PurComm Notes 3.

Technical – camera angles, framing,

cropping, juxtaposition (2 separate
Unit 6 Lesson 9 – Signifier and Signified signs that make contrasting meaning)

Suggestions to Be an Effective Listener Semiotics – study of signs; examines how

1. Seek for clarification symbolic, written and technical signs
2. Empathize construct meaning; looks at how meaning is
3. Be sensitive to verbal ang non-verbal made and understood
cues
Media Texts Have 2 Layers of Meaning
Advertisements – written forms of 1. Denotative Level – what we actually
communication; rely on text and images to see; surface meaning
convey meaning; should be visually powerful 2. Connotative Level – what you
associate with this image; deeper or
Ferdinand de Saussure – a Swiss linguist; hidden meaning
explains that every sign (symbol) has 2 main
components; saw language as a cultural Arbitrary Signs – they can have several
creation rather than something innate meanings

Roland Barthes – looked at the way visual Iconic Signs – use of a wheelchair to indicate
images transmit meanings; showed how we disabled facilities
go through various stages when
deconstructing a sign Indexical Signs – smoke used to identify fire
or a tear for sorrow
Charles Peirce – introduced the idea of
semiotics and developed Saussure’s ideas Goffman’s Theory – Gender Representations
in Advertising, which often uses the following
2 Main Components of Sign codes and conventions:
1. Signifier – the sign; object, word, or 1. Superiority, Domination & Body
image representing a concept; Language – men are shown in
physical dominant positions; women are
2. Signified – the concept which signifier physically portrayed in sexual or
refers to; meaning drawn by the reclining poses with blank or inviting
receiver; mental expressions
2. Dismemberment – on females,
Cultural Sensitivity – awareness and specific parts of the body are used
acknowledgement of differences in cultures rather than the full body; applied to
sell products which are not related to
Codes – rules or conventions by which signs the body
are put together to create meaning 3. Voice-Over Authority – male voices
are used as voice-overs in
Three Categories of Media Language commercials rather than females
1. Symbolic – lighting, color, positioning,
setting & locations, objects, key
signifiers, etc.
2. Written – slogan, typeface/font,
headlines, captions, etc.

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Unit 7 Lesson 10 – Communication Using Tools of Technology
Technologies
Multimedia – content that uses combination
Communication Aid – helps individual to of different content forms (text, audio,
communicate more effectively; also referred images, animations, video and interactive
to as AAC devices content); it contrasts with media that use only
rudimentary computer displays ((text-only,
AAC – Augmentative and Alternative printed or hand-produced material)
Communication; a huge range of techniques
which support or replace spoken Transparency – also known as view foil or
communication; ex. Gesture, signing, view graph; a thin sheet of transparent
symbols, word boards, Voice Output flexible material, typically cellulose acetate,
Communication Aids (VOCAs) which figures can be drawn; placed on an
overhead projector for display; replaced by
2 Main Types of AAC System: video projectors and interactive whiteboards
1. Unaided Communication – does not
use additional equipment; ex. Body Video – an electronic medium for the
language, posture, vocalization, recording, copying, playback, broadcasting,
signing and display of moving visual media
2. Aided Communication – uses
equipment, ranging from low-tech to
high-tech methods; pictures and Sound Recording and Reproduction – an
symbols are often used electrical, mechanical, electronic, or digital
inscription and re-creation of sound waves,
Communication – exchange of information (spoken voice, singing, instrumental music,
between a sender and receiver or sound effects)

Types of Communication Strategies Rules to Present a Good Presentation

1. Verbal Communication Strategies –
broken down into oral and written; ex. 10-20-30
E-mail, text, chat (written), and phone 10 slides – 20 minutes – 30 point font
call, video chat, face-to-face
conversation (oral) 1-6-6
2. Nonverbal Communication 1 main idea – 6 bullet points – 6 words per
Strategies – mostly visual cues; cues bullet
not typically intended; ex. Body
language, facial expressions, 7-7
physical distance, tone of voice 7 lines – 7 words
3. Visual Communication Strategies –
seen through signs, web pages, 4P’s
illustrations; used in workplace to Prior Preparation Prevents Poor
draw attention and provide Performance of the Person Putting on the
documentation Presentation

2
Types of Modern Communication [Tools] - One of the most underestimated
1. Social Media marketing platforms despite
- has been around since early days being one of the most beneficial
of internet in terms of return on investment
- may be all about brand - Purposes: to push products and
awareness but also a great services, spread news, raise
channel for communication brand awareness or deliver a
- enables you to post open message to the masses
messages for everyone to see, as
well as engage with users 6. Direct Email
through comments - Similar to DM but more formal
- a great first step for - Most popular way of
communication communicating between
- messages are not limited to businesses with over 200B
his/her followers emails sent every day
- power of posts going viral
7. Blogging
2. Social Media – Direct Message (DM) - Blog is a conversational styled
- Not public website that enables you to
- A direct messaging option publish messages, news,
- Private messaging through social knowledge or any other kind of
networks has same intimacy with information on the WWW
email but less formal
- Some messaging services have
own app like Facebook 8. Voice Calling
Messenger - More personalized
- Facebook messenger bots are - Mobile phone allows both parties
seen as norm in DM techniques to hear the tones and emotions of
with customers another caller

