The Elizabethan Magazine

Mr. Fox / Honors English 9

THE ELIZABETHAN MAGAZINE

T

his famous magazine project offers you the opportunity to learn more about the time period of Romeo and Juliet and produce your findings in a creative format. Your task will be to concentrate on a specific aspect of life in Elizabethan (latter half of the 1500’s) England, Italy, and/or other relevant countries and produce an original magazine that theoretically would be sold during Shakespeare’s times. Obvious suggestions for subjects include fashion, politics, philosophy/religion, art, drama, music, architecture, games, special interest groups, business, or transportation. You MAY NOT create a magazine for the general public (like PEOPLE, TIME, or NEWSWEEK); it defeats the purpose of thorough research on one subject. Your goal will be to become an expert in your field. Naturally, you will enjoy your time more if your subject interests you.

You may work individually or with one other student. If you choose to work in pairs, the requirements will be adjusted accordingly. Only choose this option if you think you can find a good partner that will work well with you. Additionally, you must have one computer expert and one non-computer expert in your pair.

THE REQUIREMENTS:

1. A COVER that includes an eye-catching picture, title, and any other appropriate information, such as price, date, inviting information on the articles, etc.

2. Something on the BACK COVER. (Most magazines put an ad in this prime location.)

3. A TABLE OF CONTENTS, perhaps with pictures, divisions (e.g. "features"), and/or descriptive invitations to read the articles.

4. At least TWO INFORMATIONAL ARTICLES (four for pairs). All articles MUST demonstrate that you did research; the articles allow you to use what you have learned. 500 words minimum per article; at least one should be longer.

5. At least ONE FEATURE ARTICLE OR EDITORIAL (two for pairs) which can be more creative (creative interview, short story, persuasive opinion page, etc.).

6. Accurate PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTATION of all ideas, quotations, etc. you got from your research.

7. At least TWO ADVERTISEMENTS (four for pairs). Ads must be for original products that you create and may not copy any contemporary slogans or brand names.

8. Create a WORKS CITED page from your research. Make at least one library run and use two different book sources. AVOID ENCYCLOPEDIAS! Use Internet research as well. For each internet site, include a sentence on why this site was a quality site to use. No list of works cited? No Grades!

9. Your name must appear in the magazine (perhaps as the editor, etc.)

THE GRADES: This project will earn FOUR MAJOR GRADES in the following categories:

1. WRITING ABILITY (this grade will be DOUBLED)

2. USE OF CITATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

2. CREATIVITY

3. POLISH

Naturally, you will want to produce a high quality product, so do not procrastinate! This will be our main homework for the next two weeks, so take some time to plan ahead, prepare a schedule, and stick to it! You will share you, and I will supply many samples of previous students' work for you to peruse. Since we have little time, don’t worry about making this look like a magazine – stapled computer paper is fine. However, do polish your writing. As always, ask any questions you may have; write them down when you think of them so that I can address them in class.

PRESENT TO CLASS THURS./FRI 5-26& 27 DUE FRIDAY 5-27

ABSOLUTELY NO LATE MAGAZINES ACCEPTED AFTER TUESDAY 5-31!

Thanks to Mrs. Swoveland at Torre Pines for the assignment.

SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS

FOR YOUR ARTICLES:

· Add VARIETY; choose from the following categories (or invent your own):

1. Interview an "expert" in the field, creating insightful answers

2. "How To...."

3. Analyze recent events, especially controversial ones

4. Write a play review (Romeo and Juliet, perhaps?)

5. Document a “recently found” journal or diary from someone famous as a biography

6. Write a review of a new clothing line, restaurant, or business.

· Don't make your articles of the same category, style, or tone.

· NEVER retell an old story. Instead, consider interviewing the participants or their parents, or making up what happened next in the people’s lives; perhaps have a family member write a guest column after the event, etc.

· Do make sure the articles are appropriate for your targeted audience.

· Use bigger, bolder print for headlines, titles, and any quotations that are set off for emphasis.

· Break up the printed page somehow: use columns (two or three work best), insert a key quotation in the middle of the page to grab attention, include pictures with appropriate captions, etc.

· NEVER WRITE THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR REQUIREMENTS: "The History of..." (e.g. "The History of the Revolution"), biographies, recipes, horoscopes, advice columns. If you really want to write one of these articles, do it as an embellishment, not to meet your requirements.

· Let there be no doubt in the reader's mind that you researched. Use parenthetical citations.

· If an article is continued on a page at the end of the magazine be sure to have the correct page number, and an appropriate heading.

