Chapter 5 writing quality, the
subject matter, representing are often
EVALUATING
terminology,
MESSAGES AND
language choices, the
IMAGES OF DIFFERENT
reading level, and
TYPES OF TEXTS
other superficial
qualities.
Understanding the
RATIONALE: original textual data
Communication in the 21st that lies on text
century demands learners to features is necessary
become critical readers of for evaluating
different text types reflecting messages and images
different cultures. This of various sorts of
chapter will enable the texts. Texts that
students to learn how to combine two or more
evaluate messages and communication
images of different types of modalities, such as
texts. print, image, and
spoken text, are
CONTENT: referred to as
multimodal texts. In
TEXTS
the 21st century,
- provide the means readers tend to
for communicating dedicate.
and form an
MULTIMODAL TEXTS
important part of
study in any given - When a text
course. combines two or
- Understanding how more semiotic
text characteristics systems (linguistic,
impact reading visual, audio,
comprehension is gestural, spatial), it is
crucial, especially considered
when comparing and multimodal. Semiotic
contrasting is the study of
traditional print- meaning-making. It
based and explores signs and
multimodal texts. symbols as important
These texts all have components of
certain traits, communication. The
according to Pardo syllabus of the
(2004), such as a Australian
comprehension of the Curriculum mentions
author's intention, the that language modes
text's social purpose, such as, listening,
its structure, its speaking, reading,
writing, viewing, and
integrated and
interdependent
activities used in
evaluating texts to
shape meaning and
that any combination
of the modes may be
involved in
responding to or
composing print,
sound, visual or
multimedia text.
Hence, multimodal
texts can be print,
digital, or live.
Forms of
multimodal texts:
1. Paper.
- This form is print
based, such as,
books, comics,
posters, magazines.
2. Digital.
- It is computer-based
like slide
presentations, emails,
eBooks, blogs, e
posters, web pages,
social media,
animations, films,
movies, video games.
3. Live.
- It is a form of actual
performance or an
event.
Two or more of the
following semiotic
systems are
included in a
multimodal text.
1. Linguistic
system.
- It refers to the
linguistic
components like
 vocabulary, structure, The key elements of
and grammar of a the communication
text. situation (sender,
2. Visual System message, medium,
- It pertains to the receiver [audience],
color, vectors, and and context) provide
viewpoint in still and an understanding of
moving images. multimodal texts;
3. Audio system. hence, this
- This mode refers to knowledge should be
the volume, pitch, expanded in order to
and rhythm of music accommodate and
and sound effects of include in your
a presentation. understanding the
6. Gestural system. messages multimodal
- It denotes the texts provide. Critical
Reading of
movement, facial
Multimodal Texts
expression, and body
language of the Critical reading is the
characters. process of reading
7. Spatial system. that goes beyond
It indicates comprehension of a
proximity, direction, text. It means to say
position of layout, that one to be a
and organization of critical reader must
objects in space. be actively involved
in responding to the
CRITICAL READING
reading text. It is
AND LISTENING
very useful at all
Multimodal texts stages of academic
study but is
- require readers and particularly
listeners to become important when
critical readers and evaluating messages
listeners. Since of multimodal texts.
comprehension is the
Critical Reading of
central goal of both
Multimodal Texts
reading and listening,
the ability to - Critical reading is the
comprehend process of reading
multimodal texts that goes beyond
develops students to comprehension of a
become critical text. It means to say
readers and listeners that one to be a
as well as active critical reader must
evaluators of be actively involved
multimodal texts. in responding to the
reading text. It is
very useful at all
stages of academic
study but is
particularly
important when
evaluating messages
of multimodal texts.
Critical Reading
involves:
1. Carefully considering
and evaluating a reading
text.
2. Identifying the
strengths and
implications of the text.
3. Identifying the
weaknesses of the text;
and
4. Looking at the image
and deciding how the
reading fits into the
greater academic context.
One who is a critical
reader is inquisitive,
always asks questions
about the texts. Hence,
the reader closely
examines the key
elements of the text.
