ASSIGNMENT

SEMESTER COURSEANY 2011 COM 4000 DOCUMENT DESIGN

ANALYZING VISUAL RHETORIC THROUGH MULTIMODAL COMPOSITION

FREEDOM OF SPEECH INSTRUCTOR KAREN PRESSLEYTHEME

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Analyzing visual rhetoric through multimodal composition ASSIGNMENT PURPOSE & DESCRIPTION

Does a picture paint a "#sand words?

As writers and students of rhetoric, we respond to that question with this approach: “Visuals present an array of perspectives, often with as many ‘takes’ on a subject as there are viewers.” The language of visual rhetoric helps us to understand symbols that carry meaning, that persuade, or that point our thoughts in a direction. For example, on the cover slide of this assignment, you’ll see a variety of visuals that express “freedom of speech.” Do the visuals make arguments? What is your take on their meanings?

PURPOSE & DESCRIPTION:

This assignment involves analysis of visual rhetoric (see slide 9 for definitions of key words). Doing a rhetorical analysis will help you to understand how visual images attempt to convey meanings and change the thinking of the viewer. You will choose examples of images that convey the rhetorical theme “freedom of speech.” Then you will analyze how textual, visual, and/or aural components of the images work to persuade or move an audience.

The images you find online may be composed through a variety of technologies, modes, or channels of expression.

Composition includes not only words but pictures, layout, aural notes, presentation of pictures, and more. Modes of technology or channels of expression can include but are not limited to: Twitter, FaceBook, blogs, YouTube or other videos, cartoons, poster art, paintings or other artistic illustrations, photos, e-books, websites, hyperlinked maps, interactive pdfs, audio tracks, songs, radio talk show clips, TV broadcast news clips, etc.

This assignment requires specific readings from our three texts. It also draws from previous readings this semester. Both are essential to finish so you can do this assignment based on those readings. Well before you start your Webquest research, do the readings listed on slide #3.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Readings - visual analysis assignmentTHESE READINGS WILL BE DISCUSSED IN CLASS OVER FOUR WEEKSTO PREPARE FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT.

✍ TEXT: Document Design, by Miles A. Kimball and Ann R. Hawkins READ Ch. 3, “Theories of Design,” pp. 38-69. Be able to explain Visual Perception, Visual Culture, and Visual Rhetoric, and how these three elements relate to visual literacy. READ Ch. 5, “Pages,” pp. 114-149. Be able to explain how good page design creates meaning.

✍ TEXT: The Non-Designer’s Design & Type Books, by Robin Williams READ (from Book 2) Ch. 2, “Readability” and Ch. 3, “Legibility.” Be able to explain how and why these are essential factors in composing multimodal pages.

✍ TEXT: Everything’s an Argument. Andrea Lunsford, John Ruszkiewicz, Keith Walters READ Ch. 5, “Rhetorical Analysis,” pp. 95-116. Know the purpose of rhetorical analysis. READ “Examining a Rhetorical Analysis,” pp. 117-121. ________________________________________

PREVIOUS READINGS - This assignment also draws from materials studied earlier this semester:

✓ Document Design - Ch. 1, “What is Document Design?” and Ch. 2, “Principles of Design.”

✓ The Non-Designer’s Design & Type Books - Design Book Ch. 1, “The Joshua Tree Epiphany;” Ch. 2, “Proximity;” Ch. 3, “Alignment;” Ch. 4, “Repetition;” and Ch. 5, “Contrast: ” Section “Using Color,” pp. 91 - 106; Designing with Type, pp. 145 - 209.

✓ Everything’s An Argument - Chapters 1, “Reading Arguments;” Ch. 2, “Arguments Based on Emotion: Pathos;” Ch. 3, “Arguments Based on Character: Ethos;” and Ch. 4, “Arguments Based on Fact and Reason: Logos.”

✓ PowerPoint of Kenneth Burke and the Dramatist Pentad

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Assignment: Analyzing visual rhetoric through multimodal composition INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1. Do Webquest research to find four different visual images that depict the theme “freedom of speech.” Each image must be in a different medium. You can select from any media source such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or other videos, cartoons, poster art, paintings, illustrations, photos, e-books, websites, hyperlinked maps, interactive pdfs, audio tracks, songs, radio talk show clips, TV broadcast news clips, etc.

If you use a printed image, you must add another mode to make that image multimodal. For example, under a cartoon you could add a short caption with a hyperlink to a song, a recording, or some other mode that supports, explains, illustrates, or enhances your cartoon in some way. You could link the cartoon to an online website that describe the author’s work. Or, you could add a recording of your voice (or someone else’s voice) that interprets the cartoon. If you use four printed images for this project, they must be in different media, and must have different multimodal elements (i.e. not all videos, or not all voice recordings, etc.).

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Analyzing visual rhetoric through multimodal composition INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 2. Write a 150-word rhetorical analysis of each image. Your analysis must include answers to points a - f for each image: a. When you researched images that expressed “freedom of speech,” why did you select this image versus the other images you found? What does it mean to you?b. Who do you think is the target audience for this image? Why? What do you think it might mean to that audience?c. What genre or media mode is your example? What multimodal elements does it employ? How are the modes effective together? d. How does the aesthetic composition of the image help convey and enhance its meaning?e. Does the image make an argument? What does it claim? How is it or is it not persuasive?f. If there are words in the image, explain how they support, explain, clarify, or detract from the purpose of the image.

