The Cycle – a semiotic analysis of a Webpage about recycling

The claim is circulating

The Cycle is made to influence consumers to become dedicated in recycling. It gives reasons – such as economical, environmental and timesaving reasons – for the visitor to start engaging in this process. First, the visitor is introduced for the page with a short intro, presenting the basic message for the viewer and welcoming the page visitor to explore the site in order to discover how the process goes on. Occasionally, the site shows not only how the recycling process functions, but also projects support for the beneficial reasons for dedicating in this business – the reasons that the visitor is exposed to in the intro.

The site uses different modes and various signs to reinforce its message which basically is that recycling is constructive and worth dedicating in. During the intro, the visitor is introduced for many signs; one of them constituting arrows. At first, the page is loading and while doing so the arrows circulate around an object in the form of a written text. The mode of the written text illustrates what this site is all about, in short. The ideas are all linked to the concept of recycling. This signs might not illustrate much separately. The other signs in this designed element; such as the arrows cycling around the written text, demonstrate how important the link between these two signs are. In every arrow, we find garbage items such as a bottle made of plastic, a can made of metal and so forth. If this cycling element was left out, leaving only the word the Cycle there to be viewed, the visitor most likely would not grasp the idea of what this page is about; based on this single sign misinterpretations would be made. Anyway, these two signifying elements cooperate in reflecting the central idea of the page. The provenance of the cycling arrows, which can not be viewed as non-signifying arrows, of course, bring about a denotation constituting of the idea of recycling. This is a sign, not a moving element though, found on different objects used in recycling processes (garbage bins, containers, and products for consumers). In addition, the rhythmical movement of these four arrows, each representing the different kinds of garbage products used in the process, demonstrates the process as a gradual procedure. All these different garbage products are step by step presented in the informative clips about how the recycling process moves along. So the dynamical movement of the arrows signifies the contents of the site; what it is about and what people consequently should involve in. The mode of dynamic graphic offers signifying possibilities that would not be possible to signify by the use of other modes. If these arrows stood still and did not move rhythmically, meaning would be lost. Consequently, this illustrates the significance of different modes in connection with this element; without some modes meaning – accordingly the message that recycling is constructive and worth dedicating in – would have been lost. Some would say that the associations that arisen as a result of the dynamic circulating object, should lead to a definition of it as a connotation rather than denotation, taking care to note that personal associations are involved, but this is, I would say, a common meaning of the sign. Why is this sign moving rhythmically and not steady in the same speed? Together these different signs found in the designed element shown while the site is loading, communicate the contents of the site effectively when combined. Separately, some signs in the logo might not generate as much meaning as when put together. The different modes also expose meaning in combination.

When reading the name of the site (the cycle), a provenance derives which actually brings about the denotation that the recycling process is a natural process like the natural processes of species, ecosystem and so forth. Others would say that this a bit far-fetched, but if the designers of this site did not want this denotation to appear, why did not they just call it Recycle? That is what the site really is about. Moreover, to test out whether this is just a connotation or not, the Google picture searching system can be used. When searching for ‘cycle’ on Google, different pictures of natural systems appear on the screen when searching for ‘recycle’, pictures of green arrows formed in circle like formations show up. In my opinion, this demonstrates that the common meaning of this sign (the cycle), is a natural process similar to processes found in nature. Seeing that this is a natural process as this sign proclaims, the page wants to communicate that the visitor and people in general should contribute in the recycling project. This trope illustrates that it is a natural process and therefore natural to involve in.

The intro of the site reflects the claim that the combinations of different modes and signs reinforce the ideological meaning or the basic message. The multimodality can be seen at first sight as the voice communicates the initial slogan. The mode of audio pronounces the first two words in the slogan differently from the last both in terms of tone of voice, rhythm, stress and rhyme. The slogan reflects what the page really is about, but the last word is emphasized in order to show that if the consumer wants to achieve the first two elements, a recycling process has to occur. Another multimodal element of the intro is the colour of blue, symbolizing freshness and purity. White is also used in this sequence (in the words), symbolizing the same as blue. In combination with the slogan (sign) the colour of blue and white (signs), reinforce the results of an occurring recycling process. The result of the recycling process is a pure, fresh and healthy land, but also a way of reducing not only pollution, but economical costs as well. The latter word in the slogan does more than communicate what the site really is about; the focus drawn to it also causes the ideological meaning or the basic message to be sent out from the start of the session about recycling. As the reader might see, both the slogan (represented by audio, text and dynamic graphics) and the colour choice reflect the basic meaning of the site. Moreover, the choice of colour is not only apparent in the intro, but interestingly follows the other sections.

In conclusion, the site emphasizes the importance of recycling and the benefit of engaging in this practise. It does not only display why the consumer should involve in it in order to motivate, but it also contribute in motivating by considering how the process takes place. Seeing that several signs bear with them provenance to animation and cartoonish material for kids, the site is directed toward kids. On the other hand, adults are also part of the target group; they might find this site appealing because of the concept and the pedagogical way it is explained – and who does not like cartoons among them as well?

Bibliography:

Words: 1178

The Cycle. 2009. Parliament. 30 March 2009. (http://www.explorethecycle.com/).

Wikipedia. 2009. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 30 March 2009. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue#Symbolism).

