Visual dimensions of academic discourse in higher education

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Date
2010
Authors
Archer, Arlene
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Communication Science, University of the Free State
Abstract
This article explores the visual nature of academic discourse within Higher Education in South Africa. It provides insight into the increasing influence of the visual in academic writing – arguing that the materiality and visuality of writing be considered alongside cognitive dimensions. The visual design of writing includes considering aspects such as spelling, typography, emphasis and layout. The article also considers the affordances of images and writing, the function of the visual, and the relations between images and writing. The aim is to create awareness in order to assist students in becoming conscious and active designers of meaning in a multimodal environment.
Description
Keywords
Academic discourse, Higher education, South Africa
Citation
Archer, A. (2010). Visual dimensions of academic discourse in higher education. Communitas, 15(1), 57-71.