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Technical Writing ·  Exposition & Argumentation ·  Non-fiction Creative Essays ·  Grammar and Usage of Standard English ·  The Structure of English ·  Analysis of Shakespeare

Analysis of Literary Language ·  Advanced Professional Papers ·  The History of the English Language ·  First Internship: Tutoring in a Writing Workshop ·  Second Internship: Advanced Instruction: Tutoring Writing

Theories of Communication & Technology (A Second Course in Methodology) ·  Language in Society (A Third Course in Methodology) ·  The Writer's Guild

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UMBC'S Conservative Newspaper: "The Retriever's Right Eye" ·  UMBC'S University Newspaper: "The Retriever Weekly" ·  Introduction to Journalism ·  Feature Writing ·  Science Writing Papers

Visual Literacy Seminar (A First Course in Methodology)

Visual Literacy Paper 1 ·  Visual Literacy Paper 2 ·  Visual Literacy Paper 3 ·  Visual Literacy Paper 4

Presentation of LDW's Chapters 7 and 8 ·  Presentation of Kress Chapters 1, 2, and 3

Weekly Web Log Journal ·  Hurricane Katrina Personal Journal

Presentation 1: A Summary of L. L. Lohr's
Creating Graphics for Learning Performance: Lessons in Visual Literacy,
Chapter 5 -- "Shape Tools"

by Christopher Paul

Slide #1
Good Evening,

Tonight I will be summarizing the highlights of Chapter 5, “Shape Tools” in Linda L. Lohr’s “Creating Graphics for Learning and Performance.” Note the use of the “ellipse.”

Instruction: Go to Slide #2

Slide #2
Shapes help:

• To focus attention
• Contain information
• Point or direct attention

Instruction: Go to Slide #3

Slide #3
We have to ask ourselves:

Do shapes have meaning?

• The answer is … Yes, they do!

Can shapes enhance learning?

• The answer is … Yes, they can!

What is a display shape?

• I’ll explain in a moment

What do I need to know about copyright laws?

• A great deal actually

Instruction: Go to Slide #4

Slide #4
Questions to ask yourself when designing visuals:

What shapes do I use?

• Unfortunately the question is quite vague...
• “It depends” upon what the shape and presentation is being used for

Which shapes can I combine effectively?

• Again… it depends

Which shapes will help me group and separate information?

• A great deal actually

Instruction: Go to Slide #5

Slide #5
Simple Shapes
Circles and Ovals:

• Help to show unity
• Psychologically imply harmony
• Can be used to show process
• They can help focus attention
• Can also be used to show elements of systems and subsystems

Instruction: Go to Slide #6

Slide #6
Simple Shapes
Squares and Rectangles:

• Act to contain information
  • This answers a question from earlier;
    • What helps me group information?
• Facilitates comparisons
• Shows hierarchy
  • Such as in organizational charts

Instructions: Go to Slide #7

Slide #7
Example of the use of Squares in a Hierarchy or Organizational Chart

Instruction: Go to Slide #8

Slide #8
Simple Shapes
Lines:

• Lines are used to separate and define
• Set boundaries
• Show motion and/or direction
• Make connections between things
• Show a sequence or flow
• Or to show emotion or volume...

Instruction: Go to Slide #9

Slide #9
Common Shapes

• Common shapes are Triangles, Stars, Swirls, Arrows, and Brackets
• They provide direction, imply motion, organize and unify, make something look like fun or join things
• I would like to add Diamonds:
  • Diamonds imply a yes or no decision in flow charts
• And X’s:
  • X’s imply someone or something is unconscious

Figure 1: A flowchart describing the decision making process of what is the best way to travel home.

As an example, in the flowchart Figure 1: The Best Way Home, we see the use of the following elements: oval, rectangle, lines, arrows, and diamonds illustrating the logic used in deciding what is the best way to travel home based on particular parameters.

Instructions: Go to Slide #10

Slide #10
Complex Shapes
Clip Art:

• Here you want to be sure that it is royalty free, in other words, there are no copyright issues
• Lohr mentions Dover Publications for copyright free images
  • Dover is probably the best even though I hate clip art
• Shareware is questionable as some could have implied copyright issues
• Such as... you can use it Professionally for a nominal fee

Instructions: Go to Slide #11

Slide #11
Complex Shapes
Digital Images:

• Royalty Free but again they usually have a small charge associated with them if you decide to use them
• These can be found on the Internet and usually you can’t copy or download without initially paying the fee first

In Addition:

• Refer to pages 108 through 112 in the text for excellent examples of the concepts I’m discussing here

What is a Display Shape?

• In the basketball player image
  • Use Thin Tall Images on tall narrow displays
• In the first image
  • Use Wide Images on wide displays
• If the image is symmetrical use symmetrical displays like squares

Instructions: Go to Slide #12

Slide #12
Types of Graphics
Vector Graphics

• Reshape well
  • “Well” means without distortion

Raster Graphics

• Loose clarity with re-sizing

I intend to skip over:

• Creating/Modifying Complex Shapes
• Modifying Clip Art
• Creating Images Using Scanners & Digital Cameras
• And will proceed to Copyright Issues

Instruction: Go to Slide #13

Slide #13
Copyright Issues
I am going to be brief here

This is a large topic that I cannot properly cover in the time allotted

• In IFSM474 Legal Aspects of Information Systems we spent the entire 2 1/2 lecture period on this issue
• So I recommend reading pages 122-129

Instruction: Go to Slide #14

Slide #14
Practicing What I preached on Copyright Issues

Thank you for your time.