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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

Journalism

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 Lohr Chapter 5 ·  Presentation of LDW's Chapters 7 and 8 ·  Presentation of Kress Chapters 1, 2, and 3

Weekly Web Log Journal ·  Hurricane Katrina Personal Journal

In-Class Activities

Web Design Criteria Evaluation Activity

1. Is there a signature?
   • Who is the Author?
2. Is the author qualified?
   • Cited by another authority?
   • Linked to biographical information that allows you to judge credentials?
3. Who is the sponsor?
   • How reputable is the sponsor?
   • How do you know?
   • Cite Examples
4. Is this page cited by other authorities in the field?
5. If there is neither nor clear indication of sponsor, is there a way to determine the origin of the page?
   (phone number, address, email address * an email address alone is not enough, look at headers or footers for affiliation)

1. Is the information reliable?
2. Is the site well-edited, error free?
3. Does the document name a methodology, provide a bibliography, list those responsible for verifying data?
4. Is the information presented as fact, accurate?

Note: Remember how easily anyone can publish on the Internet. At present, most websites exist without standards to ensure accuracy.

1. Is the document located on the server of an organization with a particular bias?
   • Is the intent to sway opinion or deliver information impartially?
2. Is there advertising on the page?
   (If products representing a company or the political agenda of a party appear, you are reading advertising.)
   
3. Again, does the resource explain and cite original material used to support the article?
   

Note: Because information is rarely neutral, because controversial questions are often so interesting, because publishing is so easy online, be careful to check objectivity. Do you want to use research residing on a page sponsored by an advocacy group for an informational paper?

1. Is the document dated?
2. Is the site well-maintained?
3. When was the last update?
4. How reliable is the location?
   • How current are the links?
   • Are some of the links expired or moved?
   • If the page is not dated, can you view the directory to find the date it was modified?

Note: Because web pages are constantly changing, dates become especially important. Remember, though that the dates may mean date of authorship, of revision, of posting on the web.

1. Is the subject covered completely?
   • In depth?
   • Omissions?
2. Is the material appropriate to the intended audience?
   • What is the technical level of the audience?
3. What does this site do uniquely?
   • Compared to other sites on similar topics is it superior?
   • Does it offer information that is valued?
4. What does this page contribute to other literature in the field?

Note: Appropriateness becomes an important issue when we consider access to minors. Depth is always critical in research.

1. What makes the site distinctively, "cool"?
2. Does the arrangement suit the topic, enhance its use, and contribute to the utility and value of the site?
3. Does the overall design contribute to the information? Are the images attractive and appropriate to the purpose of the page?
4. Are headers, font size and white space used well?
   • Helpfully?
5. How would you rate the ease of use?
   • Is there a table of contents?
   • An index?
   • A search engine?
6. Are the hot links appropriate and complete to satisfy the purpose?

Note: Web page design, like internet publishing, is an individualized, unmonitored process. It becomes important, then, to determine whether a page is arranged effectively to enable efficient use.

Attributions:
Although many sources exist online, the following three by Jane Alexander and Marsha Tate, Susan Beck, and Elizabeth Kirk are exceptionally helpful. Visit them for in-depth evaluation guides; this teaching exercise is a compilation, with permission, of portions of their web site evaluation articles residing at:

Interpreting a Family Photo

Front from left to right, back-center: Pete, Liz, Joel, Debbie, Chris

Family Photo Step One:
Objectively: What do you see?
[form/structure/arrangement]
A black and white photo of five children, four lying down, one on his knees in the back. The children are posed in front of a house. Other than the house and the children, there are only three other objects in the photo. A bird house, (which does not show up in the photocopy) a baseball bat, and a hula-hoop. The photo was taken outside and judging from the children's dress, it is either spring or fall. Judging from the light and shadows or lack thereof, it is somewhere around noon. The subject appears to be the boy on his knees with the baseball bat because he is centered within the frame.

Subjectively: Start statements with 'I see____________which makes me think/feel______________.'
"I see four children lying down and a fifth on his kees in the background, with a baseball bat which makes me think who are these five children and what is the relationship of the four to the one and vise versa.

Information about photo:
What do you know from research, history, intuition?
Research: Not Available
History: A great deal
Intuition: There is some kind of relationship between the five children and the center one and vise versa. I do not think the hairstyles or the clothes tell me very much as they appear quite contemporary and typical of this time period.

Assumptions:
What conclusions do you draw?
My conclusions are as follows:
There is a relationship between the one to the four and the four to the one.
It is the later half of the 20th century because the boy in the center is wearing a turtleneck shirt and because there is a hula-hoop on the ground.

To complete step one of the analysis, answer the following questions:
1. What is happening in the photo?
Not much. It is a poser and children are being children, posing silly.
2. How long ago do you think the photo was taken? Why?
It is the later half of the 20th century because the boy in the center is wearing a turtleneck shirt and because there is a hula-hoop on the ground.
Purpose? (Why was the photo taken) Not clear. Maybe an archival record.
3. Who do you think the people are in the photo?
Some kind of a relation between the subject, the children and the observer, the photographer.
4. How old are they? and how do you think they are related to or connected to one another?
Age 6 to 9
5. How do you think they are related to or connected to one another?
Cousins, friends, brothers and sisters. The boy lying down to the left does not look like any of the others, so I would have to say that either he is adopted, a child from a different marriage, a cousin or a friend in relation to all the others. The boy and girl lying down to the right have similar facial features, therefore, I would have to say they are directly related to each other, maybe brother and sister. The boy in the center on his knees and the girl lying down to the left have similar facial features, therefore, I would have to say they are directly related to each other, maybe brother and sister. There are two groups of children with similar features to each other. Therefore the pairs may be cousins, children from a second or nth marriage, or friends.
6. Is there anything written on the front or back of the photo to give you clues?
Yes there are clues. On the front it is written in the photo album, "Chris, Peter, Liz, Joel, Debbie, May 1966.

Step Two: Interview
After you answer the first 5 questions, ask a family member to tell you what they know about the photograph.
1. Who are the people in the photograph and what is their relationship to you?
The boy in the center on his knees with a baseball bat and turtleneck is me. The boy to the let is a friend in the neighborhood. The girl next to the boy on the left is my sister. The boy and girl to the right are brother and sister to each other and are my friends.
2. How long ago and where was the photo taken?
39 1/2 years ago
What language did the people speak?
English
3. What did the people in the photograph do for a living?
Not Applicable
For fun?
Invent games, play tag, run, jump, tumble, play baseball, and hula-hoop obviously. They did the things kids did in 1966, other than sit in front of a television or a computer monitor.
4. What other interesting stories can the interviewee tell you about the people in the photograph?
Lots about my sister, lots about Joel and Debbie. Very little about Peter. Almost, but not quite. Peter, the boy on the left is almost a mystery. He wasn't in the neighborhood very long until he moved. Something way back in my memory tells me he was a vulgar, obscene little boy. I remember my relationship with Joel and Debbie all too well, and I think Peter was the person who fractured my relationship with them. I believe I naively answered a question of Peter's. Peter then reported the news to the neighborhood which fractured my extremely close bond with Larry, (not shown) Joel, and Debbie. I think I could write a fiction or non-fiction essay of at least 2000 words describing the lesson learned about the human condition. A tale of closeness, loyalty, friendship, naivety, and betrayal. It seems to me the essay could be written from the perspective of any one of the four involved.

