Social Issues Multi-Genre Project

What is a Multi-Genre Research Project?

It is a gathering of sections/pieces written in an assortment of genres based on research of a
specific topic that displays information in a unique and visual way to your audience. Essentially,
you conduct research on a topic, learn as much as you can about it, and then put that
information into different genres of writing. It is a personal, creative project that is completed
individually. You as the writer and architect of the project make conscious decisions about what
information is significant and how it should be presented to the reader.
Topic:
Elie Wiesel's purpose in writing Night was to inform the audience of the atrocities of the
Holocaust. The purpose of this project is for you to inform others about a topic you have chosen
to research. Research a global human rights issue and then you will inform us of its impact on
humanity and and then you are to challenge your audience to address/stop the human rights
issue based upon your research in a proposal format. As with our last research assignment the
Integrity paper, you should choose a topic, conduct preliminary research, and then narrow your
topic to a specific focus, and ultimately write a specific, concise, and narrow thesis. Consider this
example:
Topic: Human Trafficking
Question: What is human trafficking's impact on American women and how can it be prevented
in the United States?
Thesis: Human trafficking is a modern day slavery industry that impacts
approximately 800,000 American women and girls and can be prevented with the help
of law enforcement and humanitarian organizations.
Purpose:
Writing is thinking, and with presenting the information in a different way; we are
stretching our minds to examine a question and to answer it with our imagination and
capturing the story in different ways.
The Holocaust was a violation of basic human rights for varying groups of people. The
goal of this project is to learn and research a human rights violation or conflict and

then share what you have learned in a unique and interesting way to others and to
propose a way to stop this human rights violation.

Sources:
You are required to use a minimum of five sources for this project . These sources must be
published and credible print or online sources. There is a wealth of information in the JHS library
and in the databases that will assist you in composing a quality paper.
What is a genre?
A genre is a type or category of writing made up of:
Main- genres: Fiction (imagined) and Nonfiction (factual)
Sub- genres: Mystery, romance and Sci-Fi (style)
Genre Forms: Short story, poem, diary, play (set-up)

What does a multi-genre project consist of?

Anchor Piece: Nonfiction
Anchor pieces are longer writings that contain detailed information. These longer pieces
are complete and whole. They should be 1-2 pages long.
They contain descriptions, details, imagery, and can stand alone without anything else
necessary to explain them. Think of this as a mini-research paper on your topic that
explains to the reader the question you are asking and they should include textual
evidence from websites and books.
They should be clearly connected to smaller works, or snapshots.
You will have three written pieces in your project: The Introductory Letter, the
expository essay and the proposal.
Snapshots: Nonfiction AND/OR FICTION
A snapshot is not the whole story or picture, only one picture or one piece of it. Together
they tell they connect and tell the story/provide creative answers to your question.
These creative pieces are meant to be shorter companion pieces that add to the collection
by providing additional points of view, imagery, opinion, or whatever else you might want
to add.
Good snapshot pieces can be dialogues, scripts, point of view pieces, diary or journal entry
(only 1 entry), articles, recipes, poems and many others.

Creative Elements:
Art: Collages, Illustrations, photographs, and maps/ charts
Bibliography: You will need to include a list of references and sources you used to gather
information in MLA format at the end of your Multi- Genre Project.
**All projects will have a title page with brief introduction and table of contents

Part 1: The Introductory Letter

Due:___________________

The introductory letter is a reflection. That means that its informal, and its supposed to show
what you have been thinking about as you worked on this project. Give the reader a glimpse into
your writing process. Be sure to include your thesis in your introductory letter. Below is a list of
ideas you might want to consider for your introductory letter:
o

Why did you choose your subject?

Are you still happy with your choice?

What was the most challenging aspect of completing this assignment?

Are there things you wish you would have done differently?

Are you particularly proud of some part of your paper?

If you had another week to work on it, what would you do?

What should the reader know before they begin your paper?

What did you do to try to achieve unity?

What did you learn during this project?

How did you prove your thesis to be true?

