Unit 3 SB
Unit 3 SB
For the writing and speaking assessments in this course, the input from this unit will help you
decide on how to use appropriate structure and language to describe a visual and justify your ideas,
and prepare Writing Coursework I, which can also be applied to other areas of your studies at the
university and IELTS.
Pre-unit task (Homework): Your teacher will ask you to complete this task outside
of class before the start of the unit.
Complete Task 2 on Moodle to get an idea of some basic design concepts that will help
you do the tasks in the unit in preparation for Writing Coursework (I).
Purpose:
Target audience:
Media/channel of communication:
Images Words
Who/What is in the visual? Objects? Does the visual contain any words? What
People? What are they doing? do they say? Any slogans? How do the
words relate to the images?
b. What elements in the text help achieve this (e.g. word/colour choice, amount of
information, use of visuals)?
One of the ways we can better understand how writers or designers communicate meaning through
multimodal texts is by examining its design elements. Let’s take a closer look at six key design concepts:
emphasis, contrast, color, organization, alignment, and proximity.
1. Emphasis
In visual texts, emphasis gives certain (1) elements such as an image or words greater (2) importance
than other elements, which can guide your reading of the text as a whole.
When analyzing an image for emphasis, we pay attention to what we notice (3) first and then ask
ourselves why. Look at the Think Indian advertisement below (Figure A). Where is your attention visually
drawn? What strategies does the designer use to emphasize this element? Then notice what happens in
Figure B: when the advertisement is changed to black and white, the words THINK INDIAN are no longer
emphasized. Instead, the focus shifts to the white text at the top left, emphasized because of its contrast
against the gray background. Given the endless possibilities, why do you think this text’s designer chose to
make THINK INDIAN a large, red, all-caps typeface?
Figure A “THINK INDIAN” is emphasized Figure B The text on the top left is emphasized
Changing the color, size, and shape of the typeface and images impacts how we perceive which elements
are emphasized in the whole text.
2. Contrast
Contrast is the (4) difference between elements, where the combination of those elements makes one
element (5) stand out from another. Contrast can be determined by comparing elements in a text. Color,
size, placement, shape, and content can all be used to create contrast in a text. Contrast plays a large role in
emphasis, in that the most contrasted element often appears to be the most emphasized. Figure C
contrasts the size of two elements and our attention is naturally given to the largest one that takes up the
3. Color
Color can be extremely helpful when determining emphasis in a visual text. Visual emphasis can be
accorded to, for example, how much black compared to the white or gray background is used. Although
color theory indicates that different cultures interpret colors differently around the world, (6) warm
colors such as reds and oranges are usually read as more emotionally intense and are used to elicit
emotional reactions in audiences. (7) cool colors like blues and greens are usually read as calming and are
used to create less emphasis than warm colors in a visual composition.
Analyzing a text for color means noticing not only what colors are being used, but to what (8) effect. Do
the colors create a certain mood or feeling? Do they work to emphasize a particular element? Or do they
work to highlight certain elements on the page in relation to each other?
4. Organization
Organization is the way in which elements are (9) arranged to form a coherent unit. For example, the
arrangement of elements on a homepage can orient your gestural navigation to find the information you
want. Figure F below is the WSU home page. It is organized into (10) two rows of information. The first
row is a white bar that contains the WSU logo, a menu, and a search function. The second row includes a
photo, a link to a news item that explains the photo, and a menu of recent news items by date. This
organization can enhance usability of the homepage by minimizing the number of elements that appear on
a starting screen and providing users with a clearly marked organizational structure.
6. Proximity
In a visual text, proximity refers to how (15) close elements or groupings of elements are placed in
proximity to each other and what (16) relationships are built as a result of that spacing. The relationships
created by the spacing between elements help readers understand the text.
Figure H shows a book cover. The title and editors’ names, which is the most important information, are
grouped by physical proximity at the top of the cover. The publisher “Utah State University Press”, table of
contents (TOC) and the editors’ names are grouped by proximity of color as the same colour scheme is
used.
(Adapted from: Writer/Designer: A Guide to Making Multimodal Projects, L. A. Kristin, 2006, Bedford, pp 44-50)
Task 4:
Based on the six design concepts you have learned from the article above, discuss the following
questions in groups.
(2) What is used to create contrast in the advertisement? Does the use of contrast help to emphasize
certain elements?
- There is a color contrast and size contract, that makes the important elements stand out from the
rest of the image
(3) What colours are used in the advertisement? What effects do they have on the audience and help
communicate the purpose?
- Color is used to emphasize and drag the audience’s attention to key elements of the image. Also, the
colors used are white, brow and gold, which may be associated with purity and wealth. These colors
create an effect on the that the product advertised is for wealthy people an those who have it will
have pure skin.
(5) How are the elements (slogan, testimony, common problems related to ageing skin) on the visual
aligned? In what ways does it help the audience to read the visual?
You have just seen an example where the six concepts introduced in the article are used in a
visual (an advertisement).
Watch the first half of the video (about 4 minutes) and fill in the blanks below.
