Module 3: overview and learning outcome

Topic 1: Virtual Presentation

Best Practices For Virtual Presentations: 15 Expert Tips That Work For Everyone

In today’s COVID-19 world, virtual meetings and presentations have become the norm.
While many presentation skills and best practices apply to both in-person and virtual
presentations, expert virtual presenters understand the importance of adjusting their
approach to match the medium. With in-person presentations, you more or less have a
captive audience — you still need to be engaging, but your audience is kind of stuck
with you for the duration. But with virtual presentations, your audience has a greater
opportunity to stray. You now have to compete for their eyes, ears, hearts, and minds
against diminished attention spans increased home and work-life distractions, and
conflicting priorities.

Here are 15 expert tips to set you up for success in your next virtual presentation:

1. Get the Lighting Right: As a presenter, it is essential that people can see you
well. Make sure you have good front light—meaning the light shines brightly on
your face. If your back is to a window, close the shades. While natural light is
often the best choice, if your home office doesn’t have natural light and you do a
lot of virtual presentations, consider purchasing supplemental lighting to enhance
your image.
2. Choose the Right Background: Try to use a background that enhances your
professional image and is aligned with your message. Avoid a cluttered
background or anything that can be distracting. Learn whether your presentation
platform enables you to use virtual backgrounds (like Zoom) or whether you can
blur your background (like Microsoft Teams). Your background can either add to
your professional presence or detract from it.
3. Know the Technology: Nothing kills a presentation faster than a presenter who
fumbles with the technology. This is a performance, so make sure you know how
to make it work. A dry run is essential so that you’re comfortable with the platform
features. It’s best to have a co-host (or producer or moderator) assist you with
the technology so that you can focus on your presentation. Make sure you
practice with the same technical set up (computer and internet connection) that
you will use when you deliver the presentation.
4. Play to the Camera: When you are the one speaking, look directly into your
computer’s camera, not on the screen or at the other participants. This takes
some practice, but it makes the viewer feel as if you are looking right at them.
Some presenters turn off their self-view so that they aren’t distracted by their own
image. Put the camera at eye level. Try not to have your camera too far above
or below you. If it’s too low, then you run the risk of creating a double chin. A
camera too high makes it difficult to maintain eye contact, as you may find your
gaze dropping as you speak. If you are part of a panel or a team of presenters,
make sure you are aware of when your camera is on. If you are not speaking but
your camera is on, make sure you look like you are paying attention! Powerful
presenters understand the importance of making eye contact with their audience,
so this means you have to simulate the same effect virtually.
5. Get Close (But Not Too Close). You want the camera to frame your face, neck,
and shoulders. People are drawn to faces, so you don’t want to lose that
connection by being too far away, but you also don’t want your face to take over
the whole screen like a dismembered head because, well, that looks weird.
Practice your positioning and distance.
6. Stand Up: If possible, use a standing desk or position your laptop so you can
stand at eye level with your computer. Standing up provides a higher energy level
and forces us to put our body in a more presentation-like mode. If you have to sit,
lean forward as you would if you were presenting at a real meeting or as if you
were a TV news anchor. Avoid slouching away from the camera, as that sends a
signal that you are disconnected from the audience.
7. Be Animated: Just like in a live presentation, you want to present with a little
energy and animation. Too slow or too monotone in your voice makes it easy for
folks to disengage and tune out. Keeping people engaged virtually requires you
to actually be engaging.
8. Pace Yourself: Without real-time visual audience feedback cues, getting the
pacing right can be difficult. Even though you want to infuse some animation and
energy into your presentation don’t pump up the speed too much. If you tend to
be a fast talker in real life, practice slowing down just a bit. If you’re a slow talker,
you may want to speed up just a bit.
9. Do A Sound Check: If your sound is garbled, people will tune out. While people
may forgive less than perfect video, if they can’t clearly hear you, they will leave.
Practice with someone on the other end of the presentation platform. Make sure
your sound emits clearly. Sometimes headphones or external microphones work
better than the computer audio, sometimes not. Every platform is different, so
make sure your sound quality is excellent every time. And again, you should
practice with the same technical configurations and location that you will use for
your presentation.
 10. Plug into Your Modem: If possible, plug your computer directly into your modem
using an Ethernet cable. This will give you the strongest signal and most stable
internet connection. The last thing you want to happen during your presentation
is to have a weak or unstable internet signal.
11. Incorporate Redundant Systems. If using slides, make sure someone else
(another webinar co-host or producer) also has a copy of the slides just in case
your internet goes wonky and you have to present by calling in. If you are using
slides, make them visually appealing. Use high-quality graphics and limit the
amount of text on each slide. It’s your job as a presenter to deliver the content.
The slides are meant to enhance your spoken words, not replace them.
12. Engage Your Participants. Just as if you were doing an in-person presentation,
craft your presentation to engage the audience. Incorporate chats, polls, raised
hand features, etc. Try not to speak for more than ten minutes without some sort
of audience engagement. Use the participant list to interact with your participants
by name. Have people chat or raise a hand if they want to speak. Keep track of
the order of people and then call on them to invite them to turn on their mics or
cameras.
13. Let Someone Else Check the Chats. Don’t get sidetracked by the chats during
your presentation. You’ll be shocked at how distracting it is to your train of
thought if you attempt to read the chats while speaking. Instead, have your
co-host or producer monitor the chats. If you ask people to chat you answers or
comments to a question you’ve posed, then pause your talking and engage
directly with the chats by acknowledging them, reading them out loud, and
commenting on them.
14. Evaluate and Enhance: If possible, record the session and take the time to
playback and look for areas that worked well and areas that you might want to
improve upon. Great presenters, whether virtual or in person, understand the
value of continually honing their craft. Be sure to acknowledge your strengths as
well as your areas of improvement.
15. Be Yourself and Have Fun: Again, just like in face-to-face presentations,
audiences connect to authenticity, so be yourself! Let your personality show
through. Have fun. If you look like you’re enjoying the presentation so will others.
Research shows that happy people retain information better than bored or
disinterested people, so model the energy that you want to create. The audience
takes its cue from you.

