UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, VNU-HANOI

FACULTY OF LINGUISTICS & CULTURES OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

Website: http://flce.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/flce/

Phone: (+84)242.2431653

ENG3112 VISUAL COMMUNICATION

Instructor: Nguyễn Thanh Hà, Ph.D., [email protected]

Nguyễn Hải Hà, M.A., [email protected]

Overview
This course is designed to provide students with the tools to analyze and communicate with various
kinds of visual images. It surveys a range of visual genres, including maps, charts and graphs,
illustrations, logos, advertisements, cartoons, photographs, paintings, and comic books, which are used
for a variety of purposes, such as inquiry, information, education, entertainment, persuasion, and
storytelling. Informed by media literacy, the course aims to develop students’ ability to understand,
analyze, appreciate, and critique visual materials. In addition to looking, collecting, curating and
analyzing images, students will also engage with creating visual messages appropriate to their
communicative purposes and context.

Course Objectives
In terms of Knowledge Development
- Understand the physiological basis of vision and the theories of visual communication
- Understand the history and development of some common visual genres and technologies
(photography, map, advertising)
- Understand the characteristics, goals, and usages of common visual genres and materials
In terms of Skills Development
- Develop the ability to observe, analyze and evaluate media products
- Develop the skills in designing and using common tools to create media products
- Develop communication skills and the ability to work independently as well as in groups
In terms of Attitudinal Dimension
- Strengthen critical thinking and historical thinking when interacting with visual
communication phenomena
- Expand the capacity for aesthetic appreciation, empathy and sympathy
- Develop self-confidence and self-reflection
Course Schedule
Week
 MODULE 1: FOUNDATIONAL ISSUES

1 Course Introduction Required Materials

How we see: Physiological basis of vision 1. CrashCourse (2015) Vision:
(1) Crash Course A&P (video file, 9
mins)
Objectives
2. CrashCourse (2014) Sensation
What we will cover in this class:
and Perception: Crash Course
- Course overview Psychology

- Key structures of the eye and the 3. Introduction to Psychology:

role they play in vision Seeing
- How the eye and the brain work 4. American Museum of Natural
together to sense and perceive History. Optical illusion - How
visual stimuli do they work

- What some popular optical illusions

reveal about the way we see
Additional Materials
Tasks
1. Brian Resnick (2020) “Reality” is
- Label the key structures of the eyes constructed by your brain. Here’s
what that means, and why it
- Analyze examples of Optical
matters.
Illusions

2 How we see: The Sensual and Perceptual Required materials

Theories of Visual Communication (2)
1. Karen Halminton | The Sensual
Objectives and Perceptual Theories of
Visual Communications
What we will cover in this class:
2. Watch the video (7mins) and
- Three categories of signs
answer the following
- Sensual theories of visual comprehension questions
communication (Gestalt &
a. What are some common
constructivism)
signs to communicate
- Perceptual Theories (semiotics & dangers?
cognitive)
b. What are the problems
Tasks with existing danger
signs? Why is there a
- Find examples to illustrate the 03
 categories of signs need to invent a new
danger sign?
- Create a personal logo. Are you
making use of an Icon, Index, or c. How did they test and
Symbol? choose the best danger
sign?
d. What were the
communication
challenges with the WIPP
project?
e. What solutions were
proposed? What were
their shortcomings?
Additional materials
1. Icon, Index, and Symbol —
Three Categories of Signs
2. The Toledo Museum of Art | The
Art of Seeing Art

3 Elements of visual communication Required materials

Objectives 1. Beginning Graphic Design:
Fundamentals
What we will cover in this class:
2. Beginning Graphic Design:
- The fundamentals of graphic design
Typography
- Typography
3. Beginning Graphic Design:
- Copyright and Fair Use Layout & Composition

- Creative Commons 4. Beginning Graphic Design:

Colors
Tasks
5. Creativity, Copyright, and Fair
- Choose a simple text and find ways
Use (video file, 5 mins)
to improve its visual
communication 6. Wikimedia Foundation (2017)
What is Creative Commons?
- Search for visual images from non-
(video file, 1.5 mins)
copyrighted sources
A more detailed video: What are
- Publish 1 image under a Creative
Creative Commons Licenses? (2
Commons license and discuss its
 implication mins)

