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Exam Prep, Semiotics, Theory

Semiotics

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Key language:

Semiotics

  1. Sign – Stands in for something else
  2. Code – Symbolic tools used to create meaning
  3. Convention – Accepted ways of using media code
  4. Dominant Signifier – The main representative
  5. Anchorage – Words with an image to provide context

Ferdinand de Saussure:

  1. Signifier – Stands in for something else
  2. Signified – Idea being evoked by signifier

C S Pierce:

  1. Icon – A sign that looks like its object
  2. Index – A sign that has a link to its object
  3. Symbol – A sign that has a more random link to its object

Roland Barthes:

  1. Signification – Process of the construction of meaning from the signs

2. Denotation- First level analysis (what a reader can see on the page)

3. Connotation- Meanings or associations we have with the image

4. Myth- Naturalises events turning history into nature

5. Ideology- A world view about how society should function

6. Radical- Out of the ordinary or something you wouldn’t expect 

7. Reactionary- Follows stereotypes or something you expect 

8. Syntagm – Where signs occur in sequence or parallel and operate together to create meaning

9. Paradigm – A paradigmatic relationship is one where an individual sign may be replaced by another.

Semiotics, Theory, Uncategorized

Key terms – semiotics

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Sign- stands in for something else

Code- used to construct meaning in media forms

Convention- the accepted way of doing something

Dominant signifier- the main thing that stands in for something else

Anchorage- words that go along with an image to give meaning of context

Saussure

Signifier- stands in for something else

Signified- thing or idea trying to be evoked

Pierce

Icon- physically resembles thing or idea

Index- direct relation to thing or idea

Symbol- no relation/ decided by society two things should be linked

Barthes

Signification- process of the construction of meaning from the signs

Denotation- first level analysis (what a reader can see on the page)

Connotation- meanings or associations we have with the image

Myth- naturalizes events turning history into nature

Ideology- a world view about how society should fuction

Radical- something you wouldn’t expect / out of the ordinary

Reactionary- what you would expect/ follows stereotypes

Paradigm- how we can create differentiation in meaning

Syntagm- an orderly combination of interacting signifiers which forms a meaningful whole

Exam Prep, Instructions, Metroid, Semiotics, Theory, Tomb Raider

csp 1 and 2: tomb raider and metroid

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Overview

During your media course there will be a number of media texts that you are required to study, which COULD be in your final A2 exams. They are called CSP’s (Close Study Products). For more information from the board follow this link or open the linked document below.

2023-A-level-Media-Studies-Close-Study-Products-v1.4-smallDownload

Task 1

Make 3 powerpoint slides. One has Tomb Radier cover, the second has Metroid cover, the last has the back cover of Tomb Raider. Identify as many different elements in each cover as possible. In other words, what can you see? Label everything you can see eg main image, age rating, manufacturer name etc. Identify all of the visual elements that support the main image eg colour boxes, background colours, textures, shapes, hard lines, other random / arbritary elements. Save you ppt slide as a JPEG and upload to the blog.

Use the following categories: Exam Prep, Semiotics, Metroid, Tomb Raider,

CSP 1 TOMB RAIDER

CSP 2 METROID

Try researching around Metroid . . .

For example, this article is headed “My childhood crush on Samus is probably why my ex looks like her“ seems to bring up some interesting ideas about our relationship between fictional representation and our factual lives.

Task 2

As part of your task above, apply the key semiotic terms (the 19 definitions you have previously completed). In other words, you should be able to break down all of the elements that have been used in each game cover as well as recognising what function or concept they are fulfilling.

For example, A is an iconic signifier because it resembles B. C is used as an indexical link towards D. E is a symbolic signifier and is used to . . .

Similarly, make sure you are clear as to whether the elements that are put together are radical or reactionary. In other words, what kind of representation is presented?

Language = Representation

Essentially what you are producing is a TEXTUAL ANALYSIS. That is you are analysing a media text. This means that you are identifying the individual specific elements (ie the Language of the products) towards what those elements mean when they are put together (ie the Representation of the product).

It may be useful to look at some (similar) work carried out by Feminist Fequency, for example this post (which includes the video below) about body language and The Male Gaze.

Exam Prep, Induction, Semiotics, Theory

SEMIOTICS

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What is Semiotics?

A tool that will help you analyse media products.

Task 1:

On your Header / Banner post provide 3 examples / illustrations of indexical, iconic and symbolic signs.

Which Theorists do you need to know for the exam?

  • C S Pierce
  • Ferdinand de Saussure
  • Roland Barthes

Key language:

Semiotics

  1. Sign
  2. Code
  3. Convention
  4. Dominant Signifier,
  5. Anchorage

Ferdinand de Saussure:

  1. Signifier,
  2. Signified,

C S Pierce:

  1. Icon,
  2. Index,
  3. Symbol

Roland Barthes:

  1. Signifcation,
  2. Denotation,
  3. Connotation
  4. Myth
  5. Ideology,
  6. radical
  7. reactionary
  1. Paradigm
  2. Syntagm

this link may help you to understand the distinction between syntagm and paradigm, but please do not worry about it! It is very confusing, highly specific and your understanding will develop over time.

Task 2:

You need to know all of these words for your exam as you will get tested on any number of them as a short answer question -usually question 1 in Media Paper 1. So please look them up and define them in a new post on your blog. THERE ARE 19 TERMS TO DEFINE.

Induction, Theory

The inverted pyramid

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https://writingcooperative.com/how-to-structure-an-article-the-inverted-pyramid-8fa0c165fcae

Credit: Ohio State Press

The lead

The above diagram says it better than I ever could. You begin with your lead (or lede), which explains the what, where, when, how and who of the story. This is where you paint a short picture about your story and include the critical piece of information that’ll keep readers reading (ie the ‘hook’).

After this you next move onto act 2: The body.

The body

Here, you build your arguments and make your points. Provide more detail. Throw in some quotes. Add in your journalistic opinion to create a little controversy. Whatever it is, this is your main story.

The tail

Finally, you end on the tail (in content marketing, we call this a kicker). If the reader wants to do more research or find out more about what you’re writing, where should they go? Provide this extra reading last.

Further Reading

Birth of the Inverted Pyramid: A Child of Technology, Commerce and History

THE NUTGRAPH

In journalism, the nut graf is a paragraph that explains the context of the story. The term can be spelled many different ways. In many news stories, the essential facts of a story are included in the lead, the first sentence or two of a story. Wikipedia

PATHOS & BATHOS

Pathos appeals to the emotions of the audience and elicits feelings that already reside in them. Pathos is a communication technique used most often in rhetoric, as well as in literature, film and other narrative art. Wikipedia

Bathos (especially in a literary work) an effect of anticlimax created by an unintentional lapse in mood from the sublime to the trivial or ridiculous.