These elements may
affect how strong the
message is, that is, how
convincing it is.
However, before you
consider the message,
you should build up a
background information
about the text or an
image. Consider the
following questions
(Thoughtful Learning,
2014):
Source 11. Who controls the
transmission of this
1. Who created the
message.
message? Is the
source reliable? Was Listening as a Critical
it by a news Thinking Activity
organization, a public
Listening is a voluntary
citizen, an editorial
active process, it is
team of a scientific
psychological. According
journal, or an
to Lynch (2013), adults
advertiser?
listen 50 percent or less,
Message while teenagers listen 25
percent or less. Studies
2. What does the message
show that those who
say (subject, main point,
practice listening skills
support)?
get better grades, higher
3. Is the information fair pay and achieve their
goals more often than
and logical?
those who do not. For
4. What points of view you to be able to access
are shared in the the message of an
message? Which ones are argument, you must be a
left out? critical listener.
5. What images or sounds Critical listening
catch your attention? requires active thinking
Medium because it goes far
beyond just hearing a
6. What type of text is speaker’s message. It
used to deliver the involves analyzing the
message? information of a speech
and making important
7. What are the
decisions about truth,
advantages and
authenticity, and
limitations of the text
relevance. Kadjan-
format?
Baumeyer (2018) claims
Audience that listening is a critical
thinking activity; hence,
8. Who is the target Lynch qualifies that
audience of the message? critical thinking:
9. How might other
1. Involves being able to
people interpret the access the strengths and
message of the text? weaknesses of an
argument.
Context
10. What is the purpose 2. Involves being able to
of the message? distinguish between the
fact, theory, and opinions
of an argument.
3. Allows for thinking
outside of the box.
4. Allows for
compromise and growth;
5. Involves being able to
judge the credibility of
sources.
6. Requires accessing the
quality of evidence.
7. Involves discerning
relationships between
ideas.
8. Involves priorities on
what to remember and in
what context;
9. Allows for fewer
mistakes and reduces trial
and error in everyday
life.
10. Does not mean
negative thinking.
11. Is a normal process
that requires practice and
reinforcement.
12. Requires an open
mind and the ability to
consider and understand
all sides of an issue, and
13. Means replacing
name calling and images
with reason compromise
and the ability to
persuade instead of attack
Multimodal texts
demand one to possess
critical thinking because
listening and reading are
two language skills that
require this active mental successful
processing. To analyze performance and
multimodal texts, overall experience, as
Kadjan-Baumeyer it allows us to see
suggests to readers and more of what is
listeners to perform the going on around us
following: and participate in
communication in a
1. Identify support for
multicultural setting.
the claims.
Multimodal texts
- This means performing
research to determine the are constructed means
process the speaker used such that they can also be
to gather facts and deconstructed or
information. Look for separated into its various
things like dates and parts—source, message,
sources. medium, audience, and
context. Using the
2. Evaluate the
evaluation checklist
argument of the
provided by Thoughtful
speaker or the text.
Learning (2014) in
- Try to figure out evaluating messages, we
whether the speaker is will create a sample
using emotional appeals, evaluation of texts in this
a logical argument or section.
actual evidence to state
1. SOURCE
the case. Sometimes, a
- Readers or listeners
speaker uses
of a text should ask
overstatements to stress a
first about its
point and to make it more
authorship. There is a
appealing. It is perfectly
need to identify if the
legal, but it can be
source is an
misleading. This is
individual or a team
especially true if you
although the number
have not done your
of writers does not
homework. When it
warrant credibility of
comes to evaluating an
the text. Examine if
argument, there are a few
the source is reliable.
things you can do to get
You always have the
the most information.
hunch in determining
EVALUATING if the source is
MULTIMODAL reliable or not. This
TEXTS can be determined
through the
- Communication is background
essential for information about the
source. Evaluate the
choices about content
did the source make.
a) Who created the
message?
b) Is the source
reliable?
c) What choices did
the source make?
2. MESSAGE
- After evaluating
the source, the
content of the text
should be examined
to get its message.