Remember, whether you are presenting in-person or virtually, all presentations are
performances. And all performances are in service to your audience. Their time is
valuable, so honor that time by delivering the best presentation you can. No matter what
kind of presentation you are giving, you must find ways to create authentic audience
connection, engagement, and value.

Topic 2: review on business letters

BASIC PARTS OF THE BUSINESS LETTER:

1. Letterhead

-The official paper on which the company business letters are written and certain
important information about the company is printed.

● complete name, mailing address, email address, fax numbers and contact
numbers, official cell number of the company

-Letterhead is normally printed at the top of the page. However, it is now common
to see the information split: one part at the top of the paper while the rest of the
information can be found at the bottom of the paper.

● design should not detract or draw attention from the important issue- message of
the letter
● preferably white paper, high quality, short size bond paper; easiest to read; most
professional looking

-If you are just encoding the letterhead, place this in the middle of the paper. if it’s
a personal letter (you’re not representing a company), write your complete address to
the left side (full block and modified block formats).

2. Dateline

-The date the letter is written (use the date the letter was finished) with the following
formats.

● Natural order: Month-Day-Year - March 18, 2008

● Military & British: Day-Month-Year - 18 March 2008

-The month should be spelled out.

3. Inside Address
● The full name of the addressee with a title of respect
● Miss, Ms. (if marital status is not determined), Mrs. Mesdames/Mmes. (for
women), Messieurs/ Messrs. (men)
● Engr., Prof., Atty.
 ● Roderick C. Salazar, SVD/ The Reverend Roderick. Salazar, SVD
● Honorable Tomas V. Osmena / Hon. Tomas V. Osmena
○ The position of the addressee
○ Complete name and address of the company that the addressee
represents
○ Information should be exactly the same as the address on the envelope
(three of more lines).

e.g.,

Mr. Matthew A. Cruz

Chief Executive Officer
Lego Enterprises, Inc.
19 Ramos Street, Cebu City 6000 (Have 2-3 spaces between ‘City’ and the
Zipcode)

4. Salutation

- The name in the salutation is the same with the name in the inside address

● In formal letters (standardized ones), Dear Customer and Dear Subscriber can
be used.
● Use colon : (American); (comma , - British)
● Formal

My dear Mr. Smith: My dear Mrs. Ramos:

My dear Sir: My dear Madam:

Gentlemen: Ladies:

● Less Formal (Usually used)

Dear Mr. Smith: Dear Ms. Ramos:

Dear Sir: Dear Madam:

Dear Prof. Lim: Dear Dr. Lim:

Engr. Tejada:

● Informal / Casual

Dear Sarah, Dear Customer,

 Hello Ms. Sarah / Greetings, Mr. Conception (unusual salutation in sales promotion
and advertising)

5. Body of the Letter

● Typed below the salutation or subject the subject line, if there is.
● Use single spacing in the paragraph and in between paragraphs.
● One-page length - If another page is really needed, use plain sheet (no
letterhead) have 2 – 3 line spaces from the top, and type the name or initial of the
addressee, page number and date all in one line.
● Sarah A. Ramos -2- July 28, 2016
● SAA -2- July 28, 2016

6. Complimentary Closing

- Serves to close the letter with a cordial expression

● Align with the dateline, regardless of the letter style

● Capitalize only the first letter of the first word.
● Put a comma at the end.
● Match the formality of the salutation and the complimentary closing.
● Formal

My dear Madam: Very respectfully yours,

Gentlemen: Yours very cordially,

● Less formal

Dear Mr. Gonzales: Yours truly,

Dear Madam: Sincerely yours, / Sincerely, (most preferred)

Dear Fr. Salazar: Respectfully yours,

7. Signature Block

- Contains the writer’s full name and position/title and his/her signature

● Affix your signature always above your name

● Positioned two or four spaces below the complimentary close
8. Reference Initials

- Contains the initials of the dictator and the typist

 - Upper case (all caps) for the dictator’s initial, and lower case for the typist’s. e.g.
C.F.A./lau

- If you are the writer/dictator and the signatory, then just have the typist’s/encoder’s
initials, e.g. lau

- Typed at the lower left margin of the letter; two spaces below the signature line

SPECIAL PARTS OF THE BUSINESS LETTER:

1. Attention Line
● Considered addressed to the whole organization rather than to the person
named on the attention line
● Some write a name (but not in the inside address)
● Placed between inside address (addressed to the organization) and salutation
● When used, the salutation used is usually “Gentlemen”.
● Attention: Human Resource Manager
○ Attention: Sales Department
○ Attention: Ms. Rannie Salem

Gentlemen:

2. Subject Line
● Used to immediately inform the reader what the letter is about
● Placed between the salutation and the body of the letter

- Use all capital letters or initial caps and small letters

● Subject: Goodwill
3. Enclosure

- Used when enclosing something in the letter

- Typed under the signature line or reference initials

- If there is more than one enclosure, number them.

