Step #1: Read the following text (approximately 10 minutes)
Terms to Know in Analysing Visual Texts
Element and Contrast:
Every text is made up of individual elements. Elements can be defined as specific words, phrases,
colors, and individual images that audiences can read — separately — to form an overall, cohesive
meaning for the whole. Contrast is easy to see when individual elements work counter to each other
for specific meaning.
Text and Purpose:
Text traditionally means written words. But in today’s world, we need a broader definition of “text”
and this would include artwork, such as paintings and sculptures, literary works like poems, novels,
musical compositions, and multimedia works as well. In short, anything that communicates or
speaks to us to communicate meaning may be seen as text.
Audience and Framing:
The first definition of audience means what we usually expect — people gathered to watch a
performance. Less public performed texts (emails, text messages, diaries, novels, letters, etc.) have
an audience, too, just not the same kind. Framing offers a way to describe how a visual text is
presented — both its literal frame, like a window or a picture, and the sight lines within it that
draws our focus. A “frame” helps us think about what is important in a text.
Alignment:
Alignment literally means, “how things line up.” The composition of visual texts uses alignment to
the best possible effect, as this controls how our eyes move across a text. Just as if you are
composing a text document without images, every piece element should be deliberately placed. As
you consider alignment, you must consider effect and the viewer’s eye.
Context:
Context is additional information about a text such as where it is located, how it is meant to be read,
or what surrounds it. Context is a broad concept that includes the cultural knowledge an audience
brings to a visual text. Part of this may be based on personal knowledge but how much personal
knowledge may be used in any analysis will depend on the audience and purpose of your analysis.
For IB assessments, your analysis will not require and must not contain personal knowledge that is
culturally embedded and would not be available to other IB candidates; in short, limit your analysis
to an analysis that is based on universally acceptable knowledge and conventions.
Emphasis and Color:
In speech or writing, emphasis means putting stress on a word, or a group of words to give it greater
importance. In visual texts, the same idea applies. Emphasis gives certain power, dominant ideas
etc. in the text become recognizable to the viewer; color may or may not be connected to emphasis,
but colour (in and of itself) also lends meaning. In the context of a visual analysis, the appreciation
and meaning of colour seen in a text must be limited to what is commonly accepted as convention
in the identified context, and its analysis must be accompanied by explanation. Opinions that cannot
be justified sufficiently must be left out of the analysis.
Proximity:
Proximity means closeness of position and amount of space. How close certain elements are to each
other can be meaningful. Relationships are determined by spacing. Readers often understand that
elements receive more significance or stress due to spatial relationship. The use of colour, of course,
adds to the same dimension.
Organization:
Organization means the way in which elements are arranged to form a coherent unit, or functioning
whole. We usually recognize and understand visual texts that seem familiar because the use of
space and relationship is important to the reader.
Sequence:
Sequence refers to the order in which a series of actions, events, words, or images occurs or is
shown. This may relate to time, but in film, for example, sequence is used to talk about any
animated visual text that cuts from scene to scene, or from image to image because the organization
of elements establishes meaning.
Source:
Ball, Cheryl E. and Kristin L. Arola. Visual Exercises IX. Boston : Bedford St. Martin’s, 2004.
Interactive Media.
Step #2: Review the following triangle from our examination of the ‘Rhetorical Situation’:
Step #3: Select one of the Public Service Announcements (PSA) from the following web page:
[Link]
List your choice (provide the PSA #) in this document in the shared OneDrive. You are encouraged
to collaborate on the task but are limited to 2 students per PSA. Collaborators – please highlight
your names in the same colour.
Step #4: Write a brief commentary analysing what you see and understand.
a) Use the elements listed under step #1,
b) Use terms/ vocabulary we have learnt over the past 2 weeks.
c) Provide a credible explanation of what you think the purpose of the chosen Public Service
Announcement could be; there could more than one for some of them.
d) Attribute meaning to the chosen PSA in line with your understanding of its purpose and
function.
e) Explain the effects of authorial/ designed choices.
f) To conclude, evaluate the credibility and effectiveness of the chosen PSA.
Step #5: Prepare a short presentation, not more than 5 minutes long to share with your class.