(1) Emphasis enables certain elements on a visual to (2) stand out. It can be achieved by making these
elements (3) bigger, bolder and (4) brighter so that the audience can notice these elements (5) first.
(6) Contrast, white space and (7) movement can create emphasis.
Contrast is (8) difference and it makes designs more interesting. It can be achieved by the use of color,
(9) text and (10) line.
(11) white space refers to the space not taken up by any elements such as text, photos or illustrations to
create emphasis. The effective use of white space helps create (12) grouping and improve legibility. It is
often used as the (13) background. It makes our design easier to look at and enables information to be
delivered more quickly.
(14) Movement is the way how viewers scan the visual. Lines and color direct viewers towards certain
elements in a certain (15) order.
Watch the second half of the video (about 4 minutes) and fill in the blanks below.
Repetition makes the design (1) consistent and builds a (2) pattern. Repeating text can emphasize the
(3) message and keep the design (4) minimal. Repetition gives our design a sense of rhythm, and a clean
and well-structured look.
Proportion has to do with the (5) size and (6) quantity of elements and how they (7) relate to each other.
No matter how many elements are used, they should be proportionate.
Balance is how elements are (8) positioned. It can also include the amount of white space compared to
other elements. There are symmetrical balance and asymmetrical balance. The former gives viewers a
(9) well structure but it can be a bit boring. The latter makes the design more dynamic and (10)
interesting.
Alignment focuses on (11) relationship between elements, giving structure and order to designs. It can
be edge or center alignment. (12) Edge alignment is about positioning the elements to the left, right, top
and bottom. (13) Center alignment is sticking the elements to the middle either horizontally or vertically.
Task 6:
Read the article below regarding Washington State University (WSU) webpage analysis.
Identify examples of the language of description used.
(Adapted from: Writer/Designer: A Guide to Making Multimodal Projects, L. A. Kristin, 2006, Bedford)
A. Use of adjectives
Task 7:
Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow with a classmate:
by W. M. O’Barr
The world of advertising has its own set of stories about the good and the bad, truth and dishonesty.
Just as in the world at large, there are not only clear instances of good and bad behaviors but also (i) a
vast, undefined, grey area that lies between these extremes — an area where ethical decisions must
False advertising
As recently as the early 1900s, advertising was still largely unregulated, and sellers were pretty much
free to make whatever claims they could get away with. Patent medicines were among the worst
offenders. The claims in such ads were not only outrageous but frequently completely false. For
example, the claims of (ii) the moldy, old, newspaper ad about electric belts shown below have no
basis in fact. Rather, they represent (iii) the boastful, unproven proclamations of the seller. These ads
are not unique in the same period, featuring (iv) numerous, huge, far-fetched effects. Luckily, such
patently false claims are highly unlikely in national advertising today because of both governmental
and industry-based regulations as well as negative publicity from inevitable repercussions.
This is just one of the many instances of how advertisers can use misleading information to sell their
products. Readers ought to be aware of false and deceptive advertising in order not to fall into these
shenanigans.
(Adapted from: Cambridge Academic English: An integrated skill course for EAP. Advanced. Hewings, M., & Thaine, C. 2012.
Cambridge University Press.)
When you use more than one adjective in a noun group, the usual order of the adjectives is
number, opinion, size, condition, age, shape, colour, origin, material, purpose.
(Source: https://www.woodwardenglish.com/lesson/adjectives-word-order/)
2. How useful is the rule? What are other principles that dictate the order of adjectives?
4. For each of the following words, think of a synonym that has a more negative connotation:
- child …(offspring) juvenile
- persistent …(never ending) relentless
- scholarly …( bookish)
- underachiever …( loser)
5. For each of the following words, think of a synonym that has a more positive connotation:
- notorious …( prominent)
- fat …( stout)
- old (people) …(experienced, mature)
- reckless …( carefree)
- cheap …( inexpensive )
- fanatic …( visionary)
Y result from / (can be) attribute(d) to X The association of youth with the product is
(noun phrase) attributed to the glowing skin of the model.
X causes Y → Y is caused by X
To demonstrate the ability to use connectives flexibly, some connectives can be placed in a later
position in a sentence. These connectives are usually followed by a comma in their normal
sentence position. For example:
(Source: https://news.kraftheinzcompany.com/)
Example:
(optional)Task 9:
Work in pairs. Discuss your views on the following topics:
1. The causes of depression among teenagers.
2. The effects of the Internet.
Try to use the vocabulary and structures suggested above. Jot down some notes in the space
below before discussing with your partner:
Script ONE
(Source: https://history.hku.hk/)
Rhetorical context:
This visual is a poster which found on the website of the department of history of the University of
Hong Kong. The purpose of the visual is to tell a story (story about what???) and promote the
department. The main audience of the visual is the people who are interested in this department and
the people who want to study in the History of the University of Hong Kong. (66 words)
Visual Design (How effective is the design in communicating the purpose to the target
audience?):
This visual is a combine of a real history picture and a modern picture. The visual is about the
different the old life of Hong Kong and now. The visual contain few words which are ‘This is
history’ and ‘check out our new website!’ These words can directly show that is about history and
tell people they have a new website. It is supposed that relavance is used in the visual because of
the history picture and the words are telling the audience that is about the history. The word of the
visual are left-aligned. This help group things in a clear and interesting way can be useful such as
the visual can clearly show the purpose is promote the department of history and their new website.
