Investigative Multi-Genre Research Paper



Investigative Multi-Genre Research Paper

What is a multi-genre research 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. Each piece is self-contained, making a point of its own, yet connected by theme or topic and sometimes by language, images, and content. 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.

For this assignment you will choose a topic of that relates to the theme of COMING OF AGE. As you saw in the movie Stand by Me, the concept of coming of age often deals with a loss of innocence. The list I provide below will give you some ideas, but please don’t feel limited to these. In addition, the list contains very broad topics—you will need to decide how these topics fit into the theme of coming of age, and what you want to say about it. Selecting a topic you want to know more about and have a genuine interest in will result in a stronger final product. You will research extensively and then communicate your learning through a multi-genre research paper (think creative writing based in research) where you meld the factual, emotional and imaginative.

This is intended to be a CREATIVE WRITING assignment, and will most likely look quite different from other papers you’ve written. You will use research to develop a convincing narrative story which is creative and informed by your research. Therefore, do not limit yourself to a traditional essay style. Use a multi-genre (genre = type or form of writing, such as a poem, letter, story, diary entry, interview, etc.) approach to incorporate multiple points of view that communicate information about your research topic. You will need to consider:

• How to organize your information and,

• Which genres (see the attached genre list for ideas) will be best suited for your storyline.

Rather than writing from your perspective or a stiff, academic perspective on this topic, step into the shoes of an individual(s) more intimately involved and/or invested in this topic. Due to the creative nature of this paper, I cannot tell you how long your paper needs to be, but it should be substantial enough to demonstrate to your reader that this is research-based writing.

Even though this is not a traditional essay, you still need to integrate research into your writing. All the information used must be documented correctly. Since you are not an expert in the field and you haven’t done any original research about the topic, you must give credit to those who have researched and written on the topic. You can use parenthetical citations or footnotes (I will provide links on my website to resources that can help you with this). A Works Cited Page in MLA format will also be required (feel free to use EasyBib or Noodletools). Be sure to consciously distribute your research throughout your paper, instead of using the same information in each genre!!

Requirements:

This paper should help you demonstrate all that you learned about the topic you researched in a creative format that logically fits the subject being presented. Your paper must contain 3-4 genres (see the list of genre ideas) examining the topic of your choice.

Required Sources:

You must use at least three sources for your paper. Options for sources include:

➢ Articles from professional journals

➢ Books

➢ Other texts that relate to your topic

➢ Internet sources

Note: Internet sources are not always legit. There is no screening for quality, so you must

gauge the quality yourself. I don’t want you simply pasting material into the paper (that’s

plagiarism), and please extend your research past the Wikipedia database. I want to see an

original piece of work from you!

Don’t be afraid to think “outside the box.” Experiment with your creativity!!!

Strategies, Tips, and Possibilities for Writing

Preface/Introduction (Required):

Think of this as your personal note to your readers. Why did you decide to write about your topic? What does it mean to you? What would you like the reader to know before he/she delves into your work? Some people begin with a letter to the reader – “Dear Reader…..”

Openings, Beginnings, Lead Pieces of Writing

The first pieces should orient the reader, introduce a character or situation, and dramatize the central tension. Sometimes writers open with a “Defining Moment.”

Enduring Moments

Identify the enduring moments in your topic. These are vivid memories never to be forgotten – they are permanently imprinted on our minds.

Central Acts

Bring the people from your research to life as characters in your writing by incorporating their personality traits, actions, and point of view.

Crucial Things

Inanimate objects, concepts, ideas…these things can all hold crucial places in our lives. For example, Holden Caulfield’s attachment to his red hunting hat in Catcher in the Rye was crucial to his identity. Or try to imagine the Hippies without “Peace” and “Love.”

Meaningful Places

Places shape us nationally, regionally, and locally. Multi-genre writers identify places of importance to the topic and incorporate them.

Repetend

The purpose of a repetend is to create unity and coherence in a multi-genre paper. It also allows the reader to hear the writer’s voice and acts as a string that carries them throughout the entire paper. Some ideas for creating a repetend could be:

1. Include the same phrase, sentence, or passage in each genre, as a heading or within the text.

2. Include a description or design in each piece (written or illustrated), placed strategically for easy recognition.

3. Include a running commentary from you, the writer, following or preceding each genre piece.

Utilize the Rhetorical Toolbox

Look through the critical lens of historical/cultural analysis, to help guide your research and interpretations. Consider the cultural values, gender roles, time period and historical context of your topic.