Although your introductory letter is the first thing your readers will see, it should be composed
after everything else is finished. Consider your introductory letter as a type of writing process
narrative.
Length: 1 page minimum
Part 2: Genres

Due:___________________

Complete the three anchor options from Group 6 nonfiction (these are a MUST and you
need to include all three in your project.) Make sure the textual evidence is written in
correct MLA format (Wiesel 54).
Pick FIVE Snapshot options from Groups 1-5 (two need to be nonfiction). ** For each of the five
Snapshot genres, you need to include a credible source that connects it to your topic.
**

Each genre has its own purpose, voice, and audience. Choose your genres wisely; they should
work to develop the overall message of your project. Consider your purpose, your audience, and
the content and choose a genre that will best develop your topic.

Group 1: Print Media

Snapshot Option
(Nonfiction)

Newspaper article

Obituary/Tribute

Magazine article

Public Service
announcement

Letter to the editor

Letter to politician

Group 4: Information
Artifacts (Nonfiction)
Snapshot Option

Group 2: Visual With Words

Snapshot Option

Poster

Collage with
explanation

Group 3: Visual Display

Snapshot Option

Picture/photograph
with explanation

Graph/chart with
explanation

Cartoon/Comic strip

Political/editorial
cartoon

Drawing/Illustration
with explanation

Critique of
art/photo/propagand
a with explanation

Map with key

Postcard

Brochure

Scrapbook page

Pamphlet

Magazine cover

Graffiti art with

explanation

Group 5 Anchor/Snapshot
Option

Diary or journal entry

Group 6 Anchor Option

Structured Expository
Writing Nonfiction (THESE
MUST BE INCLUDED)

Interview

Letter (s)

Introductory Letter

Timeline

Eulogy

Speech

Family Tree

Poem (many
variations!)

Inner/Outer Dialogue
representing internal

Expository essay that

explains your topic
with a thesis,
structure and textual
evidence from
credible sites

conflict

Song lyrics
representing your
theme or write your
own song with music

Proposal-- How can

this human rights
issue be stopped? You
will need to research
this aspect as well.

Remember, you must write in at least six different genres. Make sure that the information
placed in your genres is substantial. That means, develop each of your genres so that
it has substance. If you fear that you may not have included enough substance, then
add more genres or lengthen the ones you have. Use good judgment here! Each
genre must add new, relevant information to your project.

Part 4: Annotated Bibliography

Due:___________________

An annotated bibliography is simply a works cited page that includes a short summary of each
source you used along with the MLA citation. Here is what a few entries from an annotated
bibliography would look like:
Apple: iPhone Sold Out. CNN.com. Cable News Network, 12 May 2008. Web. 12 April 2010.
This is where you type a short summary of the article. Try to hit the main points it
makesyoure trying to show that you both read and understood the article. Its OK
to quote material here, just not too muchand make sure you give a page number
if its from an actual book or paper magazine. A formal annotated bibliography
would only summarize the information. You are describing the source, the
information the source provides, and why this source is was chosen as one of the
sources for your project.
Gelfand, Lou. Episode on Campaign Trail Illustrates the Fine Line Journalists Must Observe.
Star Tribune. Star Tribune, 27 Jan 2008. Web. 12 April 1010. This is not a formal
annotated bibliography. Because it
reaction to the information, reflections

is not formal, you may also include your personal

commenting on what you learned, and how

this information connects to the rest of your information.

Film Noir. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Web. 12 May 2008.

You may also want to comment on the reliability of the source. Why did you use it?
What makes it

reliable? One last thing to notice is that not all entries aren't

necessarily the same length. Some

may only be a short paragraph long; others may be

paragraphs, or even a page long. By the way,

did you notice the indented and

double spaced formatting? Dont forget to format these correctly!

Remember:
o
o

12 point, Times New Roman, citations are double spaced

MLA formatting

Create a hanging indent for the bibliography

Create a inch indent for the summary

The entries are alphabetized and formatted just like a regular bibliography

Youre trying to show what research youve done and what youve learned from it!