Example:

E.G.A.

Enclosures: Check for PhP5,000.00

 Copy of Invoice 123

● At times, “Attachment” is used.

4. Carbon copy notation

- Used if copies of the letter are to be sent to others aside from the reader/addressee.

- Placed after the enclosure or reference initials

● E.G.A.

cc: Director, Kids’ Center

● c. Mr. Alexander Santos

● Copy to: Mr. Allan Aquino
● Cf: (copy furnished) is now used since carbon paper is no longer used as almost
all letters now are computerized

Blind carbon copy notation

- Used if the writer doesn’t want his reader/addressee to know that the former is
sending a copy of the letter to another person

● bcc: Mrs. Carmela Alvarez

5. Postscript Notation

- P.S. or N.B. (nota bene, ‘note well’), used to emphasize a point made elsewhere in
the letter.

- Emphasizes an important message that has been intentionally withheld from the
message

- Has an attention getting quality and may be used only for important occasions

- Placed two spaces below the last line of the letter

LETTER SIZE, NUMBER OF WORDS, SPACING AND MARGINS

1. Short letter

100 words

2.0 spacing (body of the letter)

2” margin

2. Average-long letter

101-200 words

1.5 spacing (body of the letter)

1.5” margin

3. Long Letter

201 or 300 words

1.0 spacing (body of the letter)

1” margin

Spacing between parts

Fixed Spaces

● Inside Address to Salutation =1 (single space)

● Salutation to Body =1
● In between paragraphs =1
● Last Paragraph to Complimentary Close =1
● Signature to Reference Initial =1

Flexible Spaces

● Company Letterhead to Date =2-4 spaces; (If personal sender’s address to

Date =1)
● Dateline to Inside Address =2-3 spaces
● Complimentary Close to Signature Block/Line =2-4 spaces

LETTER FORMATS

1. Full block format

● All letter parts are typed and aligned at the left margin.
● There are no indentions in the paragraphs.
● Commonly used format.

2. Modified block format

 ● The dateline and complimentary closing are typed and aligned at the right side of
the page.
● Paragraphs are not indented.

3. Semi block format

● The so called indented letter; dateline and complimentary closing are typed at the
right portion of the page.
● The first sentence of each paragraph has five-space indention.

4. Simplified block format

● Salutation and complimentary closing are not used; hence it is considered an

impersonal format.
● Other letter parts are typed at the left margin

TYPES OF BUSINESS LETTERS

1. Inquiry/Request Letter

- Asks or requests for information about the services, product, the price, payment or
delivery arrangements

2. Reply Letter

- Provides specific and complete information in response to the inquiry or request

letter

3. Complaint and Claims Letter

- Informs the company of the concerns, problems or issues on dissatisfaction about

the product, delivery or services encountered by the sender

4. Adjustment Letter

- Acknowledges the concerns or problems, offers an apology and provides

possible solutions in response to the complaint letter

5. Sales Letter

- Persuades the reader or the prospective clients or customers to try or

avail the services or buy a product
 6. Cover/Application Letter

- Conveys interest in the position and convinces the addressee of his/her

qualifications, e.g. educational background, work experience

- Accompany resumes (e.g. application letter), CVS, personal portfolios

7. Resignation

- States the reason for resigning, effectivity date of the resignation and
appreciation and gratitude

MEMORANDUM

● Contains official announcements and is disseminated within the company or

organization, e.g. giving directives, informing about changes in the policy or
procedure, alerting staff to a problem, calling a meeting and sending
recommendations
● Can be sent as a printed copy, embedded in the body of an email or as an email
attachment

Writing a Good Memo:

1. Have a business like tone

○ Direct to the point and courteous

2. Use the fewest words possible

3. Use bulleted lists to highlight main points

4. Use correct grammar, spelling and punctuation

5.Write the message in the logical order:

○ explain the purpose (introduction)

○ addresses the information required (body)
○ states summary, generalization or possible recommendations (conclusion)

6. Follow the standard memo format

Sample of a Memo:
ELECTRONIC MAIL (E-mail)

● Most preferred means of communication since it is fast, convenient and

far-reaching via electronic devices
● Contains the following parts:
● Recipient (To)
● Subject line
● Carbon copy notation (Cc)
● Blind carbon copy (Bcc), and
● Body (message).

Writing a Business Email:

1. Have a Relevant Subject Line

-Best Subject lines tell the reader what he needs to do (especially if it is urgent and
important)

e.g.,

● Information on Open House Tuesday, March 30, 2021 – Please RSVP!

● Question Regarding the Change in Health Benefits- Response Needed
● Response to Your Questions on the Marketing Plan for 3rd Quarter
 2. Address the recipient in a formal manner

e.g., Dear Mr. Fernandez:

3. Have a well- organized message

○ State the purpose at the start of the email
○ Points must be clear and brief (bulleted lists or numbered lists)
○ Put the main point first followed by the background information
4. Consider the Writing Style
○ Formal writing
○ Use formal language (no slang, contractions)
5. Keep it short and precise
6. Follow the Correct Format
○ Formal and legible font (Arial, Times New Roman, Verdana, Tahoma)
○ Readable but balanced font size (12)
○ Justified alignment
○ Avoid using capital letters
○ Should use only one highlighting device at a time (bold, italic or underline)
○ Should not include emoticons and smileys

A rule of thumb in workplace correspondence:

You can only use simple smileys with a higher-up when your superior uses it first. It
should be fine between peers.