Step Three: Interpretation
1. What did you learn about the photograph, on your own?
Objectively and subjectively I could approximate the relative time period of the photo. I could determine from the pose that the person at the center was the focus of the photo and that the other children had some central relationship with that single person.
2. How hard or easy was it to learn from the photograph by looking at it?
It was very hard to learn anything of real substance from the photograph as an objective viewer not knowing anything about the people in the photo.
3. How much or little did the person you interviewed know about the people? ie, did you learn new information?
The interviewee knew a vast amount about the people in the photo which easily could have filled many books with stories about the people and their interactions.
4. What is the most memorable thing you learned?
I learned a great deal of new information.
5. Do you think knowing your family's history and past can influence your future? Why or why not?
I learned how painful it can be to open doors that have long been closed. Some good memories, some bad.

Political Image Analysis 1

Author's: P. C. Paul and N. Estey

Instructions:
Using Rose’s scopic regime, the ways in which what is seen and how it is seen are culturally constructed, analyze political images.
Work in pairs.

Image being analyzed:
The Propagnda Remix Project

When analyzing consider the following:
Rose cautions us to be aware that:
1) Images do something themselves
2) The ways we visualize or make invisible results in social differentiation
3) Visuals may be considered for the content and the way we view them
4) Visuals are a part of a broader culture

Fox News. Wall Street Journal. Talk Radio. Gotta Love that Republican News!

Q_1) In what ways does your visual and your viewing of the visual relate to the 4 points Rose makes?
Rose cautions us to be aware that:
1) Images do something themselves.
Micah Wright’s target audience is U.S. citizens that rely on news for information.

Q_2) The ways we visualize or make invisible results in social differentiation.
Makes the conservative right point of view visible and negates the liberal right point of view.

Q_3) Visuals may be considered for the content and the way we view them.
The poster draws you in with a sharp, well balanced image that is eye catching, then as the viewer reads smaller and smaller text, they get a surprise message. The message is short and to the point, ensuring a large number of people will pay attention to it.

Q_4) Visuals are a part of a broader culture.
The image is rich in culture, from the origins of the original propaganda poster from WWII, to the “Ministry of Homeland Security” message at the bottom; an obvious reference to George Orwell's novel 1984, in itself is a political message. Then there is the reference to “Corporate News”, spelling out the corporate underpinnings and motives of U.S. media that is so much a part of U.S. culture.

Q_5) Research the images:
Wright, M. (2005). If you’re not a terrorist…then stop asking questions. Xlibris.
Retrieved October 18, 2005 from The Propaganda Remix Project Web Site: http://homepage.mac.com/leperous/PhotoAlbum1.html

The artist: Micah Wright
The medium: Digital and print/paper, ink. Size=340 x 450 pixels
The genres: World War II propaganda poster image with a 2005 propaganda message.
The time and the production: Image=early 1940’s. Propaganda message=2005.
What is the social context?
The image delivers a pointed commentary to all U.S. citizens. The poster slams the neo-cons, corporate government, and news media complicity with government propaganda and censorship as well as loyalty to corporations that pay them via advertising dollars. This creates a disproportionate amount of control over content. (We didn't like your story about X – tone it down or well take our add campaign somewhere else.)

The image delivers a pointed commentary targeting the liberal corporate news media in its entirety. The message from the conservative right is, “We’re mad as Hell and we’re not going to take it anymore.” Three days ago on Michael Savage radio broadcast, “The Savage Nation,” a gentleman called in who obtained his BA in journalism. This was fifteen years ago. When he went to the interview, the senior editor asked him, “If we told you to spin the story with a liberal bias, could you do it?” The interviewee responded, “No, I could not. As a trained journalist I am expected to report the news objectively and without bias.” The caller said to Michael Savage, “and so that was the end of my career in journalism. I never bothered to pursue it [journalism] beyond that point.” 15 years ago journalism schools taught who, what, when, where, and why – just the facts. Now, university journalism professors teach something called “interpretive reporting” (better known as “spin”).

I think that anyone who is a “critical thinking” individual understands that no newspaper in the world reports completely objectively, nor do they provide all the information available regardless of political leanings.

Q_6) Using chapter one’s guidelines, select one among those you’ve found to study and critique. Acting as spectator, carefully reference the visual. Describe the format, location, method of production and display importance. [p.31]

Q_7) Carefully, and clearly, discuss the image by site and modality, as appropriate.
Site of Production: How made? Digital, size=340 x 450 pixels. Also published as paperback bound, print/tri-color press, paper, ink.

Note: Rose’s warning to avoid ‘analytical incoherence’ by attempting to apply all of the assessments. Rather, select those most useful in interpreting and ‘explaining the effects of the images.

Political Image Analysis 2

Author's: P. C. Paul and S. Neal

Instructions:
Using Rose’s scopic regime, the ways in which what is seen and how it is seen are culturally constructed, analyze political images.
Work in pairs.

Image being analyzed:
Bush Fishing in New Orleans

When analyzing consider the following:
Rose cautions us to be aware that:
1) Images do something themselves
2) The ways we visualize or make invisible results in social differentiation
3) Visuals may be considered for the content and the way we view them
4) Visuals are a part of a broader culture

President Bush Fishing in New Orleans

Q_1) In what ways does your visual and your viewing of the visual relate to the 4 points Rose makes?
Rose cautions us to be aware that:
1) Images do something themselves.
This image is clearly emphasizing the point that George Bush is not the most qualified president that United States has. It is identifying with those that are called: "anti-Bush."

Q_2) The ways we visualize or make invisible results in social differentiation.
This image encourages people to make a social decision about Bush and even the Republican Party.

Q_3) Visuals may be considered for the content and the way we view them.
This visual is definitely politically driven. Its main purpose is to show Bush in a negative way. The picture is showing us that while the country is under attack, Bush is having fun.

Q_4) Visuals are a part of a broader culture.
This visual is appealing to the American culture, particularly the majority in New Orleans, which is the minority-Black Americans.

Q_5) Research the images:

The artist: The artist is Daniel Kurtzman
The genre: This picture was taken in 2005. It is for contemporary United States citizens.
What is the social context: This is a political image that is criticizing the United States president of the United States.
Format: Text from the web site is accompanying the image of the web site.
Location: The image was posted and created in New York, New York.

Q_6) Using chapter one’s guidelines, select one among those you’ve found to study and critique. Acting as spectator, carefully reference the visual. Describe the format, location, method of production and display importance. [p.31]

Q_7) Carefully, and clearly, discuss the image by site and modality, as appropriate.
Site of Production: How made? Digital, size=340 x 450 pixels. Also published as paperback bound, print/tri-color press, paper, ink.