3. Instant Message (IM) 9. Video Chat

- Platforms not connected to social - Enables both parties to see each
networks like Google Hangouts, other
WhatsApp - Allows you to be able to read
- Great tool for quick informal chats body language and facial
or group chats expressions
- Is not popular as the voice calling
4. SMS Text Messaging
- Text messaging is short, informal, 10. Video Marketing
and good wat to communicate - Video has taken off over the years
small bits of information that can with the help of social channels
be received and replied to at the (YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat,
recipient’s own leisure etc.)
- Live Web Chat: allow people on
5. Email Marketing your website to ask you questions
- First mass email in 1978 directly n real time without leaving
your website

3
 - Virtual Reality: Facebook has 5. Google+
been developing social VR - A Google social networking
platform
Social Media Platforms Used Almost Every - Sought to replicate the way
Day people interact offline more
1. Blog closely
- Shortening of weblog - Project slogan is “Real-life
- An online journal or informational sharing rethought for the web”
website displaying information in
reverse chronological order, 6. Instagram
latest points appearing first - A free photo and video sharing
- A platform where a writer or a app available on Apple iOS,
group of writers share their views Android and Windows Phone
on a subject - Can upload photos or videos and
share them with their followers or
2. Email selected group of friends
- Short for electronic mail - Can also view, comment and like
- One of the most widely used posts shared by their friends
features on the internet along with
the web 7. LinkedIn
- Allows you to send and receive - Enables to network with people
messages to and from anyone and professional organizations in
with an email address your industry
- Can invite anyone to connect but
3. Facebook must have LinkedIn account to
- A social networking site that use it
makes it easy for you to connect - Saves the connections you make
and share with family and friends to a list called My Network
online
- Created by Mark Zuckerberg in 8. MySpace.com
2003 originally for college - A popular social networking Web
students site
- in 200g, over the age of 13 could - Originally founded as venue for
join Facebook aspiring musicians and bands to
- world’s largest social network share music and concert dates
with more than 1B users
9. Podcast
4. Flickr - An audio programme that you
- An American image hosting and subscribe to on smartphone and
video hosting service, as well as listen wherever you like
an online community - A series of spoken word, audio
- Created by Ludicorp in 2004 episodes, all focused on a
- Popular with hosting high particular topic or theme
resolution photos
10. Snapchat
- A popular messaging app that lets
users exchange pictures and

4
 videos called snaps that are - Ecosystem for media,
meant to disappear after they’re developers, online shops, and
viewed includes instant messaging,
- Advertised as new type of camera official account, mini-programs,
because its essential function is mini-games and corporate
to take picture or video, add
filters, lenses or other effects and 16. WhatsApp
share them with friends - An American freeware, cross-
platform messaging and Voice
11. Tinder over IP (VoIP) service owned by
- A geosocial networking and Facebook
online dating application that - Allows users to text messages
allows users to anonymously and voice messages, make voice
swipe to like or dislike other and video calls, share images,
profiles based on their photos, etc.
small bio, and common interests
Unit 7 Lesson 11 – Multimodal Texts
12. Tumblr
- A blogging and social media tool Multimodal Literacy
that allows users to publish a - Multimodal text conveys meaning
tumblelog or short blog posts through a combination of two or
- Free-form nature of site and its more modes
ability of users to heavily
customize their own pages Written Meaning
- It is conveyed through written
language via handwriting, the
13. Twitter printed page, and the screen
- A microblogging system that - Choices of words, phrases, and
allows users to send and receive sentences are organized through
short posts called tweets linguistic grammar conventions,
- Tweets can be up to 140 register and genre
characters long and can include - In bilingual or multilingual texts, it
links may be conveyed through
different scripts and laid out
14. Viber differently, whether typed or
- A free to download app that handwritten
allows users to make free calls, - Learners may write words from
send texts, pictures and video their home languages using
messages to other Viber users English letters
- Works on both mobile and
computer Register – where language is varied
according to context
15. WeChat
- All-in-one app Genre – knowledge of how a text type is
- Used for sending instant organized and staged to meet a specific
messages purpose