Look up your formatting questions in a MLA style guide

You must include a minimum of five sources

You are expected to have a complete annotation for each source

What is unity and why is it important in a multi-genre paper?

The Oxford Dictionary of Current English defines unity as oneness; being one; interconnected
parts constituting a whole.
A multi-genre paper can be hard for a reader to understand because at first it may seem like
each genre is separate from the others. But a multi-genre paper is not just an anthology of
separate piecesit is one paper that has many interconnected parts that together create a
whole. The writer (thats you) needs to work hard at making the parts fit togetherso that the
paper makes sense.
How can I achieve unity in my multi-genre research project?
There are a number of ways a writer can make a multi-genre paper fit together. They include:
repetend, repeated images, a running commentary, and design choices.
Repetend
Repetend is defined by Tom Romano as unexpected repetition of a word, phrase, or short
section of writing. The repeated section isnt a random choiceit should be something very
important to your overall point. It might show up in each of your genres or most of your genres.
Sometimes it is obvious and sometimes it is subtle.
Repeated Images
Sometimes instead of repeating a word or a phrase, you might repeat an image (use words to
create that image) important to your paper.
Running Commentary

You might introduce each genrewriting either as yourself or as a character that you create. If
you use a character, it should make sense with your topic and genres you have chosen.
Design Choices
Design can also hold your project together. This can work in small or large ways. Some small
ways might be a relevant border or picture on each page. Think about font choicesshould
everything be in the same style, or will you choose different fonts that work for each genre?
Should each genre be formatted in the same way?
Tying It All Together
You will be creating your Multi-Genre project in an online format using a Weebly
webpage and it will essentially look almost like a blog when you are finished, with
each page being an anchor piece or a snap shot piece.
**You will be uploading the Anchor pieces along with the annotated bibliography to
Turnitin.com along with Weebly and any snapshots that you have written need to be
uploaded as well.**

SCHEDULE: MULTI-GENRE RESEARCH

ASSIGNMENT
YOU WILL HAVE SCHEDULED TIME TO WORK ON YOUR MULTI-GENRE PROJECT IN THE LIBRARY, IN COMPUTER LABS OR
WITH LAPTOPS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. USE YOUR TIME WISELY AND HAVE FUN AND BE CREATIVE WITH
THIS PROJECT AND COMPLETE IT IN THE COMPUTER LABS AS YOU HAVE AMPLE TIME. AS YOU SEE BELOW, THERE
ARE VARIOUS DUE DATES THROUGHOUT THE WEEKS THAT YOU WILL WANT TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO. YOUR TIME
IS ALREADY CHUNKED SO THIS SHOULD HELP YOU KEEP ON TRACK. **IF YOU CHOOSE TO NOT USE YOUR TIME WISELY
IN THE COMPUTER LAB, YOU ARE SUBJECT TO GET POINTS DEDUCTED FROM YOUR OVERALL PROJECT.**
Thursday, March 19: In computer lab research to introduce project and topics; brainstorm possible topic choices
Friday, March 20: In computer lab; working on topics and thesis statements THESIS STATEMENT DUE BY THE END
OF THE PERIOD
Monday, March 23: In computer lab; time to begin researching sources
Tuesday, March 24: In computer lab; working on sources annotated bibliography
Wednesday, March 25: In computer lab; working on sources annotated bibliography *ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
DUE AT THE END OF THE PERIOD
Thursday, March 26: In computer: working on Expository Anchor piece
Friday, March 27: In computer: working on Expository Anchor piece
SPRING BREAK