Note: Rose’s warning to avoid ‘analytical incoherence’ by attempting to apply all of the assessments. Rather, select those most useful in interpreting and ‘explaining the effects of the images.

Movie Trailer Analysis of Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice

Author's: P. C. Paul, V. Tasch, J. Meechai, C. Tsubaki

Compositional Interpretation of Moving Images (Rose, 48-53)
A. Mise-en-scene = spatial organization of a film
1. Aspects of Framing Scenes
a. Screen ratio
         The screen ration is the ratio between the height of the projected image and its width. In the Pride and Prejudice movie trailer the screen ration is 2.33 which is typically used for landscape shots, location shooting and action movies.

b. Screen frame
         The screen frame in the movie trailer is open in some shots. In other words, the action is filmed in such a way that the space beyond the screen frame is important. In other shots, the screen frame is closed; some scenes make no reference to the space beyond its own frame.

d. Multiple images
         The movie trailer Pride and Prejudice does not have multiple images. Meaning that there are no images where the frame is split.

e. Superimpositions
         Pride and Prejudice has no superimposition techniques in its trailer. That means that there are no double exposures.

2. Perspectives of shot distance, focus, angle, point of view, and tracking
         The analysis is difficult even after reading the relevant passages in Rose’s Visual Methodology because of its technicality. For the sake of convenience, we will name the scenes and imply the meaning of the scenes from the perspective of spatial organization of the film clips.

Opening scene
         Against the background of either dawn or dusk, the opening scene reveals a long shot with a carriage presumably carrying Charles Bingley, the future husband of Jane Bennet, and his best friend Fitzwilliam Darcy to the country side. The scene uses a tracking shot. The camera is moving from the foreground to background. It projects the image of two wealthy bachelors bringing hope or marriage to young women in the countryside. The scene is projected as a third-person shot and acts as an establishing shot, connecting the movie to its audience.

A domestic scene
         This scene presents Mrs. Bennet, the anxious mother of the five daughters, at the center of the house in a full shot standing in the foreground with her two daughters in an anticipatory glance in the background.

Father in a chair
         The viewer is presented with a head and shoulder shot of an elderly gentleman with a benign smile sitting in a comfortable chair, presumably Mr. Bennet. He is amused with the reaction of his wife and daughters about a rich gentleman from city coming to visit in the country. The close-up shot of Mr. Bennet’s broad smile confirms the daughters’ anxious inquiry about the gentleman’s status. Yes, he is a wealthy bachelor; that means in the early 19th century England, the man must be looking for his bride in the country side.

Preparation for visitors
         With a tracking shot, a circular shot, the scene reveals the frenzy preparation for visitors by Mrs. Bennet and her daughters tiding up things around the sofa in the living room. The roll shot, the horizon of the image tilting, the women are engaged in domestic activities as if they had forgotten the cameraman and the audience. The women are eye-level with furniture or in relation to each other, which temporarily creates a gap between the actors and audience.

Close-up shot of the four daughters
         This scene presents the viewer with a close-up shot of four daughters huddled together in the left of the frame with the youngest daughter standing apart on the right of the frame. The three daughters are revealed in a head-and-shoulder shot to demonstrate the closeness they feel with each other while the youngest daughter stands apart as if she is not thrilled by the news of wealthy bachelors coming to the country side.

A dinner scene with the couple
         We am not quite sure who the two beautiful people are: they may be Jane and Charles Bingley; Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy, or Lydia and George Wickham. The scene provides us with a long shot displaying a sumptuous dinner table with a gigantic roast at the center, a symbol of wealth, economic status, and tranquility. Right behind the roast sits the heroin in soft focus, engendering a romantic mood to the scene. The herein is confident of her success at this dinner party for her close-up shot reveals a peaceful face eye level with the audience. In the left frame, a well-dressed gentleman is standing who is presumably admiring the heroin or perhaps confessing his love for her. By the virtue of his standing position, the scene shows a higher-angle shot, suggesting the man’s higher social status or his dominant position. Presumably he is talking to the heroin while the latter is attentively listening to him, revealing her subordinate position.

The formal ball scene
         The scene opens with a medium shot of the dance party with a large numbers of ladies and gentlemen in formal attire for the occasion who are eager carry out their roles as dance partners. The scene also provides a tracking shot, a horizontal or circular movement of dancers, exuding controlled energy, elegance, and ambiance. Yes, love conquers everything: the pride of Jane and the prejudice of Elizabeth. For the English middle class gentry, marriage is the panacea for all of the social problems.

The speech sound goes along with the scene and conversation, a second speech sound is from the narrator. The sound of the characters’ conversation and the narrator are switched back and forth to make the scenes more interesting and to provide the audience with background information about the movie. Noting that the story is set in England, all characters have a British accent. These details cannot be ignored.

The music sets the tone of each scene. For example, in the first scene, the music used is very high beat to demonstrate how the characters in the movie are excited and to project that sense of excitement onto audience. Classical music is used in the soundtrack because this is a ‘period’ movie. The music immerses the viewer in the time period.

Most of the sound relates to the frame and most of the frames are parallel with the sound. Parallel sound is sound that relates to the image displayed. We find most of them in the conversation in the movie. There might be some speech sounds being shown with other scenes, in which neither the speaker nor the listener are in the frame, but the audience can tell that the character is talking about the person in the scene shown.

Rhetorical and Semiotic Analysis of Three Perfume Advertisements

Advertisement # 1) “Aigner pour homme”—A woman’s perfume manufactured by Etienne Aigner

Slogan: The classic of the future.
Années: 2000-2002
Mfg: Etienne Aigner
Brand: Aigner pour homme
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/imagesdeparfums/indexfr.htm?http://perso.wanadoo.fr/imagesdeparfums/about.htm&2

I. Rhetorical
a. Logos
Claim: Buy Aigner pour home because:
Reason 1: You will be “post-modern” evidence: two nude chrome people locked in an embrace. What could be more “post-modern” than chrome people?

Reason 2: Do it if it feels good Evidence: The couple is in an embrace on the floor.

Reason 3: You will have the object of your desire evidence: The fact that this man is entwined in an intimate embrace with the woman on the floor.

Reason 4: You will have spontaneity in your life Evidence: The couple is an embrace on the floor.

Reason 5: You will have a more exciting life Evidence: The couple is in an embrace on the floor. A “do it in the road” mentality.

There are many questionable enthymemes in this advertisement. For example, the advertiser takes for granted that the reader is tired of a steady diet of “white toast” for breakfast, meaning that their sex life has become routine. They seem to be targeting an audience that complains on girl’s night out, “He only wants to have sex on Sundays, what do I do? I mean, it’s so predictable.” The advertisement does not state, but it does imply that only the avant-guard would be interested in this product. Most of Etienne Aigner reasons do not have substantial supporting evidence. The advertisement does not prove that a buyer’s social life will become better. The advertisement does explain that in the future this perfume will become a classic which is a huge inflated claim.