5
Spoken (Oral) Meaning layout, and organization of
- Conveyed through spoken objects in the space
language via live or recorded
speech and can be monologic or Gestural Meaning
dialogic - Conveyed through choices of
- Choices of words, phrases, and body movement, facial
sentences are organized through expression, eye movements and
linguistic grammar conventions, gaze, demeanor, gait, dance,
register, and genre acting, action sequences
- Composing oral meaning - Includes use of rhythm, speed,
includes choices around mood, stillness and angles, including
emotion, emphasis, fluency, timing, frequency, ceremony and
speed, volume, etc. ritual
- Learners may make additional - Gestures and body language may
choices around use of home have diverse cultural
languages to create mood or connotations
emphasize meaning
Types of Multimodal Texts
Visual Meaning 1. Paper-Based Multimodal Texts –
- Conveyed through choices of include picture books, text books,
visual resources and includes graphic novels, comics, and posters
both still image and moving 2. Live Multimodal Texts – ex. dance,
images performance, and oral storytelling,
- Images may include diverse convey meaning through
cultural connotations, symbolism combinations of various modes such
and portray different people, as gestural, spatial, audio, and oral
cultures and practices language
- Visual resources: framing, 3. Digital Multimodal Texts – include
vectors, symbols, perspective, film, animation, slide shows, e-
gaze, point of view, color, texture, posters, digital stories, podcasts, and
etc. web pages that may include
hyperlinks to external pronunciation
Audio Meaning guides or translations
- Conveyed through sound,
including choices of music Unit 7 Lesson 12 – Business
representing different cultures, Presentations
ambient sounds, noises, alerts,
silence, natural/unnatural Business Presentation
sounds, use of volume, etc. - Formal information about the
- Lyrics in a song may include business products or practices
multiple languages - Carried out by using the audio
and visual presentation material,
Spatial Meaning such as statistical documents,
- Conveyed through design of projectors, flip charts,
spaces, using choices of spatial whiteboards, and much more
resources including scale, - Most common ex. Intra-
proximity, boundaries, direction, organization presentations

6
 (conducted by members of a 4. Informative Presentations
company in front of their co- - Consists of educating the
workers with the purpose to audience
introduce new operations or - Consists of status reports or
policies) and sales presentations summaries and starts with an
(conducted generally by suppliers overall goal that follows the action
in front of a potential customer and specific plans
with the aim of pitching their
services) 5 Tips for Creating a Great Business
- Are often utilized by the Presentation
organizations and companies as 1. Tell a Story
a way to sell an idea or product 2. Keep It Simple
for motivating the audience or - 3 to 5 main points
training purposes 3. Know Your Stuff
- Prepare for questions
Importance/Factors that Determine the 4. Speak Naturally
Effectiveness of Business Presentation - Sound approachable and
- Connecting (bonding experience competent
between audience and presenter) - Avoid swearing and vulgarity
- Informative (leaves a good piece 5. Don’t Put Everything on the Slides
of information to the audience) - Don’t cram all information in
- Inspiring (capturing the attention slides
of audience) - Don’t read the slides
- Appealing (visual or physical
props) 1. Know Your Audience
- Know what style is appropriate for
your intended audience
Types of Business Presentations 2. Know Your Point
1. Group Presentations - 1-2 main ideas
- findings are communicated by the - Everything must come back to
group presentations main point
- remain informational in structure - Know what you want the
- seek to convince the people for audience to take away from you
accepting new programs and 3. Tell a Story
strategies - Organization is key
2. Presentation Aids - Beginning, middle, end
- Used for enhancing presentation - Clear and logical flow
- Ex. Flash, PowerPoint, even a - Try to streamline presentation so
simple blackboard each step is obvious
3. Persuasive Presentations - For very complicated material,
- To convenience the audience for outline/summary breaks
supporting certain views 4. Limit Your Material
- It outlines an organization goal or - Rule of Thumb: 1 slide per minute
problem and then follows it by the (maximum)
statements for detailing the - Lecture Notes: 20 slides for 65-
present state of affairs minute class
- 50min Research Talk: 26 slides

7
 - 50min Social Media Talk: 32
slides
- 50min Public Lecture: 39 slides
(very image heavy)
- In class presentations, no more
than 20 slides
5. Slide Design
- Text is death; keep words on
slides to a minimum
- Use high contrast fonts and
colors; .5x11 printout should be
readable from 10ft
- Keep background images simple
- Use animation sparingly

PowerPoint Disease – irresistible urge to

create and deliver a presentation with a
quantity of slides that ‘poisons’ the audience;
poisoning is a gradual process

How to Cure PowerPoint Disease

PD does not disappear, but a treatment is
required:
- Separate presentation from
handouts
- Only the main messages on a
slide – 6x7 (maximum 6 lines of
maximum 7 words); a full screen
image is even better
- Ask questions; challenge your
audience
- use the hyperlinks in PowerPoint
and create tree structures; then,
you can ask your audience what
they are interested to hear