7. Use correct spelling, grammar and format.

8. Have complete and correct details
9. Mention in the message if there is an attachment
10. End with a closing line
○ Thank you (show gratitude)
○ Writer’s name or email signature (name, position and contact details)

Sample of an E-mail:
The 6 C’s in Business Writing: A Summary

1. Courtesy - Be polite. Consider the ‘you’ attitude . Try to use positive words
2. Clarity - Avoid vagueness by using words with only one meaning
3. Conciseness - Be brief and direct . Avoid roundabout / meandering words and
ideas
4. Concreteness - Use specific terms/words
5. Correctness - Use correct grammar, punctuation, facts, and letter parts
6. Completeness - Write all information needed

Topic 3: Organizational flow of communication

The size, nature, and structure of an organization usually dictate which direction most of
the information flows. For more established and traditional organizations, the
information mostly flows upward and downward. For informal firms such as start-up
companies, information can flow horizontally and diagonally.

1. Downward Flow of Communication- is through the organization’s formal chain of

command; it is from the higher levels to the lower levels.
 The managers or superiors disseminate information to subordinates such
as:

● providing feedback on employees’ performance,

● giving instructions regarding tasks,
● highlighting areas of attention in the workflow or in job performance.

The common content of the communication with this flow includes

announcements and directives from top management.

2. Upward Flow of Communication- also called vertical flow, the information comes
from the frontline employees who pass it on to managers, supervisors, and directors of
an organization to:

● provide feedback on how effective the operation of the organization is,

● clarify any unclear information that they have received, and
● participate in the decision-making process.

The common contents of the communication following this flow include proposals,
progress reports, budget estimates,complaints and grievances. Consequently, those
from the higher ranks can take appropriate action based on the employees’ concerns.

3. Horizontal Flow of Communication- is a kind of information transmission between

employees, divisions, departments, or units within the same level of hierarchy in an
organization. This is often referred to as lateral communication.
 Three categories of information transmitted through this kind of flow:

● Information regarding coordination of activities across various parts of an

organization;
● Information about work activities at the same level; and
● Information regarding colleagues’ feeling on work and work-related issues

4. Diagonal Flow of Communication- is an informal way (yet still accepted and

recognized) of passing on information managers and employees of other workgroups
or workers located in different functional divisions based on the objective of the
communications, e.g. a finance department manager may communicate with the
production supervisor to increase the efficiency of a particular decision-making process.
This flow has existed due to the changing structure of some workplaces nowadays in
the form of project-based tasks and groups and temporary divisions which do not
appear in the official organizational chart.

5. External Flow of Communication- this occurs between a manager of a

particularcompany and other sectors outside the company, such as banks, suppliers,
vendors, and financial institutions, to:
 ● conduct profitable business transactions;
● promote sales and publicity; to generate sponsorship; to launch events, products,
or services; and to support branding.

Marketing professionals can employ external communication strategies, such as

the use of emails, posters, advertisements, brochures, and other forms of multimedia
marketing (Study.com,n.d.).

Module 4: Occupational and Academic Texts

Topic 1: Rhetorical Considerations in Writing

Topic 2: Test of/for different occupations purposes

Communication in a workplace varies according to uses, purposes, and even contexts.
Aside from business letters, other types of communication like incident reports, travel
reports, progress reports, technical reports, visual analysis, and medical reportscan be
used to address job-related issues or concerns. The next sections discuss six typesof
workplace-related reports. Some or all of these may be required in your future work.

Incident Reports

These are written records of any untoward or troublesome happening that may have
brought damages on equipment or property, delays in routine work, and personal injury.
These reports are essential to employers in making changes to have the job done more
effectively with utmost safety and to prevent recurrence of the same case. They serve
as bases of information for companies and other entities, such as insurance,
government, and legal offices.

Components of an incident report:

Identification details
Time and location of the incident
Type of incident
Description of the incident
Actions done after the incident
Travel Reports
Details include names, job titles of all
persons involved (including onlookers),
departments, identification numbers,
places of employment, home addresses,
contact numbers, model or serial
numbers, and policy numbers for
insurance.
The report states the exact time and date
(e.g., 2 p.m., Wednesday, March 7, 2017
at Warehouse 1, DBK Corporation, Cebu
City).
This gives a clear identification of any
damage or injury involved (e.g., fire,
robbery, equipment failure, or physical
injury, such as dislocation of the left arm).
This provides detailed information on
what, how, and why it happened.
This section describes how conditions are
corrected and operations are back to
normal to prevent the problem from
recurring, to make the environment safer,
to repair damaged property or equipment,
or to treat injured individuals (Kolin, 2013;
Searles, 2011).
These are records that state the purpose and objectives of business-related travels and
provide summaries and descriptions of activities to help organizations in assessing their
relevance. Some forms of travel are site visits, conferences, conventions, training
sessions, workshops, and trade shows.

Common Types of Travel Reports

1. Site Inspection Reports

These determine if a visited area is ideal as a company’s relocation site or a new office
branch. They contain information about the safety conditions of the site, physical plants,
and available equipment.