The only possible way this could be done if it were applying the science of socio-historical statistics. This type of science was invented by Issac Asimov in his science fiction novel “Foundation Trilogy.” Asimov’s claim was that one day we will have a statistical science that will be able to analyze history and social events with strong enough certainty to make predictions about social, economic and historical change 1000 years ahead with a 95.5% certainty of being correct. The field of Bayesian statistical techniques is already trying to make similar predictions in any field about the future. In essence, Etienne Aigner is making a bold claim without supporting evidence.

One other thing missing from this advertisement is how the couple became nude in the first place. The advertisement seems to imply the term Erica Jong so elegantly described in her novel, “Fear of Flying” as the “zipperless fuck.”

b. Pathos
1. Target audience: People between the ages of 18-25.

2. The psychological and emotional state of the audience implied by the message is quite grim. The audience is unpopular, unnoticed, undesirable, and lack spontaneity in their sex life if they have one. Etienne Aigner taps into the readers need for desire and a need to be “hip” or “cool.” The advertiser is targeting a young audience that is still trying to define who they are to themselves and those around them. It sets up a situation where if you are considered uncool, boring, conservative, this magic potion will break you out of that mold. Etienne Aigner pushes the far left agenda and the gay agenda of there being no rules at all. Go “….” wherever you want. If it feels good, just do it.” Societal norms are meant to be broken if you’re avant-guard.

3. Etienne Aigner identifies the viewer's problem, which in this case is being conservative, then solves the viewer's problem by reassuring them that if you use this perfume you will be a part of the avant-guard.

4. Chrome people indicates that this product is so advanced you’ll be on the bleeding edge.

c. Ethos
The message giver is Etienne Aigner. I do not believe Etienne Aigner has any expertise in predicting the future. Statisticians practicing Bayesian statistical techniques are constantly looking for new methods to effectively predict future events. This is not the field Etienne Aigner is in. However they do have expertise in selling perfume. The message giver has no real friendliness towards the reader. Chrome people seem to imply a rather cold, clinical world in my mind. Etienne Aigner just wants the viewer to realize that chrome people are futuristic and if you want to be futuristic this perfume will make you futuristic. Chrome anything is cool, so any perfume chrome people use has to be avant-guard.

II. Semiotic/Symbolic Approach
a. Symbols, image management
1. Symbols in Advertisement: Chrome nude couple, couple entwined in an embrace, on the floor, on the words at the top of the advertisement.

2. Symbol connotations:
Chrome couple = futuristic/avant-guard
Nude couple in embrace = desire/intimacy
Nude couple on the floor = spontaneity

3. There are no public symbols in the advertisement.

4. The symbols try to unite the avant-guard with the non-avant-guard, or in other words cool people with uncool people.

b. Ideology
1. The chrome nude couple is the primary symbol that is ideologically grounded because for young people anything chrome is cool.

2. The message (buy this perfume to be cool) reconfirms the cultural belief that one can be cool and spontaneous by using a perfume.

3. The message does not question implicit cultural beliefs.

4. The chrome nude couple in a sexual position qualifies as a cultural icon. Only the coolest of people have sex everywhere, anytime.

5. In some ways, the perfume does exclude practically most beliefs in American culture, other than the main metropolitan cities on the east and west coast. Etienne Aigner ignores three-quarters of the population that have some moral and ethical standards. The perfume manufacturer also ignores that there is more to life other than being cool.

Step Two:
The perfume is coded by a referent system, that of magic. The perfume is being advertised as a magic potion. When the viewer splashes the perfume on, the viewer will instantly become avant-guard.

Advertisement # 2) “Aramis”—A woman’s perfume manufactured by Aramis

Slogan: The way a man touches a woman.
Manufacturer: Aramis
Brand: Aramis
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/imagesdeparfums/indexfr.htm?http://perso.wanadoo.fr/imagesdeparfums/about.htm&2

I. Rhetorical
a. Logos
Claim: Buy Aramis perfume because:
Reason 1: If the viewer wants to be touched by her man this way then this product is the perfume the viewer wants.

There are many questionable enthymemes in this advertisement. First, the advertiser takes for granted that the female viewer has a man in her life. Second the advertiser assumes that the female viewer is not touched this way without the perfume. Third, the advertiser assumes that the female viewer wants to be touched. Maybe the female viewer just ended bad relationship or just got a divorce and doesn’t want to be intimate with anyone because of emotional exhaustion. Does Aramis have a perfume that is guaranteed to repulse men? Maybe the female viewer prefers women and wants to attract other women. This advertisement assumes that the female viewer is heterosexual. Taking it a step further, maybe the female viewer doesn’t like men and prefers adolescent boys better. This can be seen from another perspective, that if the man wants to touch his woman this way then this would make an excellent gift for her, but the gift is actually for him. The advertisement makes a tremendous amount of assumptions; all based on statistical research no doubt.

b. Pathos
1. Target audience: Mainly, heterosexual women between the ages of 26-40 of Western European decent. The reason we have selected this target age is because there seems to be a level of sophistication and maturity of the representative couple. They are probably middle-class and working professionals. We base this on the hairstyles of the man and the woman, the low cut, black garment the woman is wearing, the small earrings the woman is wearing, the perfect manicure of the man’s nails, the fact that his hands are pristine clean, not a stain on them, the arm of the couch, or it may be a Victorian lounge. Culture and race is obviously Caucasian, Western Europeans.

2. The psychological and emotional state of the audience implied by the message is grim. The audience is unloved, unwanted, lonely, or they are in a stagnant relationship lacking intimacy and desire, assuming the viewers are in relationships at all. The advertisement taps into the reader’s deep rooted need for intimacy. The advertisement sets up a situation that if the viewer is living a life absent of intimacy, then cognitive dissonance can be resolved and one’s life can be returned to balance by splashing on this perfume.

3. The advertisement identifies the female viewer's problem, in this case a lack of intimacy and desire, then the advertiser solves the viewer's problem by reassuring them that all your dreams for intimacy and desire will be fulfilled by buying this perfume.

4. The bottle itself is real basic reflecting sophistication. The bottle is a basic shape, flat and rectangular, with a classic gold cap. The name of the perfume is on a black background. The color black is associated with class, style, and sophistication.

c. Ethos
The message giver is Aramis the manufacturer. The perfume is also given the same name. This indicates that Aramis, the brand is the finest of Aramis the manufacturer’s products. Aramis is the best of their perfumes. Aramis does not have expertise in resolving men and women’s interpersonal relationships. Aramis does have expertise in creating fragrances that men find appealing on women. We all know that perfume companies go through extensive scientific research and development in testing their fragrances by using test subjects. They also perform extensive analysis in queries and compile huge amounts of data to figure out what scents a majority of men like on a majority of women. In addition the test staff is probably selected on established criteria such as economic status, social status, and life-style. The advertiser has no friendliness towards the reader because Aramis is in business to sell a consumable, perfume. Aramis does not care why or how the viewer longs for intimacy and Aramis does not explore other ways to resolve the root cause. Aramis offers Aramis as a magic love potion as a solution. Aramis is known for formulating fragrances that will attract men. Aramis is tapping into one of the strongest emotional needs of all human beings, the desire for intimacy in exchange for making a profit. Aramis exudes confidence in their message because Aramis makes the claim unquestionably clear - buy Aramis and your desire for intimacy will be resolved.

