Evaluating Messages and Images of Different Types of Texts PDF

z EVALUATING MESSAGES AND IMAGES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEXTS Ms. Maria Fermina Joyce Cayabyab-Nucum  z LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of this chapter, you must be able to:  evaluate messages and images of different types of texts;  employ various semiotic systems in und...

z EVALUATING MESSAGES AND IMAGES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEXTS Ms. Maria Fermina Joyce Cayabyab-Nucum  z LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of this chapter, you must be able to:  evaluate messages and images of different types of texts;  employ various semiotic systems in understanding multimodal texts; and  practice critical reading and listening.  TEXTS z  It provides the means for communicating and form an important part of study in any given course.  Pardo (2004) explains that these types of texts share characteristics that may include an understanding of the author’s intent, the social purpose of the text, how it is structured, how well it is written, the subject matter, vocabulary, language choices, the reading level, and other surface features.  EVALUATING MESSAGES z AND IMAGES It involves the active construction of meaning through the interaction of the evaluator who is engaged on critically reading print based or multimodal texts. Print-based refers to those texts that are prepared in prints, but any printed text is a multimodal text since it involves various communication modalities.  MULTIMODAL z TEXTS Multimodal texts refer to those types of texts that use a combination of two or more communication modes, for instance, print, image, and spoken text as in film or computer presentations. Using multimodal texts requires learners to reconsider its nature, the cultural diversity of readers, and the complex technological environments. When a text combines two or more semiotic systems (linguistic, visual, audio, gestural, spatial), it is considered multimodal. Semiotic is the study of meaning-making. It explores signs and symbols as important components of communication.  z FORMS OF MULTIMODAL TEXTS  Paper. This form is print based, such as, books, comics, posters, magazines.  Digital. It is computer-based like slide presentations, emails, ebooks, blogs, eposters, web pages, social media, animations, films, movies, video games.  Live. It is a form of actual performance or an event  z SEMIOTIC SYSTEMS  Linguistic system. It refers to the linguistic components like vocabulary, structure, and grammar of a text.  Visual system. It pertains to the color, vectors and viewpoint in still and moving images.  Audio system. This mode refers to the volume, pitch, and rhythm of music and sound effects of a presentation.  Gestural system. It denotes the movement, facial expression, and body language of the characters.  Spatial system. It indicates proximity, direction, position of layout, and organization of objects in space.  CRITICAL READING OF MULTIMODAL TEXTS z Critical reading is the process of reading that goes beyond comprehension of a text. It means to say that one to be a critical reader must be actively involved in responding to the reading text. It is very useful at all stages of academic study but is particularly important when evaluating messages of multimodal texts. Critical Reading involves:  Carefully considering and evaluating a reading text;  Identifying the strengths and implications of the text;  Identifying the weaknesses of the text; and  Looking at the image and deciding how the reading fits into the greater academic context.  z Listening as a Critical Thinking Activity Critical listening requires active thinking because it goes far beyond just hearing a speaker’s message. It involves analyzing the information of a speech and making important decisions about truth, authenticity, and relevance. Kadjan-Baumeyer (2018) claims that listening is a critical thinking activity; hence, Lynch qualifies that critical thinking  z EVALUATING MULTIMODAL TEXTS 1. SOURCE Readers or listeners of a text should ask first about its authorship. There is a need to identify if the source is an individual or a team although the number of writers does not warrant credibility of the text. Examine if the source is reliable. 2. MESSAGE the content of the text should be examined in order to get its message. Identifying the Subject, Main Point, and Support Evaluating Logic and Balance Analyzing Points of View Creating Meaning Through Images and Sounds  z EVALUATING MULTIMODAL TEXTS  Visual Elements:  Lighting  Camera Angle  Composition  Body Language  z EVALUATING MULTIMODAL TEXTS Sound Techniques: 1. Sound Effects. 2. Music. 3. Voice-over or Narration.  z EVALUATING MULTIMODAL TEXTS 3. MEDIUM The medium in transmitting the message may be conventional or digital although they are often mixed up in a communication situation. Sometimes, print-based communication needs to be backed up by a digital form in order to achieve a better and faster communication.  Conventional media are no less than the broadcast and print-based communication, while digital media include hypertext formats. According to Kitson (2011), hypertext refers to the structuring of information in blocks of text which are connected by electronic links.  EVALUATING MULTIMODAL TEXTS z 4. AUDIENCE -The audience in the communication situation refers to the receiver of the message. It may be a person or a group for whom a message is created. Some texts like a personal email, an invitation to deliver a talk, or a thank-you note target just one person, but other texts are meant for larger audiences like research reports, advertisements, signages, books, brochures, among other communication forms. Two important questions guide audience adaptation in multimodal communication: (1) Who is the target audience of the text? and (2) How might other people interpret its message? 5. CONTEXT - in this section includes the purposes and authorship of the text. A text serves at least one of three purposes: to inform, to entertain, or to persuade. What is the purpose of the message? Who controls the transmission of the message? z Thank you for listening!