2. Home Health Visit and Social Work Field Report

Nurses and social workers record the lifestyle and needs of patients and clients The
reports include the purpose and description of the visit, the actions taken based on
results, and recommendations from various sources, such as health care professionals
and people from charitable institutions.

3. Field Trip Reports

These are written after a visit to a laboratory, hospital, detention center, or any other
areato emphasize the educational value of field trips. The report describes one’s
learningsabout the ecological conditions, operation systems, and technical procedures
of an institution, among others.

Structure of a Travel Report

Introduction This states all basic information about the

travel, including the destination, purpose,
time and date of arrival and departure,
and mode of travel (e.g., plane, car, boat).

Description of the activity This gives detailed information about the

experience. It tells what you saw, whom
you met and talked, and what you did.
 Expense Liquidation This is the accounting of the money spent
during the activity for cash advance
liquidation or reimbursement purposes.

Discussion This is an evaluation of the field trip in

terms of usefulness and importance. It
includes recommendations for other
travels or tours of such kind in the future,
as well as suggestions if applicable
(Kolin, 2013 & Searles, 2011).

Progress Reports

These are written records of what has been done and what is left to do on a project, e.g.
a design, a construction. These may be written daily, weekly, or monthly for an individual
or a team for the purposes of (a) informing the recipient on the progress made or
delays incurred and (b) establish and formalizeduties of team members, tie down a
work schedule, and discuss possible problems.

Three Key Sections in Progress Reports

1. Work accomplished in the preceding period(s)

2. Work currently being performed

3. Work planned for the next period(s)

Standard Parts/Structure of Progress Reports

1. Heading - main subject/title and the personalities involved (names, positions,

funding source, etc.

2. Introduction - summary/overview of the project and its goals

3. Body of the Report - facts the receiver needs which may include:

● Work Completed (accomplishments)

● Problems/issues
 ● Remaining Work (and/ or Future Work)

4. Conclusion - upcoming goals or statement of the amount of work already done

5. Attachments - Gantt chart, tables, diagrams, etc.

Technical Reports

These are documents that present facts and conclusions about designs and other
projects that typically include research, (e.g. on technical concepts) and need graphical
designs and/or illustrations. In general, these texts describe the progress, process, or
results of scientific or technical research (Parker, 2019)

General Format of Technical Reports

1. Title Page

2. Summary (or Abstract)

3. Table of Contents

4. List of Figures and Tables

5. Body of Report

● Introduction
● Objectives
● Other Sections depending on the report or project (e.g. Method, Results and
Discussion, Specifications, Models and Prototypes)
● Conclusion
● Recommendation (as needed)

6. References

7. Appendices

Medical Reports

These are documents that contain a patient’s history, findings, diagnostic test results,
medications, and progress. A patient’s record must remain confidential and cannot be
accessed by any unauthorized person. One of the purposes of these reports, aside from
recording facts about a patient's health, is for communication between attending doctors
and other health-care professionals for the effective administration of treatment.

Components of a Patient’s Medical Record (Spooner & Pesaturo, 2014)

1. Medical history (also known as “history and physical” or H & P)

2. Laboratory test results

3. Diagnostic test results

4. Problem list

5. Clinical notes (e.g. progress notes, discharge summary)

6. Treatment notes (e.g. medication orders)

Visual Analysis

For designers or artists, visual analysis is one of their common write-ups as a written
explanation of an artwork. Just like an essay, it expresses the writer’s ideas and
perceptions that can help a viewer understand the artwork, focusing closely on the
visual qualities of the work and the various elements that create a particular effect on
the viewer.

Structure of a Visual Analysis

Introduction One to two sentences stating the context

of the artwork/design. indicating the
writer’s attitude toward the work

Body An argument based on one’s observation

and evaluation of the object or artwork,
and it consists of the following: (a)
description of the object, (b) description of
the technique, (c) interpretation of the
 meaning or intention of the work, and (d)
evaluation of the work

Conclusion draws judgment or reflection on the

observations made.

Module 5: Communication for Various Purposes

Topic 1: Evaluating Messages
Semiotics and Analysis Framework
Evaluating Messages: Multimodal Texts

The term multimodal refers to the strategic use of two or more communication modes
(e.g., images, gestures, music, spoken, and written language) to make meaning
(O’Brien, 2013). Although multimodality is associated with the development of
technology, a multimodal text does not have to be always digital. It can be produced on
print (newspaper advertisement and comics), digital (video presentations, animations,
and online blogs), or live (performances and promotional events). A multimodal text,
then, is one that combines at least two or more modes of communication (words,
sounds, actions, images) in a medium.

Modes are abstract or nonmaterial means of making meaning. Words, sounds, images,
gestures, texture, and color are some examples of modes. Media are material forms
that realize the modes, such as computer screen, wall, clothing, paper, poem, a piece of
wood, a photograph, and audio/video recording(Kress & Van Leeuwen, 2001). There
can be many modes in a medium. Hence, to go multimodal is to converge different
communication modes in a medium (e.g., poster or video) and take into consideration
all the modes in constructing for or extracting meaning or the message from the text.

