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Visual and Media Literacy, the Overlooked Competencies: How We are Influenced by What We See
Frances A. May University of North Texas
LOEX Conference 2009Albuquerque, NM – May 2, 2009
Information and Visual LiteracyBreivik (2005) argues that information literacy
should incorporate multiple types of literacy including computer, library, media, network, and visual literacy.
Goal: Provide resources and understanding for participants to engage in visual literacy instruction.
Visual Literacy: The ability to decode, comprehend, and analyze visual images in order to construct meaning from visual representations of ideas and concepts. (Burns, 2006)
Why is VL important?The more we know, the more we see
(Natharius, 2004)Visual literacy is a prerequisite for the
comprehension of visual media.Awareness of Visual ManipulationAesthetic Appreciation
Understanding Visual LiteracyImages are texts that use a powerful
shorthand form of communication (Burns, 2006).
Visual communication is powerful because it is “meta-indexical” (Marcum, 2002).
Visual images are examined in conjunction with the written text provided.
Visual RhetoricRelationship between written texts and
imagesStudied by communication scholars,
artists, art historians, writing instructors
Seeks to understand how visual images are used to build arguments in an attempt to persuade others or portray a specific ideology
Text – The medium through which the author/rhetor delivers the act (e.g., television show, ad campaign, picture, this PowerPoint presentation)
studies a speaker’s use of words, phrases, & visual texts to explicate how her/his arguments have been built in order to make intended point.
Intertextuality- cognitive connections we make when we see something and understand that the visual text references an earlier text (Natharius, 2004).
Intended Audience: Who is the target of the visual image? Desired Outcome – The effect
(on the intended audience) that the creator/author of the image is trying to accomplish.
What is the argument?Classical Logical Argument– Syllogism:
Major Premise “All men are mortal”Minor Premise “Socrates is a man”Conclusion “Therefore, Socrates is mortal”
Most arguments do not provide all parts of the syllogism, but instead rely on the audience to provide part of the argument based on past experience or referents. Scholars have defined this process as an enthymeme.
Ethos – The perceived credibility of the author/rhetor of the image.
Logos – The logical appeals used by the author/rhetor in an attempt to affect the intended audience in the desired manner.
Pathos – The emotional appeals used by the author/rhetor in an attempt to affect the intended audience in the desired manner.
Camera AnglesVisual ReferencesLighting
Camera Angles
Visual References
Lighting
Summary of Tricks of the TradeCamera angles
Looking upLooking downPerspective changes
Visual References and changing themLighting
Questions to guide your analysisWho is the author? Is the author credible? Who is the intended audience? What is the desired outcome?What is the main argument of the image?Do the images use intertexuality?Are the images being manipulated?What is left out?
“What is not seen is as important as what is seen” (Natharius, 2004, p. 244).
Example: US Media Coverage of Iraq War
Questions?
AcknowledgmentsTo Karen Anderson for the slides on visual
rhetoric and for her collaborationFilms used:
Triumph of the WillHitler: A Career Unparallelled Star Wars IV: A New HopeStar Wars II: Attack of the ClonesMuch Ado about NothingSerenity