“Composition accomplishes the cultural work of producing autonomous individuals willing to adopt the language and perspectives of others.” – Anne Ruggles Gere

Investigative Multi-Genre Research Paper Schedule

Wednesday, October 7th - Introduce Assignment

- Begin thinking about potential topics

Monday, October 12th _ P100W to begin working

- Begin researching – I want to know your topic

by the end of the hour

Tuesday, October 13th - Research day in P100W

- 3 sources due at end of the hour

- Begin working on MLA works cited page

Wednesday, October 14th - Writing day in P100W

Monday, October 19th - Writing day in P100W

- Peer workshop if you would like feedback on

any of your pieces.

Tuesday, October 20th - - Final work day in L100

- Opportunity to share final draft of papers in small groups

- OR time to finish final draft if needed

- Investigative Muli-Genre Research Paper due at the end of the hour!

**While I am providing you with these days of in-class work time, you will probably have to do some work outside of class to successfully complete your project.***

Genre List

Remember: Select the genres that will best showcase your understanding of the topic you have researched. See me if you have any questions about using these genres in your paper!! Pick genres that you understand—it’s much more difficult to pick something you have never heard of and try to make it work for your project.

Autobiography Newspaper article

Advertisement Obituary

Book review Photograph – must have written Book jacket analysis/supplement

Bulletin Parable Business letter Play Campaign speech Poem

Cartoon/comic strip Police report

Character sketch Postcard

Children’s book Proposal

Classified ad Questionnaire

Collage (visual or word) Radio broadcast

Commandments Recipe

Commercial Report card

Confession Research report

Contract Restaurant review

Cookbook Resume

Debate Romance

Dialogue Satire

Diary Science fiction

Editorial Screenplay

E-mail Script

Essay Sermon

Eulogy Short story

Essay – Informative/narrative/persuasive Song lyrics

Eulogy Stream-of-consciousness

Fairytale Technical manual

Flashback Textbook

Flash-forward Top ten list

Friendly letter Vignette

Graffiti Video game

Graph/chart Warning

Horror Website

Interview – real or imagined Western

Invitation Will

Job description

Journal entry

Lab report

Letter

Map w/ legend

Medical report

Melodrama

Memo

Memoir

Movie Review

Mystery

Newsletter

Possible Research Topics

YOU ARE NOT LIMITED TO THESE!!

Remember: You will need to decide how to approach the topic and what you want to say about that topic. Think about how it relates to the concept of ‘coming of age’.

Teen pregnancy Sexual Assault/Harassment

Eating disorders Driving

Date rape Violence

Dating/Relationships Gangs

Death of a loved one Sports

Sexual orientation Sexism

Foster care Adoption

Drugs/Alcohol Sweet sixteen/Quinceañera

Racism Jobs

Friendships College

Cliques Social networking (Internet)

Bullying Graduation

Suicide

Others??? See me for approval

Name: _________________________________

Period: ______________

Score: _______/100

Investigative Multi-Genre Paper Rubric

| |Advanced |Proficient |Adequate |Basic |

| |-Paper provides | - Paper creatively presents |- Attempts to present research|- Research missing OR not |

| |a creative & |research |creatively |creatively presented |

| |engaging interpretation of | | | |

|Content |this event/myth | | | |

|30 points | | | | |

| |- Presents research in 4 or |- Presents research in 3-4 |- Presents research in 3 or | - Presents research in 1 |

| |more genres that are |genres that are effectively |less genres that are organized|genre that is not fully |

| |effectively organized to |organized to present the |to present the content |developed |

|Genres |present the content |content | | |

|25 points | | | | |

| |- Cites more than 3 reliable |- Cites 3 reliable sources |- Cites 2 reliable sources |- Cites 1 reliable source or |

| |sources which relate to the |which relate to the topic |which relate to the topic |sources are not cited at all |

|Sources |topic | | | |

|10 points | | | | |

| |- Sources are cited without |- Sources are cited with very |- Sources are cited with |- Sources are cited |

|Parenthetical Citations |any mistakes using MLA format |few mistakes using MLA format |obvious mistakes using MLA |incorrectly OR missing |

|10 points | | |format | |

| |- Revision and editing process|- Revision and editing process|- Revision and editing process|- Revision and editing process|

|Grammar & Spelling Errors |is obvious |has left only a few errors in |has left more than a few |seems ineffective |

|15 points |- Paper is free of errors in |grammar, mechanics or spelling|errors in grammar, mechanics |- Errors in grammar, mechanics|

| |grammar, mechanics or spelling| |or spelling |or spelling are distracting |

|Effective use of work time |Failure to use the in-class work time effectively (doing other homework, playing online, etc) will result in a loss of |

|10 points |these ten points. |

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