Evaluating Messages in Texts

Evaluating Messages and Images of Different Types of Texts

• The presentation is about evaluating different types of texts, including messages and images.
• Learning objectives include evaluating messages and images, employing semiotic systems to understand multimodal texts, and practicing critical reading and listening.
• Texts serve as a means of communication and are important in any course.
• Characteristics of texts include understanding author's intent, social purpose, structure, writing quality, subject matter, vocabulary, language choices, reading level, and surface features.

Learning Objectives

• Students must be able to evaluate messages and images of different types of texts.
• Students need to use various semiotic systems to understand multimodal texts.
• Students should practice critical reading and listening skills.

Texts

• Texts are vital for communication and are essential for any course.
• Texts often share characteristics including the author's intention, the text's purpose, its structure, and how well it is written.
• Other key characteristics include subject matter, vocabulary, language choices, reading level, and other surface features

Evaluating Messages and Images

• Evaluating messages involves an interaction with the evaluator critically reading print-based or multimodal texts.
• Print-based texts are created with print, but any printed text is considered multimodal because it often uses different communication modes.
• Multimodal texts include combinations of communication modes, for example, print, image, spoken text found in many presentations, etc

Multimodal Texts

• Multimodal texts use two or more communication modes.
• The use of multimodal texts requires individuals to think about the diversity of readers and the technological environment.
• A text made up of two or more semiotic systems (linguistic, visual, audio, gestural, and spatial) is multimodal.
• Semiotics studies the means of making meaning, focusing on signs and symbols within communication.
• Examples of modalities (visual, linguistic, aural, gestural, spatial) are highlighted.

Forms of Multimodal Texts

• Paper-based multimodal texts include books, comics, posters, and magazines.
• Digital multimodal texts include presentations, emails, ebooks, blogs, web pages, social media, animations, films, movies, and video games.
• Live shows and performances are also a form of multimodal text.

Semiotic Systems

• Linguistic system is the vocabulary, structure, and grammar of a text.
• Visual system includes color, vectors, and viewpoints within still or moving images.
• Audio system refers to the volume, pitch, and rhythm of music and sound effects in presentations.
• Gestural system refers to movements, facial expressions, and body language.
• Spatial system considers proximity, direction, positioning, and layout of objects within a text.

Critical Reading of Multimodal Texts

• Critical reading delves beyond comprehension.
• It involves active engagement with the reading material, looking at strengths and weaknesses and implications of the text and understanding its wider academic context.

Listening as a Critical Thinking Activity

• Critical listening goes beyond simply hearing.
• It includes analyzing the message, evaluating its truth, authenticity, and relevance.

Evaluating Multimodal Texts (Steps)

• Investigate the authorship and reliability of the source.
• Analyze the core message and its content, including identifying the subject, main point, and supporting information.
• Evaluate the logic, balance, and perspectives presented within the text.
• Examine meaning created from images and sound present.

Evaluating Multimodal Texts (Visual Elements)

• Consider elements like lighting, camera angle, composition, and body language within images.

Evaluating Multimodal Texts (Sound Techniques)

• Examine techniques like sound effects, music, and voiceovers.

Evaluating Multimodal Texts (Medium)

• Evaluate if the communication is conventional or digital, or a mixture of both.
• Digital forms may be needed to enhance conventional communication for better and quicker communication.

Evaluating Multimodal Texts (Audience)

• Identify the target audience for the message.
• Consider how different audiences might interpret the message.

Evaluating Multimodal Texts (Context)

• Analyze the text's purpose (inform, entertain, or persuade).
• Identify who is responsible for the creation and transmission of the text.