Multigenre

Research

Portfolio

Tentative Due Date: February 5

Research

Finding a Topic: For this paper, you may choose to do your research on any topic that fits under the umbrella of global issues. Remember, passion and purpose. Be informed, be aware, and be active. You are not too young to begin making a difference in the world!

Research: You must cite at least 4 sources in your final paper. That means that you may use more than four but not less. These sources must be from a variety of types and one of them must be a book. The librarian is a great resource for help, so make sure you bring your questions to him/her either at NEMS library or the county library. From there you can go to the computer, browsing through online journals and article indexes. Once you have a good idea of your topic, the internet will be a great tool for focused researching. Try to use both primary and secondary sources.

Primary sources: created at the time period you are researching. They include letters, newspaper articles, diary entries, etc.

Secondary sources: sources created after-the-fact that reflect on the event or time period. They often analyze the primary sources.

Research Logs: During your research and throughout the writing process, you will be keeping research logs, which you will turn in with your final paper. These logs will include the following:

Journal entries – every so often I will give you some time in class to reflect on your researching and writing processes. Here you can write about your frustrations, your triumphs, your questions and your interpretations. This is your chance to explain the choices you made in your research and writing.

(10 points each)

Research notes – your notes can take on any format that works for you: note cards, written or typed notes, or some other method

(40 points)

Other artifacts – any other notes, scraps of paper, prewriting activities, etc. that you use during the process of writing this paper.

Notes:

The Paper

Writer’s Purpose: Your job is to inform a body of readers about a specific topic using research to back up your writing. Make sure that your paper is full of important and useful information that comes out of your research.

Audience: You choose the audience that your paper speaks to. Depending on the genres and content, it could be an audience of a certain time period, culture or certain age level or simply a contemporary audience. Keep this in mind while you write. As it is a class assignment, your peers and teacher will be reading your paper.

Voice: Because you will be using a variety of genres, your voice will need to change to address each new component of your paper.

Notes:

Multigenre Research Portfolio

Section/Points PossibleDescription

1. Title PageThis cover page includes the following information:

(5 points)title

your name

the due date

teacher and class name

2. Annotated Table of ContentsThis will help the reader navigate your portfolio

(15 points)each genre is listed with a significant meaningful

title

Following each title will be a description

explaining the connection between the

piece and the topic

A reason why each genre was chosen

3. Expository IntroductionThis introduction will be the background information

(30 points)about your topic. This should include why your topic is important, and all of the different components you learned about your topic. Your

sources will need to be documented in this intro-

duction using MLA style.

4. Body (3 different genres)The body of your portfolio is composed of various pieces

(30 points; 10 pts each piece)you create to help your reader understand your

subject.

5. EpilogueThis is your conclusion and should be on its own page.

(10 points)Some aspects that you might include:

- how writing about this issue has changed your

perspective

-what you learned overall

-what you accomplished from his project overall

-any information that would help clarify anything that you wrote.

6. Works Cited PageThis is the list of sources you used in the writing of this

(10 points)project

MLA format should be used. See Panda for assistance.

Genre Choices

Group 1: Print Media
Newspaper article
Letter to the editor
Magazine article / Group 2: Creative Writing
Diary Entry
Song
Poem (many variations)
Short story
Travel journal
Series of emails
Eulogy
Personal Narrative / Group3: Informational
Interview
Speech
Will
Police Report
Letter
Book Review
Essay
Group 4: Visual
Ad
Travel brochure
Map
Collage of pictures/photographs / Mandatory:
Persuasive Piece
(Done after the research
project is due) / Notes:

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Please discuss this project with your parents then detach this bottom portion of this page, sign it and return it to me. We will be doing much of the research at school, but it is a good idea to try and get to the county library to continue doing the research. Throughout the next five weeks or so, you should be working on this diligently both during class time and at home.

I ______understand all of the requirements of

(your name)

this project. I have also discussed these requirements with my parents.

Student’s signature ______

Parent’s signature ______