Social Semiotics

To be honest, I am still struggling to fully understand social semiotics despite reading multiple articles and watching several videos.

Semiotics is a discipline that falls within the realm of linguistics and in the most basic terms is "the study of signs". According to Chandler, the idea of semiotics was developed by Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. Charles Peirce, an American philosopher, was another early contributor to the concept of semiotics. Understanding the world around us is greatly enhanced through semiotics.

In semiotics, a sign is anything that represents or indicates something else or the object. These signs can be pictorial, sounds, feels, or smells. Charles Peirce placed signs into three categories: icon, index, and symbol.

Icon: Directly resembles, shares tangible qualities with the object.

Index: Implied association, connected in a logical way to the object.

Symbol: Not inherently connected, must be explicitly taught

Signs are broken down into the signifier and the signified. For example:

Signifier: "Dog"        Signified:  🐕

Signified: heroism, strength, power

Signifier: women wearing superhero outfit

Signified: good smell and taste

Signifier: green apples, words "be delicious"

Works Cited

Chandler, D. (n.d.). Semiotics for beginners. https://web.pdx.edu/~singlem/coursesite/begsem.html

Arguing Online

The argument I chose is related to Illinois becoming the first state to ban "book bans". I chose this arguement for two reasons; 1. I was spending entirely too much time trying to find a "suitable" argument, and 2. Book banning is related to censorship, as we'll discuss in this week's podcast.

Reddit is diligent in removing inappropriate comments, so we may be missing parts of the argument.

Several comments made "outlandish" claims. The book titles in the image above won't be used in classrooms. This is "fear-mongering".

There is a prevalent 'us vs them' mentality in this argument with neither side attempting to listen to or understand the other.

Lastly, someone provides a link that attempts to address the question of which books are being banned. However, the link only provided a short list of books banned in 2023. It is clear that a more thorough investigation is necessary to obtain a comprehensive answer, which isn't common in online debates.

Here are some tips for making your online arguments more effective:

1. Be respectful.

2. Ask questions.

3. Consider all sides of the argument.

4. Back up your claim(s) with clear references (provide links).

5. Agree to disagree.

 

Toulmin Method

According to the Excelsior Online Writing Lab, the Toulmin method is “a structure for analyzing arguments” but because “the elements are so clear and structured” educators frequently employ it to instruct students on the art of crafting argumentative essays.

There are six key components of the Toulmin method – claim, data, warrant, backing, qualifier, and rebuttal.

1. Claim – the main idea of an argument, the assertion or thesis.
2. Grounds – evidence and facts that support the claim. 
3. Warrant – unstated assumptions that link the ground to the claim. 
4. Backing – information that supports the warrant.
5. Qualifier – shows that a claim may not be valid in every circumstance.
6. Rebuttal – acknowledgment of another valid view of the situation. 

This image from Purdue, gives an example of each of the six components.

Including a qualifier and rebuttal is important because recognizing other perspectives is a crucial aspect of the Toulmin method. This cultivates the image of an impartial individual who is not solely advocating for one side of an issue.

Through the utilization of the Toulmin method, one can effectively participate in online discussions by thoughtfully considering various viewpoints. 

Communicating about communicating

The podcast I selected is "Think Fast, Talk Smart" hosted by Matt Abrahams, a professor at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. The episode I chose is "Communicating and Leading Virtually," part of the Quick Thinks series containing shorter episodes, which outlines strategies to enhance our online communication skills and engagement.

1. Virtual Presenting Hygiene - How you setup your environment and tools

• Similar to web conference interviews, during any form of virtual communication, you want to ensure everything in the camera frame is clean and organized (Green, 2023, p. 253).
• Ensure your camera is at eye level and that you look directly at your camera, simulating eye contact with your audience (Green, 2023, p. 253).

2. Presence - How you appear

• Changes in posture, facial expressions, gestures, and eye contact can influence the audience's response to a speaker (Green, 2023, p. 226).
• Don't let your hand gestures distract from your message (Green, 2023, p. 227)

3. Engagement - How you interact with your audience

• Ask your audience to turn on their cameras. "If everybody can see people, we tend to pay attention more. Humans are wired to be intrigued by others faces." (Abrahams, 2020-present).
• Vary the tone of your voice and utilize emotive words.

4. Set Expectations - How you lead the meeting

• Utilize meeting invites to publish an agenda, rules, and questions for your audience to consider in preparation for your presentation (Abrahams, 2020-present). 