Many of the multimodal texts are advertisements and promotional tools meant to
forward agenda, issue, or causes, and persuade the audience or readers to think, feel,
believe, or act in certain ways. Thus, analyzing multimodal texts necessitates additional
literacies in these forms:

● Visual literacy refers to one’s ability to understand, interpret, and evaluate

visual messages (Bristor & Drake, 1994).
 ● Critical literacy that requires reading and filtering texts for certain agenda or
learning purposes. It encourages individuals to understand and question the
ideas, attitudes, values, and beliefs of written texts, visual applications, and
spoken words.
● Multimodal literacy deals with comprehending varied means of knowledge
representations and meaning-making. When one is multimodally literate, one
can scrutinize the contributions of semiotic resources (language, gestures,
and images) found in different modalities (e.g., visual, oral, physical) and in
their integration in multimodal texts, such as advertisements, posters,
websites, films, among others (Kress, 2004; Lim, O’Halloran, Tan, & E,
2015).

The goal of the new literacies is to foster a person’s ability to analyze, interpret,
question, and evaluate texts to determine hidden ideas, ideals, and agendas. Constant
engagement with these types of literacies develops individuals to become critical
thinkers who are more well-informed and not easily dissuaded. To analyze and evaluate
the texts, critical readers and viewers need basic knowledge of semiotics.

Semiotics: The Basics

Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and its use and interpretation (Scollon,&
Scollon, 2003). Signs can take the form of words, images, objects, sounds, odors,
flavors, actions, or objects (Danesi, 2004; Chandler, 1994). Intrinsically, these are
meaningless unless interpretations are assigned.

There are three types of signs or three ways you can signal your meanings to others:
icons, indexes, and symbols (Scollon,& Scollon, 2003).

Iconic Stands for something that it imitates, replicates, simulates, and

resembles.
(Icon)
Examples: drawings of all kinds, diagrams, photos, onomatopoeic
words e.g. buzz

Indexical Stands for something that it points or relates to or indicates

implicitly or explicitly.
(Index)
Examples: the sight of smoke indicating fire; the dark clouds in the
sky are a sign of impending rain; a person waving his or her hand is
saying hello
Symbolic Does not resemble what it means in its form but by convention or
agree
(Symbol)
Examples: social symbols (rose, flags, etc.), language in general
(letters, words punctuations), math symbols

Below are three levels in signifying or attributing meaning to sign (Danesi, 2004;
Chandler, 1994).

Denotation Refers to the definitional, literal, descriptive identification of a

sign (for linguistic signs, this refers to the meaning a dictionary
attempts to provide).

E.g. Dog - an animal with four legs that barks

Connotation Refers to the socio-cultural and personal associations

(ideological, emotional, etc.) of the sign typically related to the
interpreter’s class, age, gender, ethnicity, and so on. Some are
recognized within a culture (e.g., car in Western culture
connotes virility or freedom).

Example: Dog - human’s best friend; loyal but may be

dangerous for it bites

Ideology Refers to a system of ideas or ideals, set of opinions, particular

worldview, beliefs of groups or individuals, class, or culture,
such as communism, capitalism, feminism, and conservatism.

Example: The Hammer and Sickle is the international symbol of

the communist movement.

The signs can also be interpreted according to these additional levels of meanings or
semiotic elements:

1. Rhetorical trope which refers to figurative language, such as simile, metaphor, irony,
found in linguistic signs. E.g. You are a dog. (a metaphor)

2. Intertextuality that pertains to allusions or references of the signs to texts from other
sources, such as existing stories and characters in books found in films. E.g. Achilles
heel alludes to the Greek hero Achilles whose heel was the only vulnerable part of his
body.

Colors, Lines, Shapes, and Font Styles

Lines, colors, and fonts carry specific meanings or connotations. They contribute to the
meaning of a text. The table below summarizes the connotations of some colors, lines,
shapes, and fonts (Bradley, 2010; Cahill, 2016; Gross, n.d.; & Pahwa, 2017).

Colors Associated Meanings

Black power, death, mystery, evil, elegance,

White purity, goodness, light

Red danger, energy, power, passion, love, determination

Blue trust, intelligence, wisdom, authority

Yellow warm, happy, optimistic, sunny

Green growth, harmony, freshness, fertility, safety, healing

Shapes Associated Meanings

Circle infinity, harmony, unity, perfection

Triangle progression, direction, purpose

Square, Rectangle order, formality, security

Lines Associated Meanings

Horizontal calm, quiet, relaxed

Vertical strong, rigid, stability

Fonts/Typefaces Associated Meanings

Serif (e.g. Times New serious, traditional, delicate, beautiful, delicate,

Roman) expensive, warm, old

Sans Serif (e.g. Arial) modern, streamlined, clean, cool, young

Script (e.g. Comic Sans) elegant, informal, feminine, beautiful, expensive,

happy, warm

"Questions" Framework for Evaluating Messages

The work of the British linguist Michael Halliday on systemic functional theory serves as
a basis of the teaching approaches used to develop multimodal literacy. It is also used
as a framework in teaching critical viewing to aid learners in coming up with
evidence-based interpretations of the text. On the other hand, advocates of media
literacy anchor their framework of analysis, in question format, relating to the elements
of communication, signs, symbols, and hidden messages (Berger, n.d.; “Evaluating
Media Messages”, n.d.). Moreover, The Commission on Higher Education’s syllabus for
Purposive Communication (2017) has five guide questions for analyzing
advertisements.

The framework below with ideas from the mentioned sources can be used in evaluating
print or non-print multimodal texts, particularly promotional materials. Each question is
accompanied by follow-up queries for a more complete answer.

