mgah_sena_u8_WW_s.fm Page 864 Wednesday, May 2, 2007 3:52 PM
Multimedia Research Report
Introduction
In a multimedia research report, you combine an oral research report
with images and sounds from media, such as videotapes and DVDs,
slides, sound CDs, audiotape recordings, live music, photographs,
and fine art. A multimedia research report should have the
following characteristics:
For a review of the steps in
the writing process, see the
Historian’s Toolkit, Write Like
a Historian.
• an interesting topic for which you need to find outside information
• various media that add to or illustrate this information
• a thesis, or central idea, expressing an idea about the topic
• a clear, logical organization
• a conclusion that sums up what you learned
Assignment On the following pages, you will learn how to
create and present a multimedia research report. You will get stepby-step instructions. Each step will include an example from a
research report about President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Read the instructions and the examples. Then, follow each step
to plan and create a 10-minute multimedia research report:
Create a multimedia research report about one year during
the period between 1930 and 1962.
Prewriting
Choose and narrow a topic. You need to choose a topic for
which media items are available. These could include documentary
videos, live or recorded music, images of
paintings
and
sculpture,
news
Media Checklist for a Report on Franklin D. Roosevelt
photographs, and voice recordings.
Think about the amount of time you
Music and sound
“Happy Days Are Here Again”; other
effects
music from 1930s
have for your presentation, and narrow
your topic so that you can cover it in that
Audio speech
FDR’s first inaugural address; fireside chat
recordings
time.
Create a media checklist. Once
you have a topic, list the various kinds of
media that you could use to present
information about it. In the left column,
note each media category; and in the
right column, describe more specifically
the images and sounds you want to use.
864 Unit 8
Videos, film clips
Film clips from FDR’s first inaugural; “Day
of Infamy” speech after Pearl Harbor;
FDR’s funeral train with recorded spiritual,
“Goin’ Home”
Art and photographs
Still photos from FDR’s early life; news
photos of FDR and Mrs. Roosevelt,
FDR and Churchill
Interviews
Interview Grandma about her memories
mgah_sena_u8_WW_s.fm Page 865 Wednesday, May 2, 2007 2:18 PM
Research your topic. You will find media materials in many
places. Collections of libraries may include books of photographs,
videotaped documentaries, music, and audio voice recordings. The
Internet is also a good source, allowing you to locate items such as
newspaper pages, videotapes, and recordings. In addition, consider
recording interviews with people who have had firsthand experience
of your topic—for example, older relatives and neighbors.
Identify a thesis. Consider the information and materials you
have gathered, and write a thesis statement that expresses one main
idea about this topic. You should plan to present your thesis
statement early in your report. Consider using one or more of your
materials to underscore your thesis statement—for example, a
striking photograph or sound effect.
Drafting
Create an outline and organize your presentation.
Once you have gathered your information and materials, a detailed
outline will help you determine what you would like to cover in
your introduction and the various body paragraphs. It will also help
you decide which materials to include and when to introduce them.
Sample thesis statement:
Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s life
combined great optimism with
suffering, making him the right
man for a time of this country’s
great need.
Plan your delivery. Draft a script that adds details to your
outline. Indicate where you will be talking and where you will be
including media.
Your script should include practical
ltimedia presentation
Sample outline for a mu
instructions to yourself in italics and
on Franklin D. Roosevelt
brackets, such as click to next slide, pause
I. Introduction
for sound effect, or speak over music. You
lt’s
lt s life (photo)
A. Overview of Rooseve right man for a difficult
B. Thesis statement: theous quotation: “Th
can also help yourself by suggesting the
Thee only thing
time (recording of fam elf ” from FDR’s
s first
R
speaking volume, vocal inflections, and
we have to fear is fear its
inaugural address)
body language to use as you speak.
However, keep your presentation from
from
II. Body
to Eleanor (period music
A. Early years, marriage raphs; excerpt from
looking too “canned,” or unnatural, by
0ss;; photog
00
190
1890s –19
trying out various readings and gestures.
documentary)
about polio
List
your
sources
in
a
bibliography. Be sure to give credit to
all your sources. Where feasible, work such
citations into your presentation. In
addition, include a typed bibliography, in
alphabetical order, listing your sources and
where you found them.
