1 Visual Literacy and Document Design in Our Culture By Allen Brizee, PhD Loyola University Maryland

2 Visual Literacy and Doc Design in Our Culture Introduction 1. What is visual literacy/visual thinking/visual rhetoric? 2. Why learn about visual literacy/visual thinking/visual rhetoric? 3. What is document design? 4. Why learn about document design? 5. What does all of this have to do with technical writing?

3 Visual Literacy and Doc Design in Our Culture Modified from Sandra E. Moriarty’s “A Conceptual Map of Visual Communication.” Journal of Visual Literacy 17.2 (1997): 9-24.

4 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture What is Visual Rhetoric? Visual cues/ images that convey meaning influencing how we think Visual and verbal messages working together to convey meaning Why Learn About Visual Rhetoric/Visually Literacy? We use visual thinking as a major component of our cognition We live in a visually dominated world. We must be able to read, dissect, and produce effective visuals

5 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture What is Document Design? Visual elements of document structure that use headings, fonts, colors, shapes, contrast, and balance to create readable texts Principles of design: balance, alignment, grouping, consistency, contrast Why Learn About Document Design? To practice analytical skills you will need in your daily life as well the composing skills you will use after you graduate

6 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture “Visual thinking pervades all human activity, from the abstract and the theoretical to the down-to-earth and everyday…” ---McKim

77 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture Elements colors blue for memory shapes circles are pleasing placement: print eyes move in ‘Z’ contrast balance focal point where do your eyes go first? What to look for, replicate

8 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture Elements colors blue for memory shapes circles are pleasing placement: online eyes move in ‘F’ contrast balance focal point where do your eyes go first? What to look for, replicate

99 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture Elements colors blue for memory shapes circles are pleasing placement: eyes move in ‘F’ focal point where do your eyes go first? What to look for, replicate

10 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture What are some elements of visual rhetoric present in this web site? Does the MSNBC site follow desirable design strategies?

11 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture Beginning to see a pattern? Identify some of the visuals we have discussed. Identify some of the design elements we have discussed. Other questions to ask: audience? purpose of site? claims? cultural values or ideals? emotions invoked?

12 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture Questions to ask: audience? purpose of site? claims? cultural values or ideals? emotions invoked? desire? envy? guilt? What message do these Loyola images send? Compare these …

13 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture To these … Questions to ask: audience? purpose of site? claims? cultural values or ideals? emotions invoked? desire? envy? guilt? What message do these UMD images send?

14 Do you recognize these? What do they have in common? What messages do they convey? What claim are they making? Can you think of some of the verbal slogans that might interact with these visuals to drive home a message? What sort of school is VT versus UVA? How might this influence the logos, the visual rhetoric, the message? Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture The best logos don’t say anything at all…or do they?

15 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture TO: Decision Maker FROM: Jane E. Student SUBJECT: Proposal to Improve Snow Removal on the West Lafayette Campus DATE: 5 April 2005 Introduction The introduction states the purpose of the document, the scope of the document (what the project covers and what it does not cover), and the overall goals of the document. The introduction provides some brief background to set the context, discusses why the decision maker is getting the document, and the outlines the proposed solutions. Finally, the introduction asks the decision maker to accept the proposal, so that the group can begin in-depth work to create the final report. Data from initial research included in the introduction should be limited to journalistic sources or general information that sets the context. Transition to the next section. Background, Problem, Purpose, Objectives This section (sometimes split into subsections or even separated into main sections) provides more detail on the background, problem, purpose, and objectives of your project. In the introduction for this section, outline what the section will cover and present your major conclusions first (Bottom Line Up Front). Move from most important to least important information, so busy readers can scan your proposal and pick out what data they need most. You should begin with general information from journalistic sources but then move into more detailed, in-depth information from your initial research on your topic. You should not have incredibly detailed information here because at this point in the semester, your scholarly research will not have taken place. The very detailed data from scholarly and/or professional journals and/or interviews will appear in your final report at the end of the semester. Transition to the next section. Visual rhetoric and document design exist in other texts. What rhetorical messages is this document sending? principles of design? ethos? pathos? logos? claims? design? cultural/genre expectations?

16 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture This is a powerful image drawing on Biblical messages. What messages is this “text” sending? ethos? pathos? logos? claims? design? cultural/genre expectations?

17 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture Visual rhetoric can even extend beyond print and electronic media into the world around us. What rhetorical messages do you think these campus images are sending? ethos? pathos? logos? claims? design? cultural/genre expectations?

18 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture Visual rhetoric can even extend beyond print and electronic media into the world around us. What rhetorical messages are these architectures sending? ethos? pathos? logos? claims? design? cultural/genre expectations?

19 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture Visual rhetorical can be incredibly powerful. Are these people survivors of Katrina who have found food?

20 Visual Rhetoric and Doc Design in Our Culture The implications can sway the judgment of thousands. If the government had abandoned you and not provided sufficient food, water, or transport from a disaster, what would you do to survive, and how might you be portrayed if someone took a picture? “Survivor” or a “looter?”

21 Visual Literacy and Doc Design in Our Culture Conclusion 1. What is visual literacy/visual thinking/visual rhetoric? Visual cues or images that convey meaning influencing how we think Visual and verbal messages working together to convey meaning 2. Why learn about visual literacy/visual thinking/visual rhetoric? We use visual thinking as a major component of our cognition We live in a visually dominated world. We must be visually literate 3. What is document design, principles of design? Visual elements of document structure that use headings, fonts, colors, shapes, contrast, and balance to create compelling, readable texts Principles of design: balance, alignment, grouping, consistency, contrast 4. Why learn about document design? To practice analytical skills you will need in your daily life as well the composing skills you will use after you graduate