote, a summary, or a paraphrase.
-
Use a dialectic approach where you take notes and comment about each note.
-
Another note taking option is to open a Word document and transcribe your thoughts there as you read from print or online sources. Be sure that you keep track of everything you get from sources, so you won't accidentally pass off borrowed information as your own writing. This is plagiarism, and it's stealing.
Preparing information for your annotated bibliography:
-
Make a note card for each source, or keep a log of sources in a Word document. For each source, consult the MLA guide to see what information you need. For example, what you need for an Internet site is different from what you will need for a magazine article. For a book, you will need to record the author, the title, the date of publication, and the publishing company. Be sure you know exactly what you need and keep a complete record of each source that you consult. Later on, you will use this information in your annotated bibliography.
Repetend is something added to your multigenre web 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.
Because multi-genre essays 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 can be much
like making sure to weave your thesis throughout a traditional essay
paper. The multi-genre web, however, offers a lot more creative possibilities.
Repetend options are given below. Each student must find some
way to incorporate repetend.
Ways to incorporate repetend in your
multi-genre web:
-
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 character involved somehow in each piece of writing--an ongoing little story
-
create a cartoon strip at the top or bottom of each genre page that comments on the ideas presented
Use of Repetend
A repetend is something added to your multi-genre project that repeats or continues. The purpose of the repetend is to create unity among the various genre pieces and to give the write an editorial voice that the reader can easily relate to during the project.
Because mult-genre essays/papers/projects are unique and non-linear, they require a lot of work from the 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 can be much like making sure to weave your thesis throughout a traditional essay paper. The multi-genre project, however, offers a lot more creative possibilities.
Repetend options are given below. Each student must find some way to incorporate a repetend.
Ways to incorporate repetend in your multi-genre project:
• 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 or both), 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 character involved somehow in each piece of writing—an ongoing little story.
• Create a cartoon strip at the top or bottom of each genre page that comments on the ideas presented.
• Include a graphic/picture and/or a comment/phrase between each genre piece.
How to decide what works for my paper?
Think about your specific topic. What is the strongest image associated with that topic? What words could powerfully express that image? You could use those words to help you decide what should be emphasized and repeated throughout your web. You might want to just start writing. After you begin to read through your writing, circle or highlight language and images that might serve as strong repetitions.
How do I decide what works for my paper?
Think about your specific topic. What is
the strongest image associated with that topic? What words could
powerfully express that image? You could use those words to help you
decide what should be emphasized and repeated throughout your project. You
might want to just start writing. After you begin to read through your
writing, circle or highlight language and images that might serve as strong
repetitions.
If you're not sure if what you're doing is stealing someone
else's ideas, check out this site listed below.
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