Monday, April 6: In computer: working on Expository Anchor piece * EXPOSITORY ANCHOR PIECE DUE BY THE END
OF THE PERIOD SUBMITTED TO TURNITIN.COM
Tuesday, April 7: In computer lab; working on genres
Wednesday, April 8: In computer lab; working on genres
Thursday, April 9: In computer lab; working on genres * GENRES DUE AT THE END OF THE PERIOD
Friday, April 10: In computer lab; working on Introductory Letter and Proposal
Monday, April 13: In computer lab; working on Introductory Letter and Proposal; *INDUCTORY LETTER AND
PROPOSAL DUE TO TURNITIN.COM BY THE END OF THE PERIOD
Tuesday, April 14: Work to create Weebly Blog
Wednesday, April 15: Work to create Weebly Blog
Thursday, April 16: Work to create Weebly Blog *WEEBLY BLOG IS DUE BY THE END OF THE PERIOD

LIST OF POTENTIAL IDEAS FOR PROJECT

HOLOCAUST THEMED TOPICS
Psychology of The Holocaust
German prejudice and propaganda
The Victim Triangle (Victim, Perpetrator and Bystander) in the Holocaust and the camps
The Bystander Effect and its relation to the Holocaust
How did tolerance/intolerance lead to the Holocaust?
Elie Wiesel
Warnings that Moshe the Beadle foretoldwhy didnt Elie and family listen?
Wiesel's loss of faith and transformation as he endured the Holocaust
Wiesels message of peace to humanity
Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1986-- why did he win the Nobel and how does it relate back to his experiences in the
Holocaust?
The Holocaust
Holocaust = genocide
Life in the ghettos
Examining the other 6 million non-Jews that were a part of Hitlers Final Solution
Examining other famous Holocaust survivors and their stories Ex. Anne Frank, Simon Wisanthal, Eric Vogel, Eva Schloss,
Eva Kor, Martin Greenfield, Mary Berg
Early stages of laws and persecution for the Jews

Examine KristallnachtThe Night of Broken Glass

Liberation from the campsexperiences of American and Russian soldiers
Dictatorship under the Third Reich
The Resistance Movements
Jewish Resistance Fighters ex. Jewish Fighting Organization (Zydowska Organizacja Bojowa)
Non-Jewish Resistance Fighters (Danish Resistance and the French Resistance among others)
Examine the underground networks run by Catholic clergy and lay Catholics saved thousands of Jews in France, Belgium,
and Italy
The story of the Danish Jews and how many Danish non-Jews worked together to hide them in German-occupied
Denmark and were said to be saved by Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz
The Role of Good Samaritans
The story of Good Samaritans that risked their lives to save and help Jews; ex. Miep Gies, Irene Sendler, Girgio Perlasca,
Frank Foley, Oskar Schindler and Raoul Wallenberg and are just a few of the more well- known Good Samaritans
The Children of The Holocaust
The role of the Kindertransport in saving the lives of many Jewish children
Examining the hidden children of the Holocaust
Art/Music from The Holocaust
Artwork, Stolen Art, Poetry, Literature, and Music of the Holocaust
The Monuments Men in charge of retrieving stolen Jewish artwork in Europe during the war
The life of Nellie Toll, who become an artist as a child in the Holocaust-- Massillon Museum
Examine the artists and art of Holocaust victims-- http://art.holocaust-education.net
The Aftermath of the Holocaust
The Nuremberg Trials and the consequences of the actions of the Nazis
Vital lessons learned from the Holocaust

HUMAN RIGHTS TOPICS

Modern Genocides
Genocide in Darfur (Sudan)
Syria
Al-Anfal Genocide (Kurds)
Past Acts of Genocide
Armenian Genocide
Bosnian Genocide
Rwandan Genocide
Modern Oppression
Apartheid in South Africa
North Korea
Militias in Central African Republic
ISIS
Women's rights in the Middle East or Africa
Worker's rights in Europe
Global Conflict and War
Israel vs. Palestine
The Arab Spring

Russia vs. Ukraine

North Korea vs. the world
Humanitarian Crises
Human Trafficking
Migrant workers in the United States
Famine in Africa
Lack of clean water in Africa
The Taliban not letting girls attend school in Pakistan or Afghanistan (the fight for global education)
One- Child Policy in China
The corruption of the Haitian government after the 2010 earthquake
**These are just a few ideas for you to choose from! If you have an original idea, it needs to be approved by the
teacher before you can begin researching. **