Additional materials
1. Wikipedia | Creative Commons
License

4 Self-study

MODULE 2: INQUIRY & EDUCATION

5 Overview: Illustration and Required materials

Documentation, Reference and
1. Multimedia learning principle
Instruction
[note: the cognitive perspective a
Objectives narrow view of learning. Eg. in
this article, it is assumed that
What we will cover in this class:
‘learning’ and ‘liking’ are 02
- Types of graphics different & unrelated
phenomena]
- Types of scientific illustrations
2. Scientific Illustration: What Is It?
- Some tensions in illustrating for
documentation, reference, and Additional materials
instruction
1. Scientific illustration: striking the
balance between creativity and
accuracy [podcast with transcript,
Tasks
23’]
- Discuss and compare the
2. Scientific Illustration I: A guided
expectations for illustration in
tour [9 minutes]
different subject matters
3. How to create effective graphical
- Analyze the use of illustrations and
abstracts and scientific
design in a textbook/instructional
illustrations
text (choose 1-3 examples
depending on the complexity of the 4. Mayer’s 12 Principles of
design) Multimedia Learning
5. Male (2007). Illustration: A
Theoretical & Contextual
Perspective. Chapter 3.
Documentation, Reference and
 Instruction (pp. 86-117)
6. Maria Popova | Beatrix Potter,
Mycologist: The Beloved
Children’s Book Author’s Little-
Known Scientific Studies and
Illustrations of Mushrooms

6 Maps and Data Visualization Required Materials

Objectives 1. Vox (2016). Why all world maps
are wrong (video file, 6 mins)
What we will cover in this class:
2. Edward Tufte (2001). The visual
- Cartography and mercator
display of quantitative
projection
information. Chapter 1. Graphical
- Mapping as inquiry excellence & Data map (pp. 13-
27)
- Common types of data visualization
3. Principles of Effective Data
- Principles of effective data
Visualization
visualization
Additional Materials
1. Rogers (2013) John Snow's data
Tasks
journalism: the cholera map that
- Create a map using common tools changed the world

- Share and analyze an example of 2. Vox (2019) American

charts, graphs, and maps segregation, mapped at day and
night
3. Edward Tufte (2001). The visual
display of quantitative
information. Chapter 9.
Aesthetics and technique in data
graphical design (pp. 177-191)
4. workerbee (2016) The art of
infographics (and how to make
your own)
5. Johnny Harris (2019) Why
Britain is the Center of the World
(video file, 15 mins)
7 Photography and Truth Required Materials
Objectives 1. Allversity (2012) A Quick
History of Photography (video
What we will cover in this class:
file, 15 minutes)
- History of photography
2. Gwinnett County Public Library
- Photography as documentation of (2021). How Photographs Can
truth Tell Lies (video file, 25 mins)/
Tim Parkin (2013) Truth and Lies
- How photographs can tell lies
in Photography
Other materials
Tasks
1. Every Photo is a Story:
- Research the context of (famous) Researching Photographs--Video
photographs. Discuss how the Series and Exercises
background information changes
2. ‘Reading’ a photograph - useful
how you understand the
language
photographs
3. National Geographic (2013) The
- Deconstruct your own
Power of Photography to Witness
photograph(s) to demonstrate how
(video file, 9 minutes)
what happens behind the scene
could change how people see them. 4. National Geographic (2013) The
Power of Photography to Reveal
- Try out a photo-editing app or
(video file)
software and share the result
5. Vox (2015) Color film was built
for white people. Here's what it
did to dark skin (video file)

