Overview

Our next reading assignment is an introduction to semiotics and models of communication. These two topics directly relate to how we understand communication design from a theoretical perspective.

…what is semiotics, and why is it important? Semiotics is defined as the theory of signs. The word “semiotics” comes from the Greek word semeiotikos, which means an interpreter of signs. Signing is vital to human existence because it underlies all forms of communication.

Hall, Sean. This Means This, This Means That : A User’s Guide to Semiotics, Laurence King Publishing, 2012.

We will be reading Hall, Sean. This Means This, This Means That : A User’s Guide to Semiotics, Laurence King Publishing, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central (Chapters 1 & 2).

You can also look at an excerpt from the book that Sean Hall references: de Saussure, Ferdinand.  Course in General Linguistics pgs 65-70,  Trans. Wade Baskin, New York, Philosophical Library, 1959

We reviewed this content in class, but the following might help if you are feeling confused:

Due Date(s)

  • Your reading response is due the day before the next session
  • Your revised reading response is due the day after our class meeting

Instructions

Following the instructions below, read and annotate the text. Because the City Tech Library hosts this week’s readings, use the notes tool in the ebook reader or download the readings for print and annotate by hand. After reading and annotating the text, create a rough draft of your response in your Research Journal. Your response should be about 200 words and checked for spelling and grammar errors. Lastly, create a new post and publish your response.

1. Open the reading.

You may open and download the reading from the City Tech Library Hall, Sean. This Means This, This Means That : A User’s Guide to Semiotics, Laurence King Publishing, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central [City Tech Library Card Required]

Or, if you have trouble, access this Google Drive folder and download the three PDFs enclosed:

  • Signs and Signing: This_Means_This,_This_Means_That_Ch1.pdf
  • Ways of Meaning: This_Means_This,_This_Means_That_Ch2.pdf
  • Saussure_CourseGenLing_Exc.pdf (For Reference)

3. Consider these questions.

Here are the questions to which you should respond in your reading response:

  • Using an example, define Saussure’s terms sign, signifier, and signified in your own words.
  • How are signs employed in visual communication? Provide a visual example from contemporary or historical advertising and explain why the example is considered an icon, index, or symbol in Peirce’s terms.
  • How are non-literal devices used to convey meaning in advertising and/or social media? Provide a visual example from contemporary or historical advertising and explain which type of non-literal device (simile, metaphor, metonym, synecdoche, irony, lies, impossibility, depiction, or representation) is being used and why.

NOTE: Please find unique historical or contemporary examples. Do not use those from the readings. Consider reviewing the Learning Graphic Design History videos to see if there are historical examples that will help support your ideas. Additionally, check out the Design Archives & Collections on the Course Resources OER page, specifically AIGA’s Eye on Design, to find out what contemporary designers are working on.

4. Read & Annotate.

Consider the questions/prompts listed above. Start formulating the answers to these questions while you practice close reading with annotations.

5. Draft your Reading Response.

In your Research Journal, write a draft of your 200-word response. Be sure to summarize the questions above, so your reader has some context. Use Grammarly or Google Docs spelling/grammar checker. Use the word count tool. Include visual examples with captions to supplement your reading response.

6. Post your Reading Response.

Create a new post in this OpenLab Course titled “Reading Response 7 – YourInitials.” At the top of the post, copy and paste the following: Hall, Sean. This Means This, This Means That : A User’s Guide to Semiotics, Laurence King Publishing, 2012 (Chapters 1 & 2) pgs 21-67.

Here is an example Reading Response post for formatting reference.

Paste your reading response from your Research Journal. Add links to your annotations in the Hypothesis group at the bottom of your post. Adjust any formatting issues that may have occurred while pasting.

Please add the following title, category, and tags to your posts. For help with adding Categories and Tags, see OpenLab Help.

  • TITLE: Reading Response 7 – Your Initials
  • CATEGORY: Reading Responses
  • TAG: Reading Response #7
  • TAG: Your Name

Due Date(s)

  • Your reading response is due the day before the next session to allow time for review.

Resources

More info

Texts

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