There are various
questions that one
may ask in getting
the message of the
text (Thoughtful
Learning, 2014).
a) What does the
message say? You
may ask questions
such as:
• What is the subject?
• What is the main
point?
• How is the main
point supported?
b) Is the information
fair and logical?
c) What points of
view are shared in
the message? Which
ones are left out?
d) What images or
sounds catch your
attention?
Identifying the
Subject, Main
Point, and Support
- The subject of the
message may be a
person, product,
service, place,
program, among
 others. It concerns on An opinion, however, is rather than to reason or
what is talked about a self-report or attitudinal logic.
in the text. It is the statement of feelings or
c. Ideas are worded with
reason that makes a personal judgement.
the intent to oversimplify
claim or a main
A claim is a debatable or overgeneralize.
point.
statement that can be
d. The message is one-
main point supported with evidence
sided, or it only presents
and reason.
- is no less the main a limited viewpoint.
idea or the claim of Evaluating Logic and
Analyzing Points of View
the source. It can be Balance
explicitly or - All multimodal text
- Examine the chain of
implicitly expressed messages reflect the
reasoning used by the
in the text. culture of their
source to determine
creators—their
explicit main point if the information is
values, lifestyles,
fair and logical,
- is well expressed in balanced, biased, and
points of view,
the text. Certain preferences, among
presented a counter
features of the text other things. A
argument.
would lead to an rigorous analysis can
overt statement of the Every point of the tell you about the
main point, for message should follow source’s values and
instance, on from the last point. If perspectives as well
orthographic features there is a gap between as those that are
like sentences, two ideas, this missing in the text.
phrases, clauses that undermines the overall The question on
provide an immediate conclusion. Likewise, points of view should
extract of the main some readings are more be given importance:
point is an explicit biased than others. A What points of view
expression of the biased statement is are shared in the
main point. characterized by message? Which
prejudice, partiality, or ones are left out?
implicit main point preference for or against
Creating Meaning Through
- is covertly expressed a person, an object, or an
Images and Sounds
in the text and can idea. Biased information
only be extracted has the following - Multimodal texts like
based on suggestive indicators: presentations,
features such as, a. The language is advertisements,
graphics, images, or offensive; expressions newscasts, videos,
sound effects. might be biased in terms broadcasts,
of gender, race, ethnicity, animation,
a fact is a statement infographics are
about the real world that age, and disability.
created beyond
can be shown to be true b. The message appeals words. Visual
and can be checked for more to the emotion elements and sound
accuracy through techniques can affect
gathering of evidence.
 your interpretation of - Visual elements Slower, softer,
a message. You may should be arranged in intentionally
ask: What images or a manner that they do expressive
sounds catch my not affect the compositions can
attention? viewer’s perception. create tension and
Arrangements such foreboding, as in
Visual elements include
as, close ups of a face gothic films.
lighting, camera angle,
convey tension or 3. Voice-over or
composition, and body
intimacy, wider Narration.
language. Visual
views showing - Some videos or
Elements:
people or things and films and television
1. Lighting. their surroundings shows use a narrator
- Low lighting usually express other than the
suggests sadness or significance of the characters in the
fear, while bright setting. story to speak to the
lighting conveys 4. Body Language. audience. For
happiness or joy. Soft - Non-linguistic example, a narrator
lighting expresses elements like the may be assigned to
beauty and romance. body language are describe the series of
Use color and tone to more revealing than events portrayed in a
reflect the mood you words. They seem to video clip that has no
are trying to create in be catchier than the subtitle and dialogue
your image. words provided in between and among
2. Camera Angle. the text. characters.
- This visual element 4. MEDIUM
Sound Techniques: - The medium in
is used to position the
viewers so that they 1. Sound Effects. transmitting the
can understand the - This sound technique message may be
relationship between that is added after the conventional or
the characters. It is filming enhances a digital although they
very important in scene making it are often mixed up in
shaping meaning in realistic although the a communication
film as well as in effects themselves situation. Sometimes,
other visual texts. A are often artificially print-based
low-angle view produced. communication
makes people or 2. Music. needs to be backed
things appear larger - This is another sound up by a digital form
than they actually technique that affects to achieve a better
are, often indicating the mood and and faster
importance. intensity of a scene. communication.