Framework for Evaluating Multimodal (Promotional) Texts

1. Who created the text?

- What signs tell you about its creator/maker?

2. What is the purpose of the text?

- Is the purpose clear? What signs point to this purpose?

3. Who is the target audience?

- What signs point to the audience? How will they respond?

4. What is the message of the text?

- What signs help convey the message?

5. Is the message fair and objective?

- Why? Are all points of view covered?

6. How will other groups (not the target audience) interpret or react to this text?

- Why?

Topic 2: Multimodal Presentations

A multimodal presentation is a communication piece that merges different

communication modes in creating a message transmitted or presented through a
medium or multimedia (e.g., written text such as illustrated books and posters,
audio/video recording, and computers). This type of presentation is almost always
related to the use of multimedia (though multimedia is not synonymous with
multimodal). When an individual is tasked to make a multimodal presentation, what
comes to mind is the use of computers and other tools of technology.

In using multimedia tools in presenting a multimodal message, the message should aim
at fostering meaningful and relevant learning (Mayer, 2003). This goal for relevant and
meaningful learning rings true from the point of view that critical literacy encourages
learners to deconstruct and construct texts in the process of questioning and critiquing.
Further, to make critical literacy practices meaningful is to allow learners to engage in
social action projects that may help solve problems in communities by creating a public
piece of communication (Berhman, 2006). As such, this communication piece can be
very well done in a multimodal form.

Medium of Choice

The medium of choice in the process of creating multimodal texts is an important

consideration (O’Brien, 2013). The texts can be developed and produced through the
following:

1. Paper and Plastic (books, comics, posters)

2. Digital media (slide presentations, e-books, blogs, e-posters, web pages,
social media sites, animations, films, video games)
3. Live media (a performance or an event)
4. Transmedia (The story is told using multiple delivery channels through a
combination of media platforms, such as magazines, films, web series, and
video games woven as part of one story.)

Elements

Below are the basic elements of a multimodal presentation.

1. Language (oral and written) – vocabulary, grammar, structure

2. Audio – volume, pitch, rhythm, sound effects
3. Video (visual) – moving and still images and colors
4. Space (spatial) – layout and organization of objects
5. Gestures – movement, facial expressions, body language

Considerations in Creating Multimodal Presentation

When it comes to creating a multimodal piece for a report in class, a proposal in the
office, or a presentation of social concerns and solutions in a community, you must
consider the things below to relay the message effectively.

1. Purpose, Audience, Context, Genre, Stance, Medium (PACGSM)

2. Design
3. Technological tools to use

The details of the rhetorical considerations in writing, PACGSM, are found in Module 5.

Basic Design Considerations

The design or physical make-up of multimodal texts may reinforce or muddle the
meaning and purpose of the text. The subsequent ideas summarized from varied
sources can help put together the components of a multimodal message (Mentis, 2017;
Gabriel, 2014; Stribley, 2015).

1. Strong and catchy headline.

Aim for short phrases that grab attention in just a glance. If a verbal headline is not
needed in the case of video promotional texts, then a strong image is employed.

2. Relevant body.

If details are needed, opt for brief lines that build up and relay the intended message
and its purpose.

3. Coherent graphics.

All images, including the sound effects, must be related to the message and purpose of
the text.

4. Right layout.

If the multimodal text is on print, find your focus and create balance and contrast by
using the white spaces (empty spaces that add emphasis to the headline or graphics).
Also, decide on the colors, lines, and font styles that make the layout visually appealing.
The most important points are strategically placed at the center or shown first before the
supporting details.

5. A call for action.

At times, a separate command on what the viewers must do is added, along with
contact particulars, which are usually found at the bottom or end of the text. The logo
and slogan, if present, can be placed close to each other.

Technological Tools

In creating multimodal presentations, you can use technological tools or communication

aids. Though word processors are considered to be the most popular tool in making
presentations, there are more recent free software applications and video editing
programs that can be used.

Here is a sample multimodal presentation - Public Service Announcement (PSA).

Public Service Announcement

A multimodal text can be a vehicle to help raise awareness on issues and problems
affecting a community or society in general. Multimodal texts such as public service
announcements (PSA) and media invitation campaigns are means to disseminate
information and influence the audience’s decisions.

A public service announcement (PSA) is a brief message broadcast on radio or

television and posted on social networking sites for the public interest. Its intent is to
modify public attitudes by raising awareness about specific issues (Hampton, 2018).

Below are reminders in crafting a PSA.

1. Have a very clear issue or cause significant to society or the general

community.
2. Create or show a remarkable character or a powerful image to tell a story
about it.
3. Choose or create a call-to-action slogan to instruct viewers/listeners on what
to do or how they can change the situation.
 4. Choose the appropriate medium in creating the slogan. Write, draw, record,
or act it out.
5. Choose a platform through which you can spread the announcement.
6. Share the announcement responsibly by ensuring that all pieces of
information are factual and that all sources are acknowledged.

According to “Kansas Association Broadcasters: How to Write a Public Service

Announcement”, (n.d.) a good public service announcement benefits a community;
hence it has to attract your target audience’s attention, speak to your audience in their
language and relate to their lives, deliver one core message clearly, and motivate them
to act. Finally, the PSA should be short, preferably 30 seconds or less (the longest could
be 60 seconds). The shorter and more impactful it is, the more likely it is remembered.