8 Self-study

MODULE 3: BRANDING & PERSUASION

9 Identity & Branding Required materials

Objectives 1. Vox | What makes a truly great
logo
What we will cover in this class:
2. Beginning Graphic Design:
- Visual branding & visual identity
Branding & Identity
- Logo design
3. Male (2007). Illustration: A
 - Packaging of products, books and Theoretical & Contextual
music Perspective. Chapter 3. Identity
(pp. 172-182)
Tasks
Additional materials
- Design a logo for an individual or
organization 1. Netflix Abstract: Graphic Design
with Paula Scher
- Share & analyze an example of
effective packaging 2. The Art of Logo Design | Off
Book | PBS Digital Studios
- Discuss the appeal of famous logos

10 Advertising Required materials

Objectives 1. Mashable Brand X (2014) The
History of Advertising in 60
What we will cover in this class:
Seconds (video file, 1 min)
- a brief history of advertising
2. Indiana University Writing
- modern advertising Center | Understanding and Using
Logos, Ethos, and Pathos
- advertising and persuasion
3. Purdue OWL (2013) Visual
Rhetoric (video file, 6 mins)
Tasks
- Analyze the visual elements of
Additional materials
advertising
1. Male (2007). Illustration: A
- Analyze an advertisement based on
Theoretical & Contextual
the rhetorical triangle ethos-pathos-
Perspective. Chapter 3.
logos
Persuasion (pp. 164-168)
- Create a poster advertisement for a
2. The century of the self
product
[documentary]

MODULE 4: ART & STORYTELLING

11 Comics & graphic novels Required materials

Objectives 1. Mccloud (1994). Understanding
Comics - The Invisible Art.
What we will cover in this class:
 - How visual conventions in comics Chapter 4. Time frames
create a sense of time
2. Mccloud (1994). Understanding
- The expressive quality of lines Comics - The Invisible Art.
Chapter 5. Living in line
Tasks
- Bring and share favorite comics/
graphic novels Additional materials
- Analyze the elements of storytelling ● McCloud (1994) Understanding
in comics Comics [complete book]
- Create a simple comic ● Web comics by Yao Xiao |
Baopu especially A secret love
letter, What are you afraid of,
Self-portrait through
immigration, Baggage claim
● False Knees on Instagram
● Sarah Anderson on Instagram
● Liz Climo on Instagram
● Shaun Tan’s blog

12 Visual images in the digital era Required materials

1. Lucie Chateau (2021) Cultural
capital and ironic literacy in the
Objectives
meme economy
What we will cover in this class:
2. Douglas (2014) It’s Supposed to
- Memes & the Internet Ugly Look Like Shit: The Internet
aesthetic Ugly Aesthetic

- The postmodern image 3. A concise history of internet

meme
Tasks
- Observe the use of memes by a
friend or on a page that you follow. Additional materials
Report on the patterns of use that
1. Wikipedia | Meme
you can find.
2. Bloomberg Quicktake (2018) It’s
- Trace the origin and evolution of
Getting Harder to Spot a Deep
some interesting memes you’ve
 seen. Your report should go beyond Fake Video (video file, 3 mins)
what has been recorded in a single
3. Feels Good Man: the disturbing
source (such as KnowYourMeme).
story behind the rise of Pepe the
- Discuss and reflect on the Frog
implication of communicating with
visual images in the digital era

13 Self-study and Field trip Required materials

Visual Arts 1. Little Art Talks (2015) Art
Periods and Art Movements
Objectives
(video file, 2.5 mins)
What we will cover in this class:
2. The Toledo Museum of Art | The
- Overview of art periods and art Art of Seeing Art
movements
- How to look at art
Additional materials
Tasks
1. Britannica | Drawing: Elements
- (Find and) share a favorite painting and principles of design
or drawing and analyze it in terms
2. Britannica | Painting: Kinds of
of formal elements
subject matter
3. Browse the list of art terms on
Tate and choose 1 entry to report
to the rest of the class

Field trip: Visit Museum of Fine Arts and

reflect on your experience (link to the
Reflection form). All students need to
complete this task.

14 Course wrap-up
Consultation on Individual Portfolio

15 Submission of Individual Portfolio

Assessment
Quizzes (Individual, 10%)
You will complete 2-3 quizzes about what you learnt at the end of each module.

