As you develop your own multimodal project, you’ll want to keep genre, features, purpose, audience, and meaning in mind, just as you do when you analyze. Think about questions like these as you plan and compose:
Genre: What kind of composition do you plan to create? A video? A Web site? A poster with images and written words? (Depending on the genre, you may need to budget more time for the assignment, brush up on technical skills, or collaborate with others.)
Features: What kinds of images, colors, design elements, fonts, and type treatments are appropriate for your composition? What would make your composition most effective? Adding voiceover narration or including information in callout boxes, for example?
Purpose and audience: What does your composition need to do? Does it need to inform, instruct, argue, entertain, or persuade? Whom does it need to reach? Novices who need basic information? Experts who need to see detailed support? Children who would respond well to a colorful presentation? People who agree or disagree with you?
Meaning: What message do you want to convey? What is the goal of your project? How do your chosen genre and features help you achieve your purpose and reach your audience?
Keep in mind that you may not be able to answer all of these questions before you begin gathering information and drafting. The answers you come up with early on may change as you investigate your topic and begin to build your project. It’s a good idea to revisit these questions throughout your composing process.
Two students' projects are featured in the following pages. Alyson D'Amato's informative Web site, "Loose Leaf Teas," and Marisa Williamson's video essay, "To the Children of America," illustrate the advice given in those sections.
Related topics:
Getting direction from the assignment
Considering the “So what?” question
Understanding expectations and managing your time