Conversely, a high Fast-paced music use 5. AUDIENCE
angle view makes rhythm and volume - The audience in the
people or things to heighten drama communication
appear smaller and and often accompany situation refers to the
less significant. car chases, fight receiver of the
3. Composition. scenes, and other message. It may be a
action-packed scenes. person or a group for
 whom a message is questions that may be subscribers or
created. Some texts used in evaluating customers.
like a personal email, context: 3. To persuade.
an invitation to - The audience is
What is the purpose of
deliver a talk, or a provided with well-
the message?
thank-you note target argued ideas that can
just one person, but 1. To inform. influence their own
other texts are meant - The message beliefs and decisions.
for larger audiences provides the audience Persuasive devices
like research reports, with a clear are easy to recognize
advertisements, understanding of the in advertisements and
signages, books, concept presented by commercials, but
brochures, among the source. Most of they are subtle in
other communication these multimodal other media forms.
forms. Two texts like books, For instance, a
important questions eBooks, letters, product endorsement
guide audience blogposts, emails, may influence you to
adaptation in magazines, think one way
multimodal newspapers, video because the endorser
communication: (1) tutorials, television only talks about the
Who is the target newscasts, benefits of the
audience of the text? documentaries, product. Media-
and (2) How might presentations are literate individuals
other people interpret created for can weigh the pros
its message? information and cons, the
6. CONTEXT dissemination. advantages and
- Context in this 2. To entertain. disadvantages, or the
section includes the - The message or the benefits and harmful
purposes and text amuses the effects of a certain
authorship of the audience. Some of product; hence, they
text. A text serves at these multimodal make up their minds
least one of three texts that aim to on an issue before
purposes: to inform, entertain are subscribing or trying
to entertain, or to television sitcoms or it.
persuade. Often, a primetime shows, Who controls the
text fulfills all three movies, music, sports transmission of the
purposes at once. and travel broadcasts, message?
Magazines, for social networks,
example, may magazines, and One critical question in
entertain its readers, comics. Popular evaluating messages is on
but it may also entertainment media authorship. The creator
inform and persuade are appealing and of the message was
them. Consider and inviting to advertisers already identified in the
analyze the purpose because they are read earlier section of this
before sending any and viewed by large topic, but the question on
messages. The audiences who can ownership is another
following are also be their potential layer of analysis. The
message is created by an controlled by giant technology have
author who controls the corporations. These brought an individual
distribution or media forms are source to be capable
dissemination of the business motivated producer and creator
message. The three main by commercial of meaningful,
categories of ownership interests, which are timely, and
are identified as: gained through interesting messages.
advertising.
1. Government.
Audiences, readers,
- Multimodal texts that and viewers alike
were created by should evaluate the
government offices message if it serves
are state owned and their best interests or
must be carefully the corporation’s
evaluated for interest.
propaganda— 3. Individuals.
publicity, - Personal creations
advertising,
are independent
marketing, and
media forms. Texts
information
and other media
dissemination. Most
forms that are free of
of the texts are
government and
available for
corporate influences
references and have
are controlled by
their predetermined
individuals. Digital-
retention periods.
based technologies
There are countries
have greatly helped
that do not allow
and promoted
freedom of the press
independent media
and have even
voices. Citizen
censored the Internet.
journalism is a
However, other
practice that has
nations restrict
gained momentum
independent voices
and is now easy for
and use the state-
the journalist to
owned media as their
report meaningful
mouthpiece.
news to a large
2. Corporations.
audience due to
- Most of the media digital media.
messages are Likewise, a
controlled by private widespread of
companies. Different audience has already
forms of multimodal advancing and
texts like videos, enjoying spreading
newspapers, information through
magazines, movies, social media. All of
web sites are these means of