Visual Rhetoric

COURSE OBJECTIVE
To acquire knowledge of processing verbal and visual messages, and especially their interactions
To learn the fundamental cognitive principles behind:

• visual metaphors in advertising;
• interplay of text and visuals in instructional communication;
• effectiveness of infographics in news and business communication.

To investigate communication messages with appropriate research methods
To apply learned knowledge to well-reasoned assessment of communication messages
To explore the possibilities of working in the professional domain of graphics design

COURSE CONTENT
Images are getting more and more important in communication messages. Dependent on communicative goals, both design and function of images in documents may differ. In three themes we will consider how images are processed differently by viewers because of other functions they serve. First, we will look at visual metaphors in advertising and their persuasive function. Second, we will study the aid of images in learning instructions. Third, we will assess informativeness and attractiveness of data visualisation (infographics). In all cases, the interplay of images with text plays a pivotal role. Theories of information processing will be studied and applied to analyse the role of images in documents and the intended and unintended effects they may have on document users.

TEACHING METHODS
One lecture and one seminar a week (two hours each)

TYPE OF ASSESSMENT
Written examination (50%) and assignments (50%).