Lesson 3

• Multimodal Texts


  Combination of two or more modes such as written language, spoken language, visual (still and moving image), audio, gestural, and spatial meaning
• Five Semiotic Systems

  • Linguistic
  • Visual
  • Audio
  • Gestural
  • Spatial
• Linguistic


  Comprising aspects such as vocabulary, generic structure and the grammar of oral and written language
• Linguistic aspects


  • Vocabulary
  • Metaphor
  • Structure
  • Various Modes
• Visual


  Comprising aspects such as colour, vectors and viewpoint in still and moving images
• Visual aspects

  • Colour
  • Perspective
  • Vectors
  • Foreground
  • Background
• Audio


  Comprising aspects such as volume, pitch and rhythm of music and sound effects
• Audio aspects


  • Voice
  • Music
  • Sound Effects
• Gestural


  Comprising aspects such as movement, speed and stillness in facial expression and body language
• Gestural aspects


  • Behavioural
  • Senses
  • Body Control
  • Emotion
  • Kinesics
• Spatial


  Comprising aspects such as proximity, direction, position of layout and organisation of objects in space
• Spatial aspects


  • Ecosystem
  • Geographical
  • Architectural
• Types Of Multimodal Texts

  • Simple Multimodal Texts
  • Live Multimodal Texts
  • Complex Digital Multimodal Texts
• Simple Multimodal Texts


  Comics/graphic novels, picture books, newspapers, brochures, print advertisements, posters, storyboards, digital slide presentations (e.g. PowerPoint), e-posters, e-books, and social media. Meaning is conveyed to the reader through varying combinations of written language, visual, gestural, and spatial modes. Podcasts are also simple to produce, involving combinations of spoken language, and audio modes.
• Live Multimodal Texts


  Include dance, performance, oral storytelling, and presentations. Meaning is conveyed through combinations of various modes such as gestural, spatial, audio, and oral language.
• Complex Digital Multimodal Texts


  Live action films, animations, digital stories, web pages, book trailers, documentaries, music videos. Meaning is conveyed through dynamic combinations of various modes across written and spoken language, visual (still and moving image), audio, gesture (acting), and spatial semiotic resources. Producing these texts also requires skills with more sophisticated digital communication technologies.
• Evaluating Messages


  The importance of evaluating the effectiveness of our messages is by developing and using strategic questions to identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Four Main Qualities of an Effective Message

  • Simplicity
  • Specificity
  • Structure
  • Stickiness
• Simplicity


  Is my purpose evident? Is my core message clear?
• Specificity


  Is my language specific? Is my language concrete, rather than abstract? Am I using words which have additional meanings and could perhaps be misconstrued?
• Structure


  Does my message have a structure? Is there a more effective way to arrange my ideas?
• Stickiness


  Does my message ring a bell? How will my message retain in the minds of the visitors or clients?
• Evaluating Images


  It is important to critically evaluate images you use for research, study and presentation images should be evaluated like any other source, such as journal articles or books, to determine their quality, reliability and appropriateness. Visual analysis is an important step in evaluating an image and understanding its meaning and also.
• Three Steps in Evaluating an Image

  • Identifying Source
  • Interpret contextual information
  • Understand implications
• Guide to analyse and evaluate Image

  • Content analysis
  • Visual analysis
  • Contextual information
  • Image source
  • Technical quality
• Content Analysis


  What do you see? What is the image all about? Are there people in the image? What are they doing? How are they presented? Can the image be looked at different ways? How effective is the image as a visual message?
• Visual Analysis


  How is the image composed? What's in the Background and what is in the Foreground? What are the most important visual?
• Image Source


  Where did you find the image? What information does the source provide about the origins of the image? Is the source reliable and trustworthy? Was the image found in an image database or was it being use in another context to convey meaning?
• Technical Quality


  Is the image large enough to suit your purposes? Are the color, light and balance, true? Is the image a quality digital image without pixelation or distortion? Is the image in a file format you can use?
• Contextual Info


  What information accompanies the image? Does the text change how you see the image? How? Is the textual information intended to be factual and inform or is it intended to influence what and how you see? What kind of context does the information provide? Does it answer the questions where, how and why?
• Key Concepts in Evaluating Images and Messages

  • All media messages are "constructed".
  • Media have embedded values and point of view.
  • Each person interprets messages differently.
  • Media have commercial, ideological or political interest.
  • Media messages are constructed using a creative language having its own rules.
• All media messages are "constructed".
• Media have embedded values and point of view.
• Each person interprets messages differently.
• Media have commercial, ideological or political interest.
• Media messages are constructed using a creative language having its own rules.