(photographs
B. Polio and aftermath h of Roosevelt recovering;
rap
tog
pho
epidemics;
ary)
excerpt from document icap (music; photographs);
nd
ha
ing
ttl
ba
C. Optimism
winning presidency
programs, fireside chats
D. Presidency: New Dealdma)
an
(interview with Gr
raph)
III. Conclusion
tate thesis (final photog
A. Sum up research; res
Writing Workshop 865
mgah_sena_u8_WW_s.fm Page 866 Wednesday, May 2, 2007 2:19 PM
Model Script
Read the following model of a multimedia presentation on President
Franklin D. Roosevelt. Notice that it includes the characteristics you
have learned.
The italic words in
brackets tell when to
show a slide or play
audio or video.
Directions like these
will help you during
your presentation.
The script contains
the words you will
speak as you give
your presentation.
866 Unit 8
Model Script
[cue slide: Portrait of FDR from FDR Library] Franklin
Delano Roosevelt became President at one of the darkest
times in our history. [cue audio: “Happy Days Are Here
Again”] The United States was fortunate that the man
who took the oath of office on March 4, 1933, was an
optimist, but he had also suffered. As a result, he had the
qualities needed to rekindle Americans’ belief in themselves and their country.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt came from a privileged
New York family. [cue slides: Series of pictures of
Roosevelt as a boy, young man, marriage to Eleanor.] He
was a distant cousin of Theodore Roosevelt and married
TR’s niece, Eleanor. He held a series of jobs in the
government and had run for Vice President in 1920.
[cue video: Polio victims from the 1920s] FDR’s
privileged life came to an abrupt end when he was stricken
with polio just before turning 40. Many people expected
him to retire. However, Roosevelt was too active and
optimistic a man to give up. [cue slide: Franklin and
Eleanor after polio] He arranged for hydrotherapy
treatments in Warm Springs, Georgia, where he
established a clinic and where he swam to build his
upper-body strength. [cue video: Roosevelt at Warm
Springs] However, he never walked on his own again.
He won election as governor of New York in 1928.
In 1929, the stock market crashed, and the country was
plunged into the Great Depression. [cue video: Depression
breadlines and audio “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”]
In 1932, the Democrats nominated Roosevelt to
run for President. He won. His inaugural address told
Americans that they had not been beaten by the
Depression. [cue audio: Excerpt from inaugural address]
The thesis statement
appears at the
beginning of the
presentation.
mgah_sena_u8_WW_s.fm Page 867 Wednesday, May 2, 2007 2:19 PM
Revising
After completing your script, read it again carefully to find ways to
make your wording and presentation better. Here are some
questions to ask yourself:
Revise to clarify the sequence.
• Is the thesis clearly stated?
• Does each section of the report develop the thesis, supporting it
with facts, examples, and media?
• Does the conclusion tie up the presentation?
Revise to add and vary the media.
• Does the report balance the oral presentation and the various
media?
• Does the report use a variety of different media?
Practice and deliver your research report.
• Have you practiced your script so that you can read it in a
natural voice?
• Does all the equipment you are using work properly?
Rubric for Self-Assessment
Evaluate your multimedia research report using the following
rating scale:
Score 4
Score 3
Score 2
Score 1
Organization
Includes an effectively
ordered sequence of
information
Includes a reasonably
ordered sequence
of information but
includes some items
that are less relevant
Includes several media
items but not enough;
some media items are
not in logical order
Includes only one or
two media items, in
no logical order
Presentation
Smoothly combines
media items with
student’s explanation
and narration; uses
facts, examples, and
reasons intelligently
to support the thesis;
clearly links all
supporting items
to the thesis
Does not always
combine media items
with explanation and
narration smoothly;
links most but not
all supporting information to the thesis;
could use more
support
Awkwardly combines
media presentation
with student’s narration and explanation;
does not link information clearly to the
thesis
No effort to combine
media items with
student’s narration
and explanation;
fails to provide facts,
reasons, or examples
to support the thesis
Uses some variety in
sentence structure
and vocabulary
Uses the same types
of sentences without
varying them; repeats
words
Includes incomplete
sentences; uses
language poorly;
sounds confused
Use of Language Varies sentence
structure and vocabulary successfully
Writing Workshop 867