II. Semiotic/Symbolic Approach
a. Symbols, image management
1. Symbols in Advertisement: Attractive man and woman, physical positioning of the man and woman in relation to each other, the man touching the woman and the woman receiving the touch, slogan at the bottom of the advertisement, the bottle of perfume.

2. Symbol connotations:
Attractive man = wealth/stability/independence/power/domineering
Attractive woman = wealth/sophistication/dependence/submissive
Attractive man and woman = unity/wholeness/complete/oneness/heterosexual
The man’s physical position in relation to the woman = dominance/power/strength
The woman’s physical position in relation to the man = submission/weakness/vulnerability
Man’s touch = caring/tenderness/giving
Woman’s touch = cared for/welcoming/receiving
Man’s gaze = the man is the viewer
Woman’s gaze = adverts her gaze by closing her eyes/becomes the object of the man’s desire
Slogan at the bottom of the advertisement = The way a man touches a woman
Black background with the name Aramis in gold lettering = wealth/sophistication/class

3. There are no public symbols in the advertisement.

4. The symbols try to unite couples who have intimacy with men and women, mainly women who desire intimacy.

b. Ideology
1. The couple is the symbol that is ideologically grounded. The couple symbolizes normality and Judean-Christian ethics as enforced by a developed Western society. To be intimate with someone is considered natural, stabilizes society, and represents societies norms and values. If a woman is attached to a man, then she is whole and complete, without a man she is incomplete.

2. The message (buy this perfume and you will have a loving man) reconfirms the cultural belief that one can attain intimacy through the use of a magic love potion, the perfume.

3. The message does not question implicit cultural beliefs.

4. The couple is the only symbol used that qualifies as a cultural icon. The couple ensure stability of a society—fertility—a continuation of the human race and also represent consumers of a higher economic status—combined incomes. The couple represents completeness and a sexual majority. The couple as pictured here also represents the old standards of male dominance and female passivity.

5. The advertisement excludes many groups of people such as different races, different ethnicities, different economic status, same sex couples, sadomasochists… etc.

Step Two:
The perfume is coded by a referent system, that of magic. The perfume is being advertised as a magic potion. When the viewer splashes the perfume on, her man will have intimate desire for her.

Advertisement #3) “Provocative Woman”— a woman’s perfume by Elisabeth Arden

Model: Catherine Zeta-Jones
Photograph: Steven Klein
Années: 2000-2002
Slogan: Men will melt.
Mfg: Elizabeth Arden
Brand Name: Provocative Woman
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/imagesdeparfums/indexfr.htm?http://perso.wanadoo.fr/imagesdeparfums/about.htm&2

I. Rhetorical
a. Logos
Claim: Buy Provocative Woman perfume because:
Reason 1: Men will melt. The evidence is the water at Catherine Zeta-Jones ankles flowing towards the viewer.

Reason 2: You will be noticed evidence: Vivacious curves of Catherine Zeta-Jones. The plunging neckline, the open legged stance, basically it’s a real trashy look. Zeta-Jones seems to be advertising she’s ready for a quickie in one of the more discrete alleyways of this village.

Reason 3: You will have a more exciting life evidence: Men will faun over you as they smell this fragrance. You will have power over them through your sexual allure.

There are many questionable enthymemes in this advertisement. First, the advertiser takes for granted that the female viewer wants men attracted to her. The advertiser also takes for grated that the viewer will recognize Catherine Zeta-Jones as a celebrity who is known for particular qualities. I have no idea what those qualities are because I know nothing about celebrities. Some of us look to other people as sources of inspiration other than ignorant celebrities who barely made it out of high school.

b. Pathos
1. Target audience: People between the ages of 18-40.

2. The psychological and emotional state of the audience implied by the message is quite grim. The female audience is unpopular, unnoticed, and unwanted by the opposite sex. The advertisement taps into the readers need for intrigue, desire, and passion. It sets up a situation where your sex life is dull or nonexistent, but the cognitive dissonance can be resolved and returned to cognitive balance when you buy this perfume. You will have to beat men off with a stick. This may lead to another problem because some men can’t sleep well at night without a good beating. Therefore your social life will be anything but dull.

3. The advertisement identifies the reader's problem, which in this case is a lack of recognition by the opposite sex, Elizabeth Arden then solves the viewer’s problem by reassuring them that men will faun over you when you use this perfume.

4. Catherine Zeta-Jones’s stance indicates that the viewer will be in full control of men and will have anyone they so chose. The viewer will be in the driver’s seat so to speak. The viewer will be in a position of power and will be able to exercise sexual choices as to where when and with whom. The viewer will be the aggressor and not the submissive.

c. Ethos
The message giver is Elizabeth Arden. I do not believe Elizabeth Arden has any expertise in resolving women’s personal and social problems. The perfume is given the name Provocative Woman, meaning, “tending to provoke or stimulate.” I had to be sure I knew what provocative meant and had to look the word up in the dictionary. I wonder how many of the customers really know what the word “provocative” means. Therefore, by using a word that many people probably no longer recognize its meaning, elevates the intended meaning. The language is very sneaky and tippy toes around its true meaning. It seems to me what they want to imply is “Erogenous Zone or “Loose Woman,” but obviously these names wouldn’t help to sell the product. Elizabeth Arden does not have expertise in resolving men and women’s interpersonal relationships. Elizabeth Arden does have expertise in creating fragrances that men find appealing on women. We all know that perfume companies go through extensive scientific research and development in testing their fragrances by using test subjects. They also perform extensive analysis in queries and compile huge amounts of data to figure out what scents a majority of men like on a majority of women. In addition the test staff is probably selected on established criteria such as economic status, social status, and life-style. The advertiser has no friendliness towards the reader because Aramis is in business to sell a consumable, perfume. Elizabeth Arden does not care why or how the viewer longs for gratification and Elizabeth Arden does not explore other ways to resolve the root cause. Elizabeth Arden offers Provocative Woman as a magic sex potion as a solution. Elizabeth Arden is known for formulating fragrances that will attract men. Elizabeth Arden is tapping into one of the strongest emotional needs of all human beings, the desire for intimacy in exchange for making a profit. Elizabeth Arden exudes confidence in their message because Aramis makes the claim unquestionably clear - buy Provocative Woman and you will provoke men to stimulation beyond their control.

II. Semiotic/Symbolic Approach
a. Symbols, image management
1. Symbols in Advertisement:
Close quartered, old European buildings, possibly France, Venice, Italy, celebrity, Catherine Zeta-Jones, full figure view, looking down upon viewer, water flowing around her ankles, long black flowing hair, low cut dress with straps falling off, sheer dress with legs parted, showing upper thigh, and positioning of hands on hips. Men will melt slogan in the lower right.