· Do not use only one research source for any given article. Get lots of information from several sources and then synthesize it into an informative but informal article. Make sure to use parenthetical references from more than one article. Your bibliography will have to reveal how many sources you used for each article (and the pages from the book you used; document as you go).

FOR YOUR ADVERTISEMENTS:

· Set them apart visually from the articles.

· Make them look different from each other; they should not have the same visual appeal or format.

· Create unique products; use your imagination!

· Create unique slogans for your products.

· Design the ad carefully; manipulate how the eye travels as it views the page.

· As with articles, make ads appropriate to the targeted audience.

FOR YOUR FEATURES AND EDITORIALS:

· Write a short story, skit, or series of poems.

· Conduct a celebrity interview (without the research – you need not have citations)

· Create some striking visual art

· Create a fun page of games, puzzles, and cartoons

· Write a ‘Dear Abby’-style advice column

· An Editorial or Opinion page

Mr. Fox Name __________________________________

Honors English 9

THE ELIZABETHAN MAGAZINE GRADING SHEET

Verify that you have met the requirements for the project by completing this form.

Title of the Magazine: ______________________________________________________________________

Cover page? Back Cover? Table of Contents? _____________________________

Editorial? Give its title and page number _______________________________________________________

List (1) the titles of your articles, (2) their starting page number, and (3) the number of words in each article (use “word count” under “tools” on your computer).

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

List your advertisements:

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Feature Article or Editorial:

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Fun Page? List its title and page number. ________________________________________________________

Did you include a list of Works Cited? Did you include a sentence explaining why you thought your internet site was reliable?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

How well did you utilize parenthetical citations? Did you use multiple sources for each article?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

THE GRADES

WRITING ABILITY (20) ______________

CREATIVITY (10) ___________________

USE OF CITATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY (10) __________

POLISH (10)_____

SOME FINAL WORDS ON GRADING

THE REVOLUTIONARY MAGAZINE

W

hen I read your magazine, I will read it for pleasure, not to criticize your content per se (as I do in analytical essays). I sincerely hope that it will earn A's in all categories; however, I will have to lower the grade if I find any of the following problems. Avoid these pitfalls, and you will have a higher grade! And, as always, be sure to ask if you have any questions.

THE WRITING ABILITY GRADE

· NEVER should it sound as though I'm reading a book or a text. The articles should read informally, with lots of first person, chatty language, keeping in mind your targeted audience. Speak directly to the reading public.

· More than five consecutive words from ANY source is considered copying. This will destroy your grade.

· Use several research sources for your articles, then synthesize the information. This will help you avoid copying or paraphrasing.

· Make it sound CONTEMPORARY; if it sounds "old" it will be bad. Remember, the events have theoretically just taken place; make it sound as though you are alive during this exciting time period!

· No variety also hurts. You certainly don't want to read a magazine with three interviews and two short stories. Give us several different kinds of articles!

· Articles that are too short are not interesting. We WANT to learn from them. You will be required to calculate the approximate number of words in each article to prove that you have met the requirement.

· DO nod your head to this exciting period; the revolution is going on!

· DO NOT have any historical inaccuracies; be especially careful with dates.

· DO NOT write biographies or retell the history of anything. Find a creative gimmick to present the information!

THE CREATIVITY GRADE

· If articles are uninteresting and artistically dull, they will be boring. Find creative ways to impart your information.

· No variety in the approach will drop the grade; if everything looks and sounds the same, it, again, is boring.

· Ads that look the same will also hurt. Be sure to make them look as if different agencies created them.

· Ads that are not interspersed well throughout the magazine will look unprofessional.

· You do not have to be artistically talented to get high creativity grades; this grade will be based on how creative you are with your approach, and how well you handle what talent you do have.

· Try to incorporate a theme, logo, or design quality that adds continuity to the magazine.

THE OVERALL PRODUCTION GRADE

· BLANK SPACE!!! Have NO blank pages, columns, etc. Remember that magazines SELL this space. Fill it up with pictures (for the articles) and ads. The back cover SHOULD have an ad.

· Article titles should look like titles—in typeface that stands out from the article itself.

· Inappropriate pictures or graphics are inexcusable. EVERY picture should fit the revolutionary time period. Be VERY careful of using contemporary pictures from today's magazines, especially ones with humans in them. Also avoid computer graphics, as they do not look like “old.”

· Shoddy workmanship really hurts. Don't let it look as though you did it at the last minute.

· Pencil, of course, is a no-no, unless it's colored pencil used for artistic reasons.

· Have a variety of pictures; don’t have all computer-generated ones, but get some from magazines, etc.