Media Invitation

A media invitation aims to inform identified recipients, beneficiaries, prospective

supporters, and the public about activities, such as conventions, seminars, forums,
talks, and other events related to an issue, problem, or cause. Normally, an invite has
information that answers the wh-questions: who, what, when, where, and why. The
invitation can be in digital (videos and slide presentations) or print format (posters and
leaflets). As a video, it should be about a minute or less.

Media Campaign

This is a planned series of newspaper articles, television interviews, and etc.

(video/audio) meant to realize a specific objective or a particular aim. E. g. The
government’s media campaign against smoking

Topic 3: Type of Proposals

A proposal is a document that offers a solution to a certain problem or a course of
action responding to a need. In general, it aims to convince the intended audience to
accept the writer’s intent or plan (Bullock, 2009, p. 171; Kowalski, 2012).

Proposal Types

Below are the common types of proposals (Mulholland, 2017; “Types of Proposals”,
2018).

1. A solicited proposal responds to a request of an individual or individuals,

companies, or agencies typically called sponsors. It can be formal or informal.
A formal proposal (e.g., Request for Proposal or RFP) has definitive
specifications on format and content, including terms and conditions. On the
 other hand, the informal one is expressed verbally or without a written
request.
2. An unsolicited proposal does not respond to any specific request, but it
presents plans of solutions that will benefit the intended audience who may
likely be interested. In the business context, this can be sales presentations
or pitched ideas.
3. A pre-proposal is a brief description of the proposed plan. Also called white
paper, letter proposal, or letter of intent, it informs and motivates the potential
sponsor to request a formal proposal.
4. A renewal proposal aims to convince sponsors to continue a project that is
about to finish and may not be renewed and provides reasons why the project
is important.
5. A continuation proposal provides updates and reminders for a project
spanning a number of years to finish. Usually done after a year, it reminds the
sponsor of the approved project, shows the progress of the project, and
explains any changes done.
6. A supplemental proposal is written to ask for additional resources for an
existing proposal and possible updates for adjusted costs.

Other categories of proposals depending on the project and the field (Robertson, 2017)
include: business proposals that have a sales objective to convince prospective
clients to avail of a product or service; research proposals, usually in the academe for
study purposes, that outline the problem of the project and outlines a methodology and
a list of references; grant proposals that specifically aim to gain financial support for a
research or a project; and project proposals usually in the field of engineering, that
contain a description of a series of activities with the aim to solve a problem. Another
category that utilizes varied media portals is the media campaign proposal - a planned
series of newspaper articles, television interviews, audio/video materials, and others to
realize a specific objective or a particular aim. An example of this is the government’s
media campaign against smoking.

General Components of a Proposal

The components of a proposal vary based on its type and the sponsors’ requirements.
The succeeding general parts are combined from different sources (Bullock, 2009;
“Business Proposals”, 2018; Kowalski, 2012).

1. Introduction or Overview. This part gives an explanation and background

information about the problem, including the environment, location, and possible causes
and effects. It mentions any prior efforts or projects so that readers are completely
aware of the nature of the problem.
2. The Problem. Also called the “statement of the problem,” this part states or
describes the problem as directly, clearly, and concretely as possible. It includes the
general statement of the proposal’s purpose. Alternatively, the section can be replaced
by objectives that depend on the scope and gravity of the problem. At times, both the
problem and objectives occur with specific objectives related to the general purpose.

3. The Proposed Solution/s or Proposal Statement. This section contains a precise

description of the planned solution. If there is more than one solution, each is discussed
explicitly. Further, the section explains the reasons why the solutions are the best
courses of action and mentions their benefits.

4. Methodology. This discusses the details of the step-by-step process of realizing and
implementing the proposed solutions to the problem. Each solution may have distinct
approaches to carry it out.

5. Schedule and Budget or Cost. This section presents the time frame and financial
requisites for the completion of the proposal. The more itemized, specific, and accurate
the program of work and its expenditure, the more transparent and believable the
proposal becomes. The materials and other logistics with their respective prices can be
presented in a tabular form; while the schedule, containing steps and dates, can be
shown in a table or a Gantt chart.

6. Conclusion. As the closing part, this reinforces the proposal by telling the clients,
sponsors, or intended group of people of the reasons why they should choose and
accept the proposal.

Other Components of a Proposal

Depending on the purpose and company requisites, a proposal can have the following:

1. Cover Letter – This introduces the proposal to the prospective or requesting

company. It may include a summary.
2. Table of Contents – For lengthy proposals, this section shows the
organization of the document for easy reference.
3. Executive Summary – At times, this replaces the introduction. It gives the
gist of the proposal.
4. Qualifications – This section contains the profiles of the bidders and
proposal writers in terms of experience and track record to convince the
proposed party that the bidders are capable and that the proposal writers are
organized.
5. Data Presentation or Results – This section shows the actual proposal
outputs, such as a building design or prototype, video or audio material, or a
long report. It may contain results of needs analysis or feasibility results for
 business-related projects and other information not mentioned in the
Proposed Solutions.
6. Anticipated Questions – This part may discuss the questions that the
proposed entities may ask. Further, it highlights the advantages of the
solutions.
7. Call to Action – This coaxes the proposed company to act; hence, instructive
words that send the urgency of the issue at hand are used. For media
campaigns of socio-environmental nature, a call to action, instead of a
conclusion, is preferred.