STEP 3. Represent each of your four images and text in a multimodal presentation format (Powerpoint, Prezi, webpage, interactive doc, Google Doc, etc.), one image per page/slide. Place your text on the slide/page of the image you’re describing. Use document design principles to create your pages.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Analyzing visual rhetoric through multimodal composition INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 4. Post your presentation to the class discussion thread. In the subject line, post your name and the name of your presentation. (After you post it, check it to ensure any links, audio, and moving pictures work correctly). If the student viewers need a particular program to view your presentation, state that when you make your post.

STEP 5. Respond to each of the student presentations in your group (three students). Post your response under each student’s presentation in the discussion thread. Your response must address the following points. Notate them a - g. a. Do the images clearly express “freedom of speech” or something else? Does the analysis clearly articulate the student’s view of the image’s argument? b. Does each image have a multimodal element? Are they effective together? Explain. c. Do you agree with the student’s analysis for the image’s target audience? Why or why not?d. Do you have a different perception of the images? Explain why you agree or disagree with the student’s perception of the images.e. Critique the student’s use of design principles in their document designs. Refer to specific design principles from the texts. f. If there are words in the image, do you agree with the student’s assessment of how they support, explain, clarify, or detract from the purpose of the image? Explain why or why not. g. Conclude with a summary statement of how well the student completed this assignment, and why.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Analyzing visual rhetoric through multimodal composition INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 6. Complete your rhetorical analysis in a five-page essay. Among other points you want to cover, discuss the ethos, logos, and pathos you found in the visual, textual, and aural elements within the images you presented. Your essay should minimally comprise the following:

a. The introduction should briefly describe a summary of the visual images you presented, and include a thesis statement about the visual rhetoric of the images.

b. At least one paragraph should explore these images in the context of analyzing visual rhetoric as a thinking process in a visually dominated world where we must be able to recognize and understand meanings.

c. Several body paragraphs should explore the elements of ethos, logos, and pathos of each of the images.

d. Other paragraphs should contrast and compare design elements in the images, drawing from readings in your design texts.

e. Express your thoughts about whether the images left out important details, included extraneous details, misconstrued the message, violated design principles, and/or their effectiveness at portraying “freedom of speech.”

f. Explain the design principles you used to create your four document designs.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

References

Booth, Wayne. “The Rhetorical Stance.” College Composition and Communication 14, 1963. Print.

Burke, Kenneth. A Rhetoric of Motives. New York: Prentice Hall, 1950. Print.

Kimball, Miles A. and Ann R. Hawkins. Document Design: A Guide for Technical Communicators. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008. Print.

Lunsford, Andrea A., John Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. Everything’s An Argument. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. Print.

What is Visual Rhetoric? English Department. Purdue University. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/729/01. Accessed 14 April 2011.

Williams, Robin. The Non-Designer’s Design & Type Books. Berkeley, CA.: Peachpit Press, 2008. Print.

References for key terms are listed on slide #10.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

How visual rhetoric fits into literacy

SOURCE: What is Visual Rhetoric? http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/729/01/. Accessed 4/12/2011.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Definitions of key termsRhetoric - Language used to influence others through communication and induce them to cooperation (Kenneth Burke 43). A rhetorical stance is negotiated among three elements: “the available arguments about the subject itself, the interests and peculiarities of the audience, and the voice, the implied character, of the speaker” (Wayne Booth 141). Rhetoric focuses on the relationships among a speaker/writer (rhetorician), the rhetorician’s goals, and the people to whom s/he is speaking (Kimball and Hawkins ).

Visual literacy - The ability to recognize and understand ideas conveyed through visible actions or images (as pictures). http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/visual%2Bliteracy

Visual rhetoric - An element of visual literacy (along with visual thinking and visual learning). Visual rhetoric uses images as argument; arrangements of elements on a page; use of typography (fonts, etc.), analysis of existing images and visuals. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/691/01/

Rhetorical analysis - A form of close reading or criticism that employ the principles of rhetoric to examine the interactions betweena text, an author, and an audience. May be applied to any text or image. Regards the work as an artistically structured instrument for communication. http://grammar.about.com/od/rs/g/Rhetorical-Analysis-term.htm

Rhetoric of a document - “The rhetoric of the whole document arises from its place in the user’s life and experiences. In this sense, what matters isn’t just the document itself but the ecology in which it’s used - the physical environment of the user. Two ecological factors are especially important: The occasion of use, and the conditions of use” (Kimball and Hawkins 74-75).

Rhetorical situation: Refers to any set of circumstances that involves at least one person using some sort of communication (oral, written, visual, aural) to modify the perspective of at least one other person. In this context, “rhetoric” means any communication used to modify the perspectives of others. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/625/01/

Composition - The act or process of composing, specifically, arrangement into specific proportion or relation and especially into artistic form; the production of type or typographic characters arranged for printing; a product of mixing o combining various elements or ingredients; an intellectual creation, as a piece of writing, a piece of music, a piece of art. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/composition?show=0&t=1303403283

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Sunday, June 5, 2011