2. Symbol connotations:
Close quartered, old European buildings, possibly France, Venice, Italy = exotic/romantic/sophistication because of the European insinuation
Woman, celebrity, Catherine Zeta-Jones, full figure view, looking down upon viewer = position of power/control/dominance/superior/wealth/independence/aloof
Water flowing around her ankles = men who have melted/men fall at her feet/submission by men
Long dark hair = wild/untamable/erotic/exotic
Low top dress with straps falling off shoulders, sheer dress with upper thigh exposed, openness of models legs = available/inviting/openness/erotic/exotic/ approachable
Position of hands on hips = indicates defiance/strength

3. There are no public symbols in the advertisement.

4. The symbols try to unite submissive, controlled women with women who are independent, domineering, and have sexual prowess over men. The symbols also try to unite undesirable women people with those who are desired.

b. Ideology
1. The message does not question implicit cultural beliefs.

2. Catherine Zeta-Jones is the only symbol used that qualifies as a cultural icon. What this means I can only speculate. I understand that she is a celebrity of some kind. Knowing that she is a celebrity, most likely she has less of an education than I do and is infinitely wealthier than I can even dream of. All this indicates is how screwed up American goals are that they can hold this person up as an icon. Catherine Zeta-Jones probably got there by doing exactly what pop culture wanted her to do, taking her clothes off in front of the camera.

3. The values of being a loose woman and ducking into alleyways for a quickie is a way to attract men and dominate men.

4. In some ways, buying the perfume to achieve a higher status in society does exclude other beliefs in American culture. For instance, going out and getting an education, being a productive member of society by doing something that is necessary in society, using your personality and your intelligence to attract a man instead of flashing your boobs.

Step Two:
The perfume is encoded and depends on the audience ‘knowing’ that Catherine Zeta-Jones is … [something] as I already indicated, I do not know what that something is, but according to Rose; “she has to be already encoded as such for the advert to be able to transfer those signifiers from her to make sense of this advert” (Rose, 2001, 89).

Step Three:
I think that the Aramis is the most successful in creating desire and for the product. All of the advertisements feed off the viewers most inner human needs: to be the object of someone’s desire, the need for spontaneity, and the need for intimacy.

Aigner pour homme has the most stupid of the premises. Aigner pour homme uses a post-modern approach and if one takes a good look into history, there is always a group of people who consider themselves post-modern or on the cutting edge. Etienne Aigner is also pushing a “do it in the road” mentality by posing the couple on the floor. Etienne Aigner is pushing the idea that this perfume will create spontaneity in your love life.

Close second is Provocative Woman because not everyone ‘knows’ who Catherine Zeta-Jones is. Some of us look to other people as sources of inspiration other than ignorant celebrities who barely made it out of high school. By using the word “provocative,” very few of the customers will recognize the associations of the word. They will assume that provocative is of a higher social status and not recognize that the word means, “tending to provoke or stimulate” words one can easily associate with other negative connotative words. Therefore advertisements one and two seem to be targeting a younger audience or a less inquiring audience.

Aramis, I think does the best job in distinguishing itself from its competitors. Aramis assumes a sense of intelligence about the audience and appeals to the strongest of the human emotions; the desire to not be alone. The desire for intimacy and completeness I think ranks above all the other emotions that the other perfumes try to exploit. Because Aramis is targeting the independent middle-class woman it is the most effective. This particular group of women are the most likely to have everything else material wise in their lives and are the most likely to be missing a man in their lives due to their marriage to their work.

Audience and Methods Activity as per Rose's assessment of methods and 'audiencing'

Consider:
a) Compositional interpretation as differing interpretations of an image.
b) Content analysis seeking to control varying interpretations of an audience.
c) Semiology and Psychoanalysis which tend to suggest the image produces the audience rather than the audience members interpret the meaning of the image.

Step one:
a. In groups of 3, select an image.

"Woman Reading Mujer leyendo" by Fernando Botero
Source: http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/artists/fernando_botero/Woman%20reading%20Mujer%20leyendo.jpg

P. C. Paul's Analysis

Questions about the image (Rose, p.189)

1. What is being shown? A lone Renaissance nude reclining in the grass reading and contemplating what she has read. What are the components of the image? The nude, the landscape, a few trees with strong trunks to the right in the background. How are they arranged? The nude is the subject and symmetrically placed in the imgage.
2. Is it one of series? Yes it is in a viewing gallery with similar subject matter.
3. Where is the viewer’s eye drawn to in the image, and why? The viewer’s eye is drawn to the face of the nude and the positioning of her body. Resting on elbow, hand on her face looking upwards towards the sky from the book as though contemplating something she has read.
4. What is the vantage point of the image? Straight on and a position of equality.
5. What relationships are established between components of the image visually? There seems to be a commune with nature.
6. What use is made of color? Green and flesh are the dominant colors enforcing the thought of communing with nature.
7. How has its technology affected the text? Which technology? If addressing the computer technology, we loose the textures in the painting. We can’t tell if they are rough or smooth. (A personal major complaint in trying to evaluate art on a computer.)
8. What is, or are, the genre(s) of the image? Classic Renaissance Nude. Is it documentary, soap opera, or melodrama, for example? After investigating the web site after the exercise, this turns out to be a contemporary satirical artist.
9. To what extent does this image draw on the characteristics of its genre? The woman is large which in those times was a desirable feature in women. A large woman represented the possibility of surviving childbirth. Her size was also commonly thought that she was healthy. A bigger, fatter person was considered to be healthy.
10. Does this image comment critically on the characteristics of its genre? Comment critically on the characteristics of the genre? No, I think this is a classical interpretation.
11. What do the different components of an image signify? Fertility, intellectualism.
12. What knowledges are being deployed? Knowledges of the Classic Renaissance Nude.
13. Whose knowledge’s are excluded from this representation? The rest of the questions are blank because we were instructed to move on to sharing our responses as a group of three.
14. Does this image’s particular look at its subject disempower its subject?
15. Are the relations between the components of this image unstable?
16. Is this a contradictory image?

c. Share your responses; note the places you interpreted or decoded the image differently. Try to discover the source of those differences.

J. Meechai's Analysis

Questions about the image (Rose, p.189)

1. What is being shown? What are the components of the image? How are they arranged? The picture we chose is the image of an overweight lady lying down in the park, or outdoor place. The lady is completely naked. She has one book in her left hand open, showing that she is reading that book. But the way she poses is like she is thinking, about something, not reading. Another book is placed nearby her. The component of the image devotes to this lady, the scenery, the tree and the mountains are the background in this image.
2. Is it one of series? It looks like one of the painting series of this artist.
3. Where is the viewer’s eye drawn to in the image, and why? Definitely, the viewer’s eye is drawn to the lady because she is the foreground of this image.
4. What is the vantage point of the image? If this picture was painted in a very old day, it will reflect value of woman’s beauty of that time. If the artist is contemporary, I think he satires how people at the present time view overweight people. Presently, skinny woman is viewed as a beautiful and overweight woman is a target of teasing.
5. What relationships are established between components of the image visually? The components are well balanced and the artist paint this overweight naked lady in the public place to illustrate how the public views overweight people.
6. What use is made of color? I’m not sure, it looks like water color.
7. How has its technology affected the text? The technology he used makes me think that this is very old painting.
8. What is, or are, the genre(s) of the image? Is it documentary, soap opera, or melodrama, for example?
9. To what extent does this image draw on the characteristics of its genre?
10. Does this image comment critically on the characteristics of its genre?
11. What do the different components of an image signify?
12. What know ledges are being deployed?
13. Whose knowledges are excluded from this representation?
14. Does this image’s particular look at its subject disempower its subject?
15. Are the relations between the components of this image unstable?
16. Is this a contradictory image?