The history picture and the modern picture are used as contrast. The history picture are the
background of the visual but the modern picture only own a small area of the visual. Then, this also
can see that the history picture are emphasized because it is the mainly part of the visual.
(179 words words excluding the words copied from the visual))
Analysis:
Is the analysis well supported I think it is supported well, however only to a certain extent.
by the use of context and Because the description don’t go deeply into all of the details.
description?
Organization
& Coherence:
Is the paragraph well organized
(topic sentence, supporting
sentences, concluding
sentence)?
Are different cause-effect
patterns used correctly?
Use of lexis:
Is descriptive language
(present tense, adjectives,
spatial order signals, passive
voice) used correctly and
effectively?
Use of grammar: There are some
Are errors frequent and
serious?
Are complex sentences used
correctly?
Penalties:
Rhetorical Context:
The visual is an advertisement for Nike running shoes. It targets people who like running or even Nike
fans. It aims to promote the shoes and persuade the reader to buy the product. For the medium type, it is
a print advertisement because its source is a print magazine. Both verbal and non-verbal elements are
used as we can see slogan ‘Get Faster By Getting Stronger” and the image of a woman in the
advertisement.
(70 words excluding the words copied from the visual)
Visual Design (How effective is the design in communicating the purpose to the target audience?):
The design of the visual is effective because of good use of emphasis, contrast and proximity. The woman
who seems to be a professional athlete is emphasized as her image occupies almost half of the visual and
is placed in the centre. This emphasized image shows that the visual is about running and thus may
attract those who like running to read further. Besides, good colour contrast is used. The black Nike
logo on top of the visual is contrasted on the yellow background. Thus, the Nike logo stands out and
could capture the attention of Nike fans. The words “Running Shoes” on the top are also contrasted with
the help of colour because of the use of yellow and white against the dark blue background. This clearly
shows that the shoes are made for running and would definitely grab the attention of those who like
running. In addition, the close-up of the running shoe on the bottom right is placed right next to the
slogan ‘Get faster by getting stronger’. Such proximity implies how the shoes will improve the
performance of runners. To conclude, the advertisement can effectively promote the running shoes to
people who like running.
Step 1 - Write:
a. an analysis of the rhetorical context (60-80 words)
Use the following questions to help you write this part of the task:
1. What is the purpose of this visual (e.g. to persuade, to entertain, to tell a story, etc.)?
2. Who is the audience (friends, potential customers, etc.)?
3. In what genre is the visual found (advertisement, Facebook, textbook, etc.)?
4. What verbal and non-verbal elements are used? What is the channel of communication (print,
online, etc.)?
Consider how effective the design elements of the visual are in communicating the purpose to the
target audience. You may think about the following design elements (refer to Unit 3):
1. Who/What is portrayed in the visual? Objects? People? What are they doing?
2. Does the visual contain any words? What do they say? How do the words relate to the images?
3. How are the elements organized? What elements are emphasized? What elements are used as
a contrast? How are the contents aligned? How are the different elements grouped together?
How are the colours used?
Step 2. Save your work and use SCRIBO to check the language use of your work. Revise it based on
feedback given.
Step 3. Copy and paste the revised paragraph to the Padlet page/ OneDrive file created by your
teacher. Remember to put down your English name clearly above your writing.
Step 4: Post comments on your partner’s writing based on the questions below:
Part A:
The purpose of this Häagen-Dazs advertisement is to persuade potential customers to purchase their
strawberry ice cream by emphasizing the refreshing taste and the use of real fruit. The target audience
likely consists of ice cream lovers or health-conscious consumers seeking indulgence with natural
ingredients. This visual is part of a promotional genre, typically found in print or online ads. The image
uses both verbal (text like “Don’t Hold Back” and “Real Fruit”) and non-verbal elements (ice cream and
strawberries) to communicate its message.
Part B:
The design of this Häagen-Dazs advertisement is visually striking and effective in communicating its
message. The central focus is the strawberry ice cream tub, which is surrounded by vibrant, fresh
strawberries and splashes of red juice, suggesting the explosion of flavor. The imagery is dynamic, with
splatters of cream and strawberries emphasizing the indulgent and refreshing nature of the product. The
text “Don’t Hold Back” at the top, in bold, commands attention, aligning with the visual theme of bold,
bursting refreshment. The tagline "BURSTING WITH REFRESHMENT" supports the visual representation
of the product as a treat filled with natural, invigorating flavors.
Adjective order
https://elss.ln.edu.hk/icosa/sites/default/files/exercise/cate/grammar/Adjective%20Order/index.htm