PURPOSIVE COMMUNCATION
Lecture Session 1 (midterm) October 27, 2021
Multimodal Texts
 Multimodal Texts are texts where meaning is
communicated through combinations of two or
more modes or semiotic systems. Modes
include written language, spoken language,
and patterns of meaning that are visual,
audio, gestural, tactile and spatial.
Examples:
PICTURE BOOKS
MANGA
WEBSITE
LIVE PERFORMANCE
SEMIOTIC SYSTEMS
- A way of thinking of communication and
language is a system of signs and
symbols that are used to convey meaning
which are called semiotic systems.
FIVE SEMIOTIC SYSTEMS
 Written or Linguistic meaning
o for spoken and written language through
the use of vocabulary, generic structure
and grammar
 Audio meaning
o for music, sound effects, noises, ambient
noise, and silence, through use of volume,
pitch and rhythm
 Visual meaning
o for still and moving images through the
use of color, saliency, page layouts,
vectors, viewpoint, screen formats, visual
symbols; shot framing, subject distance
and angle; camera movement, subject
movement
 Gestural meaning
o for movement of body, hands and eyes;
facial expression, demeanors, and body
language, and use of rhythm, speed,
stillness and angles
 Spatial meaning
o for environmental and architectural spaces
and use of proximity, direction, layout,
position of and organization of objects in
space.
CULTURAL SENSITIVITY IN MULTIMODAL
TEXT
 Sony Corporation promoted a Black-against-
white ad in their multi-vignette PlayStation
Portable campaign in 2006.
 The ad featured a strong-looking white
woman, dressed in all white, clawing and
dominating a subordinate black woman.
 The ad was constructed to promote their new
ceramic white PSP. It depicted racism for the
black.
The film "Hollywood
Buddha" showed a
complete lack of
cultural sensitivity by causing
outrage and protest on the
streets of Sri Lanka, Malaysia
and Burma when the designer
of the film's poster decided to
show the lead actor sitting
on the Buddha's head,
an act of clear
degradation against
something holy.
Pepsodent tried to sell its
toothpaste in South East
Asia by emphasizing that it
"whitens your teeth." They
found out that the local
natives chew betel nuts to
blacken their teeth which
they find attractive.
TECHNOLOGY-BASED COMMUNICATION
TOOLS
Communication and Technology
 PURPOSIVE COMMUNCATION
Lecture Session 1 (midterm) October 27, 2021
- Tech is part of our everyday life and can
also contribute in being in touch with
someone
- 1831 – Breakthrough on tech
communication
EMAIL
o Email has become a standard form of
business communication, particularly for
short messages that require action.
o This allows you to take care of a lot of
customers, as well as partners and other
stakeholders without lengthy
conversations.
- Short for Electronic mail
TEXTING
o Texting has become the most personal
form of business communication.
o The personal text number is reserved for a
few close associates.
o Your communications by text tend to be
more urgent than email.
INSTANT MESSAGING
o Instant messaging tends to be for longer
discussions than texting.
o You can engage someone in another
city, state or country in a conversation.
SOCIAL NETWORK
o Social network sites such as Facebook
can be essential to getting your message
out.
o You will have to adjust your
communication style to a more informal
approach.
o Friends can be gathered on these sites.
TWEETING
o The website Twitter allows you to
broadcast very short messages called
“tweets” to people who have elected to
follow your posts.
o This is not the place for a long treatise.
Instead, briefly refer to a new product,
message or development a company is
excited about.
BLOG
o The word “blog” is short for “web log.”
o These sites are often written by
amateurs, but getting a blogger to review
a product or service can be a good way to
spread the word about small business.
VIDEO CONFERENCING
o When you want to convey your message
with physical gestures and facial
expressions, this form of technology can
be an effective communication tool.
o This gives you the face-to- face meeting
you need without having to be in the
same location.
MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION
o Multimedia uses a combination of different
content forms such as text, audio, images,
animations, video and interactive content.
o A multimedia presentation differs from a
normal presentation in that it contains some
form of animation or media. (GIF)
TIPS FOR CREATING EFFECTIVE
PRESENTATIONS
1. Design a template that is free from
distracting items.
2. Ensure your template promotes
readability.
3. Select a sans serif font.
o Sans serif fonts (translated as
“without serifs”), such as Calibri,
Arial and Trebuchet, produce a
cleaner, less cluttered, easier to
read look.
4. Always use fonts that are 24 point or
larger.
5. Incorporate high quality photos, images
or diagrams that reinforce your verbal
message.
o Avoid clip art, since it can make
your presentation look dated and
unprofessional.
6. Use bullet points sparingly (small
amount).
If using bullet points, be sure they are
less than six words long.
7. Eliminate the use of headings or titles
unless they communicate the main
message.
o Headings should not be used to
introduce or identify the topic of
the slide.
8. Use animation, slide transitions, audio,
and video sparingly. (Use when needed)
9. Highlight the most important information
in tables and graphs.
10. Create a handout to accompany your
presentation.
11. Be passionate about your topic.
Types of Communication
 PURPOSIVE COMMUNCATION
Lecture Session 1 (midterm) October 27, 2021

1. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
Dear Prof. Mondragon: 
 ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE
• Electronic mail, or e-mail, is appropriate Good day!
for short, rapid communications. It is not
effective for conveying large amounts of I was unable to attend our class today due to an
information or complex information.  emergency at home. I hope you could give me a
REMEMBER THESE:  chance to take a special exam. I apologize for the
• Indicate the subject of the message. inconvenience that this might bring you. 
• Greet the addressee appropriately.
• Organize your thoughts and communicate Thank you for your understanding. 
them clearly and concisely. 
• Pic Respectfully, 
• Keep e-mail messages brief and Arya Stark
straightforward.
• Use proper English, grammar, and spelling; + If you need time to compose a reply, send a
proofread before sending.  brief message acknowledging receipt and
• Sign your name to the message. communicating when you intend to respond in
• Read messages you receive carefully before full 
responding.
 MEMORANDUM
If you need time to compose a reply, send a • A memorandum, or memo, is used to
brief message acknowledging receipt and communicate specific information, usually
communicating when you intend to respond in within a department, or organization. It is
full more formal than an e-mail, and can be
used to transmit more information– up to
Example of informal message:  a page or two.

Hello, Dany!   LETTERS

• Letters are the means of formal,
It’s been a while. I miss you so much. With all the professional communication with others
friends that I have, you know that you are the only outside an organization. Sometimes,
one whom I can go to whenever I feel so down. I letters are used within an organization to
just miss you!!! I hope you are doing well there in formally present a secondary document,
London! Please tell me if your flight for the next such as a committee report. 
month will pursue!! Can’t wait to watch movies
with you again! 

Xoxo Love ya, Sansa 

Example of formal message: 

2. ORAL COMMUNICATION
 PURPOSIVE COMMUNCATION
Lecture Session 1 (midterm) October 27, 2021

• Balanced: does not talk too much, which may

 TELEPHONE CONVERSATION make the interviewee passive, and does not
• Prepare a list of questions to ask the talk too little, which may result in the
person you are contacting prior to making interviewee feeling he or she is not talking
the phone call.  along the right lines.
• Always clearly identify yourself and your • Ethically sensitive: is sensitive to the ethical
affiliation.  dimension of interviewing, ensuring the
• State your purpose for calling. interviewee appreciates what the research is
• Ask your questions clearly without about, its purposes, and that his or her
interrupting the person you are talking to, answers will be treated confidentially. 
and take notes on the conversation. 
• Thank the person for his or her  PRESENTATIONS
assistance. • Presentations can either be informal (for
• Be prepared to leave a message in case example, a class presentation or a short
the person is not available. When leaving presentation at a meeting) or more formal,
a message on an answering machine, such as a presentation at a workshop or
clearly state your name and, speaking conference, and speeches. Similar
slowly, include your phone number and guidelines apply to both types of
the purpose of your call. Also indicate if presentations. 
you will be calling the individual back or if
you’d like him/her to return your call.  • Know your audience
• Dress appropriately 
 INTERVIEW • Carefully structure your presentation 
A Successful Interviewer is:  • Practice your presentation
• Know your presentation’s time limit
• Knowledgeable: is thoroughly familiar with • Stimulate the interest of the audience
the focus of the interview; pilot interviews of • Use visual media when appropriate
the kind used in survey interviewing can be • Always speak enthusiastically
useful here.  • Call for questions after your presentation
• Structuring: gives purpose for interview;
rounds it off; asks whether interviewee has
questions. 
• Clear: asks simple, easy, short questions; no
jargon. 
• Gentle: lets people finish; gives them time to
think; tolerates pauses.
• Sensitive: listens attentively to what is said
and how it is said; is empathetic in dealing
with the interviewee. 
• Open: responds to what is important to
interviewee and is flexible. 
• Steering: knows what he/she wants to find
out. 
• Critical: is prepared to challenge what is said,
for example, dealing with inconsistencies in
interviewees’ replies. 
• Remembering: relates what is said to what
has previously been said. 
• Interpreting: clarifies and extends meanings
of interviewees’ statements, but without
imposing meaning on them. 

WHAT IS A PSA?
 PURPOSIVE COMMUNCATION
Lecture Session 1 (midterm) October 27, 2021

What makes a PSA effective?

• A PSA (Public Service Announcement) is a
short informational clip that is meant to raise
the audience’s awareness about an important
issue.
• PSA can be instructional, inspirational, or
even shocking to elicit emotion and action.
• Often in the form of commercials and print ads
a. It gets the audience to pay attention.
b. The message is clear and easy to understand.
c. The message is supported by facts about the
issue.
d. The audience is able to sympathize with those
affected by the issue.

EXAMPLES OF PSA How to create a PSA?

a. Choose your topic
b. Research
c. Consider your audience
d. Grab your audience’s attention
e. Create a script
f. Storyboard your script
g. Film your footage and edit your PSA
h. Find your audience and get their reaction

Common Types of PSA

• Announcement - usual components are a

series of videos and images with a narrator or
narrators delivering information to the audience
either on-screen or through a voiceover.
Sometimes text alone can be just as powerful and
effective.

• Documentary/Interviews - This method is

effective because the interviews provide either
expert testimony or stories from people who
have personal experience with your topic to
support the argument that you are making.
Sometimes the interviews can be accompanied
by a voiceover, or other times your interview(s)
alone can be very effective.

• Narrative - This style uses either a scene,

montage (a collection of several short clips), or a
re-enactment/footage of true events to illustrate
the point that you are trying to make. This style
can allow your PSA not only to be more creative,
but also subtle, yet powerful.