Unit 1- Lesson 4

EVALUATION OF TEXTS AND IMAGES IN

MULTICULTURAL CONTEXT

I.INTRODUCTION
Today, evaluating texts and/or images is essential because of the proliferation of
information resources rapid technological change. As you have noticed, you ae always
confronted with a diverse wealth of information for personal, academic, or professional use
that can be accessed multicultural settings.

With the advent of a digital environment or the Internet most of the information is
unfiltered making its authenticity, validity, and reliability questionable. The abundance of
information from various media, namely short message service electronic mail, social
media, print and electronic journals, periodicals, and advertisements also poses a challenge
for you in terms of evaluating and understanding it fully.

As a Competent communicator, you should be able to evaluate, manage, and use

information effectively to enhance your message, improve your receptive skills such as
listening reading, and viewing skills, and accomplish a specific purpose One best way to
evaluate messages and images is through critical reading.
II. OBJECTIVES
Apply critical reading in evaluating text and images
Discuss strategies in evaluating text and images in multicultural context
Evaluate multimodal text

III. LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Study the image. Make a slogan that
best interprets the image.
 Questions:
1. What is the message of the image?

2. What contributes to the message of the image?

CRITICAL READING
As one of the categories of reading skills along with rapid reading,
previewing, literal reading and inferential reading, critical reading involves studying
and evaluating the text closely in terms of relevance, validity, and logic.

The goal of critical reading is to examine not only what message is conveyed but
also how the message is conveyed as well as its purpose, target audience, and other
ways of presenting it. Essentially, critical reading requires you to be of an
investigator and "break down" a text to appreciate and understand it better.

QUALITIES OF A CRITICAL READER

A critical reader...

annotates the text by writing or using sticky notes.
 determines and analyzes the organizational pattern
(compare-contrast, cause-effect, description, narration, definition, or
persuasion) of the text.
 asks critical questions that promote analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of
text.
 considers the cultural and historical background of the text or image.
 distinguishes facts from opinions.
 evaluates the author's credibility by checking on his/ her credentials or
academic and scholarly background.
 evaluates the source of the text and image.
 looks beyond the text or ideas that are not explicitly stated.
  makes inferences about the text or images and the author's ideas, biases,
claims, agenda, or views.
 assesses the usefulness and relevance of the text by
previewing or reading the titles, table of contents, summaries and abstracts,
introductions, conclusions, headings, and subheadings.
 reads with specific question in mind that he/she wants the text or image to
answer.
 reads with an open mind.

GENERAL GUIDE QUESTIONS IN EVALUATING A TEXT

Source
 What is the source?
 When was the text published?
 Are there titles or headers, table of contents, summaries and abstracts,
introductions, conclusions, headings, and subheadings in the source? Is the source
useful? Is the Source relevant? Is the source reliable?

Context
 What is the context of the text?
 What pieces of information are given that provide the context of the text?

Contents
 What is the message?
 What is the purpose of the message?
 What are the facts or figures that support the message?
 How is the message conveyed by the text?
 What is the tone of the text?
 What words contribute to frame the message of the text?
 How do you think the audience might be affected the way the text is written?

Audience
 Who is the target audience?
 What information is provided that give you the idea about the target audience of the
text?

Author
 Who is the author?
 What are the credentials of the author?
 What is the author's purpose of writing (informational persuasive, or
entertainment)?
 What is/are the author's major idea/s?
GENERAL GUIDE QUESTIONS IN EVALUATING IMAGES

Source
 What is the source of the image? How did you find the source?
 Are there pieces of information about the source of the image?
 How did you know the source? Is of information is reliable?

Context
 Can you determine the information which accompanies the image?
 Does the information provide the context of the image or where, when, why, how
and for whom the image is?

Contents
 What are contained in the image?
 Are there people/animals/objects in the image? How are they presented?
 What message does the image convey? Is the message clear?
 What elements in the image support the message?
 What feelings does the image evoke?
 How do others see the image?

Audience
 Who is the largest audience?
 What information is provided that gives you an idea about the target audience of
the image?

Author
 Is the name of the author given?
 Who is the author?
 What are the credentials of the author?
 What is the author’s purpose (informational, persuasive, or entertainment)?

Visual
 How do you find the layout, design and color? How are they used they helpful in
framing the message of the image?
 Can you identify what is in the foreground and in the background? What are they?

Technical Quality
 What can you say about the color and size of the image?
 What can you say about the quality of the image?
 Is it copyrighted?
 A. Write CT on the blank if the statement conveys critical reading; otherwise, NCT

__________1. I analyze the strategies authors used to achieve his/her purpose of

writing.
__________2. I read all newspaper articles from the first page up to the last page.
__________3. I write the author’s purpose and biases on the margins.
__________4. I highlight confusing ideas.
__________5. I distinguish facts from opinions.
__________6. I assume the target audience of the scholarly articles are always
teachers.
__________7. I question the intended message of the text or image.
__________8. I ask “What, “When, “Who” where” why” how, “and “so what”, before
reading.
__________9. I examine the relationship of ideas presented in the text.
__________10. I apply skimming and scanning.

B. You may use the indicated text as your reading selection, or you can look to your
preferred article.

Title: Information Literacy: The Battle We Won that We Lost?

Author: Susanna M. Cowan
Source: John Hopkins University Press
(https://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/portal_libraries_and_the_academy/portal_pre_
print/current/articles/14.1cowan.pdf)
Date of Publication: 2013

Preview the text. Then, answer the following questions:

1. Is the source reliable?

2. Based on the title, what do you think is the text about?

3. Based on the title, what previous knowledge do you have about the text?

4. Who is the author? Do you find him/her credible?

What makes you say so?
C. Evaluate the advertisements below using the General Guide Questions for evaluating
Images.

1. Balance of Nature,3

Image credit: Terremoto

Made by: terremotopropaganda.com.br

2. Stop the Violence, Don’t Drink and Drive

Image credit: Terremoto

Made by: terremotopropaganda.com.br