C. Tsubaki's Analysis

Questions about the image (Rose, p.189)

1. What is being shown? What are the components of the image? How are they arranged? A well-endowed woman is shown in naked in reclining position apparently reading a book but actually gazing at a corner of the sky in a pensive mood. The subject is in the commanding position in the center of the frame occupying almost half of the screen. In the background we see huge trees and far beyond a series of mountains.
2. Is it one of series? Yes, it is in a series of the front, back, and far.
3. Where is the viewer’s eye drawn to in the image, and why? The viewer’s eye is drawn to the hip area of the body because of its predominance commanding the middle section of the scene.
4. What is the vantage point of the image? The vantage point of the image is the center of the frame that gives the impression of luxurious heaviness of the body.
5. What relationships are established between components of the image visually? Theoretically, the main focus of the image should be the face of the subject as it is placed in the left frame; however, her vision is directed toward the skyward rather than toward the eye level of viewers.
6. What use is made of color? The brown or the earth color suggests the fertility of the woman and the nature surrounding her.
7. How has its technology affected the text?
8. What is, or are, the genre(s) of the image? Is it documentary, soap opera, or melodrama, for example? It could be a genre of a naked woman reading the sign of sky instead of the books.
9. To what extent does this image draw on the characteristics of its genre?
10. Does this image comment critically on the characteristics of its genre?
11. What do the different components of an image signify?
12. What know ledges are being deployed? It may be deployed probably some knowledge on a mythological female figure
13. Whose knowledges are excluded from this representation?
14. Does this image’s particular look at its subject disempower its subject?
15. Are the relations between the components of this image unstable?
16. Is this a contradictory image?

Step two:
a. swap images with another group and complete the same exercise on the new image.

Toxic gnomes : Garden gnomes bearing placards reading Toxic
are set in front of the European Parliament
by activists of Friends of the Earth Europe's environmental group
during the opening session of a debate on toxic waste. (AFP/Olivier Morin)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/051115/photos_us_rank_afp/051115213516_mioc0ac5_photo0

1. What is being shown? Four garden gnomes with poison warning labels hanging around their necks. What are the components of the image? How are they arranged? Symmetrically.
2. Is it one of series? No, it's a single image.
3. Where is the viewer’s eye drawn to in the image, and why? To the gnomes then the signs around their necks.
4. What is the vantage point of the image?
5. What relationships are established between components of the image visually? There seems to be a commune with nature.
6. What use is made of color? Green and flesh are the dominant colors enforcing the thought of communing with nature.
7. How has its technology affected the text? With computer technology it is clear this is a photograph. What is, or are, the genre(s) of the image? Is it documentary, soap opera, or melodrama, for example? Photojournalisim.
8. To what extent does this image draw on the characteristics of its genre? Does this image comment critically on the characteristics of its genre? Comment critically on the characteristics of the genre?
9. What do the different components of an image signify? Seems to signify that maybe the area in which they have been placed indicates that the soil or environment is toxic. A warning label. Political commentary.
10. What knowledges are being deployed? Garden gnomes referring to the garden or soil. Skull and cross bones, international symbols of toxic chemicals, poisons.
11. Whose knowledge’s are excluded from this representation? All cultures other than western cultures.
12. Does this image’s particular look at its subject dis-empowering its subject? I think the images look powers the subject.
13. Are the relations between the components of this image unstable? Yes the relations are unstable. This I think makes the viewer think twice about the message being conveyed.
14. Is this a contradictory image? No, I don’t think its contradictory. That may be because I am a Westerner and the message is meant to be interpreted by Western culture. I don’t think a third-world culture will get the message. I can’t picture them being familiar with garden gnomes.

Once again we are asked to switch to the next part of the exercise so the rest of the questions go unanswered.

c. Interview the individual members of the group, one at a time [total of 3 interviews; each of you interviews one of the other group members and then trade places/roles]

When we are asked to switch, I am trapped in a corner of the computer lab and have to negotiate through bookbags, people, etc. arrive to S. Collins (undergrad) who is not being interviewed. The reason she is not being interviewed is because she refuses to participate any further on the grounds that she is burnt out from all the rush, rush, rush. We go through this in the class, outside of the class, etc. We are completely overworked by all our professors in each class. they seem that their course is the only course we take. We are constantly writing something to the point where our writing quality degrades due to the of quantity of writing expected. The rest of this exercise is now trashed because everyone is engaged in an interview. I listen in on one interview and hear one answer. the exercise is brought to a halt, the class has ended.

d. Now, as a new group of 6 who have decoded two images discuss the ways audience affected the decoding process.

What was the significance, in your view, of different interpretations. One person acts as scribe each time.

Is there any evidence that a particular audience produced a meaning for one of the images that differed from the meanings made at the site of its production or by the image itself
[see p.190]?

e. Present findings to the class; turn in.

Multimedia Activity

Author's: P. C. Paul, N. Cosentino, N. Indge

In-class activity on multimedia:
Kress begins the discussion of alphabetic literacy by explaining the different logics governing word and image. His particular interest is meaning making and the future of literacy. In pairs, try out these sample exercises. We’ll discuss.

1. Find 5 pages or screens in which the image ‘location’ makes meaning. Explain.

http://www.kustomsofamerica.com/
The web site has a logo for the organization to the upper right implying the splash page is created for Western Audiences who read from top to bottom. The second image on the top of the page and center appears to be a logo for the magazine. The image of the customized automobile lets the user know this is a site dedicated to a specific type of custom car known as “lead sleds.”

http://www.umbc.edu/
The web site is a university web site. The image to the top right not only serves as a reminder of where the user is but also presents a weekly article focusing on exciting research projects being conducted by students and faculty. The image serves to promote the university as a research institution.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com
The National Geographic web site differs from the magazine. The magazine’s trademark is an attention grabbing image on the cover page while the web site is text driven with hypertext links. The image on the top right is less explicit to the viewer in the meaning of what the article is about.

http://www.drudgereport.com
This is a web news site. The image on the top and center of the page provides no meaning to the user. A caption is listed underneath and as is typical of the Drudge Report, no one but Drudge seems to understand what the image implies. The viewer gets a vague idea that the article behind the image has something to do with the holiday travel rush. One has to know or remember that the day before Thanksgiving is the biggest travel day.

http://www.cnn.com
The central image that is not advertising on the web site is related to the featured article on the web page. The image layout is modeled after a traditional paper-based newspaper front-page with the most important story of the day on the top right corner of the page.