5. Change things up - How you maintain engagement

• According Abrahams (2020-present), human attention usually decreases after 8 to 10 minutes. 
• Keep the audience engaged by including videos, polls, or additional speakers.

This podcast is dedicated to effective communication in various scenarios, including non-native speakers and AI such as Chat GPT. I highly recommend checking out their episodes to find one that relates to your communication situation.

Works Cited

Abrahams, M. (Host). (2020-present). Think fast, talk smart [Audio podcast]. Stanford GSB. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5sOgNHwJj2p5ZsALW4Piha?si=YzuLG3NrTHmWHuIM59LO6g 

Green, J. (2023). Communicating online. McGraw-Hill Education. 

Abe Lincoln Said So

Over the past two decades, there has been a notable increase in the use of social media platforms as a space to express opinions and engage with the public. This trend has also led to increased competition among individuals, organizations, and even governments in shaping public opinion. In my opinion, one of the most striking examples of this was the 2016 election. Users on social media platforms can share content without any substantial filtering or fact-checking by a third party. This information can reach more individuals than the major news stations. According to available data, certain experts speculate that the outcome of the 2016 election was influenced by the proliferation of "fake news" articles.

According to an article published in 2017 by the Journal of Economic Perspectives, research shows that:

1. 62% of adults in the United States obtain their news from social media.
2. On Facebook, the fake news stories that were most popular received more shares than the most popular mainstream news stories.
3. A significant number of individuals who come across fabricated news articles admit to accepting them as true.

The figure above shows that the majority of access to these fake news sites was through links published or shared on social media. Based on this data, one could conclude that most of the news articles shared on social media are of the "fake news" variety.

Following the 2016 election, Facebook posts containing news articles were accompanied by a fact-checking disclaimer from Snopes. This service also warned users that the accuracy of the information they were about to share has been disputed by "independent fact-checkers". The goal of this partnership was to assist in limiting the dissemination of false information on the website. However, Snopes cut ties with Facebook in 2019. Facebook continues to collaborate with more than 30 organizations to verify the accuracy of information. 

I believe that social media services have a certain level of responsibility, but it's a delicate balance between freedom of speech and censorship. Despite being cautioned about potential misinformation, users can still choose to share, engage with, or even trust a post or news article. At the end of the day, it's the responsibility of the individual user to decide how they engage with the information they encounter on social media.

Getting Down to Business

     The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center is in Virginia Beach, Virginia. They have a website, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube page. The aquarium regularly communicates via its social media sites, and its website appears to be updated with current information and events. Additionally, the pages seem to be linked, with the exception of LinkedIn and YouTube, so information is distributed across all platforms, thus reaching a larger audience. 

   The top of the website features the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center logo. It has some quick, useful links for planning your visit and purchasing tickets. A search function is available, and a small widget displays the aquarium's hours for that day. Most people visiting the website are likely considering a trip to the aquarium, and these are helpful items to place at the top of the page where they are easily accessible. Towards the middle of the page, you can find several upcoming events. The bottom of the page contains the address, links to social media sites, and a list of links to accreditations, policies, the board member portal, and more. These links are for a specific audience, and placing them at the bottom of the page makes sense.

Overall, the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center does a good job of communicating online. It has a distinct identity as a fun place to visit that strives to protect the environment and inspire a sustainable future. 

To digital or not to digital?

Me, circa 1989

    As an "elder millennial," I find it difficult to determine whether I’m a digital native or a digital immigrant. While I was exposed to technology growing up, most of my K-12 education involved traditional methods such as chalkboards and textbooks. However, my college experience has primarily been online. Despite the convenience of online classes, I'd still prefer to be in a physical classroom. I have a preference for physical textbooks, and when digital reading is required, I tend to print out the material. Having the physical papers in hand helps me stay focused on the reading.

    Digital learning and research can face significant challenges due to the presence of misinformation and the use of artificial intelligence. As you conduct more academic research, you'll find it easier to identify trustworthy sources. As students and professionals in our field, the Communicating Online course is teaching us diverse techniques to showcase our research in a digital format.

  

  It's important to note that just because someone is comfortable using technology doesn't necessarily mean they're digitally literate. Many individuals may use technology proficiently in their daily lives but struggle to apply it effectively in an educational setting. According to Kirschner, a study published by Kennedy and Fox in 2013 discovered that students utilize a diverse range of technologies to communicate, learn, stay connected with friends, and interact with their surroundings. However, it was noted that they are primarily using technology for ‘personal empowerment and entertainment, but not always digitally literate in using technology to support their learning.”