Workshop (Group, 30%)

This activity is designed to reinforce the ideas learned in class by allowing students to apply
them in a practical project, present their work, and receive constructive feedback from their
peers. Their revised work could then be included as part of their individual portfolio.
Overview: Each group will complete two workshops throughout the semester. After completing
each task, the group will present their work to the class, explaining how their product reflects the
concepts learned. The class will provide feedback to help improve the work. Grading will be
based on the quality of the work, the relevance of the explanation, and the feedback given to
other groups.
Steps:
- The class will be divided into groups. Each group should consist of 4-5 students.
- Review all the highlighted tasks in the syllabus to see the scope & general requirements.
Examples of what to submit are at the end of this document (Notes: they were not
completed for this course, so look at them for the general idea only. Do NOT imitate
the details).
- Each student individually completes the task. Collaborate with your group members for
clarification/feedback to improve your own work.
- In class, showcase your group’s work together. Each person should briefly explain how
their work reflects the concepts learned. The group then engage in a discussion to clarify
any questions or comments from your peers. You should keep the workshop to 20-30
minutes.

Grading Criteria:
● Quality of Work (5pt): Your work addresses the task assigned, is creative, effective, and
grounded in the class content.
● Quality of Explanation (3pt): You could explain effectively the rationale for your design
choices/ argument and make relevant connections between your work and the ideas
discussed in class.
● Cooperation (2pts): Your group works together well to organize the workshop smoothly
and within the time limit.

Participation (Individual, 10%)

● You provide thoughtful, constructive, and specific feedback to other groups to help your
peers improve their work.
Portfolio (Individual, 50%)
Throughout the semester, practice the habit of building a portfolio by collecting the best samples
and evidence of your learning. The final portfolio should have at least 03 artifacts, including both
analytical artifacts (where you collect and analyze examples of good/bad design) and creative
artifacts (where you create a visual message of your own). Each piece should include the visual
element and a written reflective/analytical note (which, if you have done a workshop on it, is
adapted from the content of the presentation. It is recommended that you present these notes in a
format suitable to your task and overall design. The notes do not need to be formal paragraphs
but could be, well, notes, annotations, bullet points). 02 of these artifacts could be tasks that
you’ve completed as part of your workshops. You could also select entirely different artifacts or
tasks from your workshops.

The portfolio will be graded based on the following criteria:

- Completeness & Diversity (2 pts): Inclusion of at least 03 artifacts (and at most 05) and
artifacts cover a range of text types and genres. Include a brief introduction to your
portfolio (your reasoning for choosing these tasks/artifacts, and your general takeaways
from the course as a whole)
- Presentation (2 pts): Use of an effective platform to organize and showcase your work;
good use of design principles for the overall presentation of your portfolio
- Competency (2 pts per artifact): Technical skills and conceptual skills as expressed in the
visual design and the written reflective notes
EXAMPLES
Design a logo

This design was created to be the logo for Division of Country Studies of the University of
languages and international studies. For that purpose, the logo was designed based on the
criteria: creative, dynamic and global. The based shape of the logo is the shape of the globe and
the shape of an open book, symbolizing the study about the world of the division. Because the
division belongs to the University of languages and international studies, I took some elements
of the school's original logo to apply to the logo of the division. The first factor is the image of
Lac bird appearing regularly in the lives of the people of Vietnam from the past to the present.
Lac bird appears in the logo to symbolize that although the division specializes in the study of
the world, they never forget their roots. Instead of that, they use these studies to apply to the
development of a more prosperous country. Not only that, the image of Lac bird reaching up to
the three stars in the corner of the logo, shows that the Vietnamese will always reach new
heights in gaining knowledge. The image of the mountain on the top of the globe symbolizes
that teachers and students of the division will constantly cultivate themselves to reach the
mount of the success. For the color part of the logo, the 4 selected colors have their own
meanings. The blue color of the globe coincides with the main color of the official logo of the
university, making this logo in sync with the school's logo. The darker blue is given in the word
strip to highlight the name of the division. The yellow and red colors in the book as well as on
the three stars are the colors on the flag of Vietnam. In conclusion, this design represents
people who have been working and studying in the Division of country studies.
Analyze an advertisement (annotations):