2. Find 5 examples of how layout changes textual structures. Explain.

http://www.kustomsofamerica.com
Text driven site: The layout of text and images is traditional to a textbook or more likely web design textbook. There is a logo in the top-left corner and bottom left corner. A logo image is placed on the top-center. Text runs left-justified. Top to bottom, left to right. Images are placed to the right in classic textbook layout. Therefore the layout of the web page is text driven and not image driven. Text is primary, image is secondary.

http://www.umbc.edu
Text driven: On the UMBC web site has a classic web page design. This is a home page so its purpose is to entice the viewer to browse though other pages within the web site. The text is not traditional text as the written page of a book but rather hyperlinks or brief phrases or sentences to indicate what is on the next page of the web site. This could be viewed as a newspaper type layout, similar the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. Because of the standard layout of the web page which does not change, the text drives the page. This is so the web page always has the same feel when the viewer enters. This aids the viewer to quickly locate what they need on the home page and go to where they need to. A student want to pick up email, visit Blackboard, faculty, staff and students want to quickly go to the library page. The text can’t be varying all the time.I don’t remember, I think the size of the image is set and does not vary from week to week even though the image will change. That is the image in the upper left hand corner below the UMBC logo.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com
Text driven: The National Geographic web site has a classic web page design. This is a home page so its purpose is to entice the viewer to browse though other pages within the web site. The text is not traditional text as the written page of a book but rather hyperlinks or brief phrases or sentences to indicate what is on the next page of the web site. This could be viewed as a newspaper type layout, similar the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. Because of the standard layout of the web page which does not change, the text drives the page. This is so the web page always has the same feel when the viewer enters. This aids the viewer to quickly locate what they need on the home page and go to where they need to. I don’t remember, I think the size of the image is set and does not vary from week to week even though the image will change. That is the image in the upper left hand corner below the National Geographic logo.

http://www.drudgereport.com
Image Driven: This web page is daunting to navigate. The text is always in three columns, but it is the images that drive the page. This size of the image determines where the text or hyperlinks will be shoved to. This makes the web site difficult for seldom visitors. In addition, once one enters the home page, moments later a pop-up graphic shows up on the top of the page that did not exist when one first enters the home page. This web site is driven by the images.

http://www.cnn.com
Text driven: The CNN web site has a classic web page design. This is a home page so its purpose is to entice the viewer to browse though other pages within the web site. The text is not traditional text as the written page of a book but rather hyperlinks or brief phrases or sentences to indicate what is on the next page of the web site. This could be viewed as a newspaper type layout, similar the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. Because of the standard layout of the web page which does not change, the text drives the page. This is so the web page always has the same feel when the viewer enters. This aids the viewer to quickly locate what they need on the home page and go to where they need to. The size of the image is clearly set and does not vary from week to week even though the image will change. That is the image in the upper left hand corner below the CNN logo. The text has to remain fixed otherwise it becomes daunting to a frequent user when they come to the home page and want to look up Front page news, or World news.

3. Find 5 examples of shifts in power brought about by the renewed dominance of the visual. Discuss.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn194/Psiouxe/crucifix-3.jpg
Perhaps has no image been as singularly as powerful throughout history as the imagery of Jesus on the cross. This image has been used by the Christian faith and churches for centuries and has influenced power all over the world.

http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/57124-28.jpg
The swastika is an image that people have connected with evil and terror ever since the start of Hitler’s power reign in the early twentieth century. Undoubtedly this image was connected with a change of power and regime in Western Europe.

http://www.upcyclemagazine.com/how-to-retire-and-recycle-an-american-flag
The American flag is a symbol of freedom and strength throughout the world and from a historical standpoint holds a great deal of meaning as a visual.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/imagedetail.aspx?id=4DABA54CBB4D25A9E9905BC59E4A6D44E33694EA
While perhaps not the most profound of power changes in history, the Microsoft logo has become synonymous with everything that has to do with computers and is a visual piece of history.

http://www.3quarksdaily.com/.a/6a00d8341c562c53ef0168e8ae26be970c-popup
Currency is an extremely important sign of power in visual form throughout history and the world. The dollar especially holds a large part of history in that it is one of the most recognizable and powerful currencies in existence.

4. Find 5 examples of print influenced by screen layout. Discuss.

http://www.kustomsofamerica.com
Not sure if this publication once appeared only in print. From the looks of it, the site has just revamped the screen layout and is requesting feedback on its appearance. If in fact this site does have a print source that follows the same characteristics as the screen, I can see how the use of structural details such as bullets, bolding, and text chucking contribute to the idea that magazines and newspapers are now being developed to read like screens. This site does not convey a lot of information, but seems to be mainly concerned with how the information that is there is organized. The site proves this by doing things such as using headlines that are equal in length to the actual information the headline is introducing.

http://www.umbc.edu
This site serves as a source of informational links. The purpose of the screen is not to present information, but rather direct you where the information can be found. The texts on the screen are merely links to other screens, a concept that does not appear in print. If this was a direct duplicate of something found in print, this layout would not be effective in conveying information.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com
Like the UMBC website, the purpose of this site is to direct rather than to inform, which is very much unlike its purpose in print. We see here that once again the text is organized in such a way that it attempts to draw attention to each individual sentence. In addition, the screen is cluttered with advertisements and icons which prevent the onlooker from determining what is important on the screen. In print, this magazine is very straightforward and the information is presented clearly and organized manner. When adapted for the electronic screen, the magazine loses this organization and clarity.

http://www.drudgereport.com
I have never seen a site so complicated to understand. First you encounter an image which is not explained and its significance to the site is undetermined. Next, links of information are sporadically placed all over the screen, in no corresponding order and no coherent spatial arrangement. In print, this publication is limited to the amount of information it can convey in any given issue and, what I think happened here, is given an electronic medium the potential for more information to be displayed is there and the creators are trying to utilize this. Links to previous articles are available online vs. in print.

http://www.cnn.com
This is probably the best screen layout I have seen. Still there are links spread all over the page, but they are organized by category-much like articles would be in a newspaper. There are categories for World, Entertainment, Business, and etc. which makes it easier for someone to navigate this site. In addition the images used on the screen apply to the link or text it is sectioned off with, much like a subheading under a picture in print. I feel as though this site is easiest to use because it does mimic its original print form, something I can relate to and am familiar with.

5. Go to http://www.coe.unco.edu/LindaLohr/c8/index.htm
to complete this exercise, individually. Compare results with your group members.

Improve the figure/ground composition in the information below. Don't hesitate to change the words or verbal composition if needed.

N. Indge:

P.C. Paul:

N. Cosentino:

6. Go to http://www.coe.unco.edu/LindaLohr/c10/index.htm
to complete this exercise, individually. Compare results with group members.

Represent the meaning of order and tension using squares. Focus on the similarity principle. How can you make the appearance of the squares similar to the words order and tension?

N. Indge:

P.C. Paul:

N. Cosentino