W.W. Norton & Company. 2005. W.W. Norton & Company. 30 March 2009. (http://www.wwnorton.com/college/titles/english/graff/sample_chpt.php)

Google. 2009. Google. 30 March 2009. (http://images.google.no/images?hl=no&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:nb-NO:official&hs=eTF&ei=C2_PSe7hAceK_QbEqM3iCQ&resnum=1&q=recycle&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi).

Chandler, Daniel. Semiotics, the Basics. Oxon: Routledge, 2002.

Kress, Gunther and Van Leeuwen, Theo. Multimodal discourse : the modes and media of contemporary communication. London: Arnold, 2001.

Paper 1. Title: One real Website – provocative and debate-creating*

Subtitle: *One book, only constituting the basis of the real addresser.

 

The message of the Dumbest Generation site is provocative and may be so in order to create debate. Its contents are aimed at American teens and the younger generation, in particular, but can be viewed as a statement spoken to youth, in fact, to the digital generation in general. The digital age influences in a negative sense. In general, the new generation does not read – expect on the Internet – vote or follow politics, leading to the outcome of an unintelligent and a stupid generation – provocative and debate-creating? Yes and no wonder hackers of a certain generation find this site tempting to visit.

The site tries to convey the consequences this would lead to for the USA in the long run. Bauerlein addresses concern about the political and cultural future of the USA as parents and the educational system do not hinder this development, but rather contribute in stupefying the new generation.

The influence of the digital age on American up-growing generation is reflected in the different modes of this website, and one of the most significant is the book-jacket image. This image alludes to the iconic photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima. The photograph which can be seen as the signified in this context, symbolizes victory, success and vitality of the American nation considering that the picture is from World War II taken while the USA conquered an island which belonged to the Japanese. The signifier, on the other hand, draws attention to the USA and its young generation in a destructive way. Consisting of robots instead of human beings, the signifier gives a notion of digitalism. This picture is related to the youth of America who are digital, but as the text (mode) says they are stupid. Bauerlein declares that American teens do not know much about history as they do not go to museums or read. Based on the denotation (the relationship between the book-jacket image and the photo Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima), a connotation and an additional signified could be the concept that the new generation lacks history-knowledge. Many young Americans would not recognize the denotation in connection with this sign – to them the signifier perhaps would signify nothing more than a video game event. In addition, this perspective reinforces the idea of an existing generation that can be called the dumbest one. In conclusion, the visual rhetoric of this sign provides both connotations and denotations supporting the ideas of Bauerlein.

Interestingly, the website includes an astrix (signifier) containing highlighted text. Jack Weinberg, the leader of the Free Speech Movement, responded to the question of whether the organization might be manipulated by outsiders by stating that they did not trust people over 30 (this idea is signified by the astrix). The elder generation of the USA was shocked up by this utterance. The intertextual allusion made by this trobe creates a reflecting effect when used in this context. The denotation stresses that the elder generation now can neglect the younger one, thus, shock up the world of the younger generation.

Heretofore, this type of astrix is found, for instance, on DVD-covers, Game-covers and so forth, illustrating warning. Intratextually, the text and the visual rhetoric create a strong warning directed foremost to the ones over 30. I say so because there is a star (a signifier within the signifier constituting the astrix) after the text above this astrix referring to the astrix. Since most people under 30, according to Bauerlein, do not read books (where these stars appear), skim texts (where these stars also appear) which they come across and possibly avoid these kinds of alerting warning signs so that they can explore the digital device, they would not discover this astrix as easily as the elder generation, who, actually, tends to do it the other way around in the situations mentioned above. That is, the sign becomes a hidden message to the people over 30, which is reasonable, in view of the fact that it is a warning directed, I would say, mainly to the elder consisting of among others teachers and parents, so that they can protect themselves and take action for the benefit of both generations. Viewing it this way with these arguments in mind, the astrix becomes ironic as well given the fact that many under the age of 30 actually would observe the astrix. It is as if it states: “Hah, actually you shouldn’t be able to see me, young generation, cause you lack the background, what is required, for doing so… You discovered me at last, though”. In reality, people over 30 supposedly would discover the astrix before the opposing generation.

The text that for certain is supposed to be view initially by visitors of the Website is the mode introduced visually above most elements at the page – the dynamic text (signifier). In this sign, the signified would be the concept of a diverted, distracted and devoured generation, which is the text that the dynamic text corresponds with. The signifier or the dynamic text deploys this relational bond to the other text on the site with a distracting and diverting presentation-technique. The dynamic text is both flashy and unreadable most of the time in its movements; both when popping up and when staying. Moreover, the design of this dynamic text reflects the view Bauerlein have on American kids. They skim text and like it when elements have digital effect. For them this sign or element would not necessarily be observed as distracting and diverting in the same way as for elder generation. In this way Bauerlein supports, strengthens and illustrates his point about the younger generation that he claims does not read book, skim texts and care more about gaming and digital devises than anything else for visitors – over 30 in many cases.

In conclusion, the different modes of this site all together reinforce the message that Baurlein pass on in his book, making his proclaims more effective and more provocative and debate-creating – As if it was not enough of that already in his book.

 

Bibliography: 

HUIN105 – spring 2009. 2009. WordPress. 3 March 2009. (http://huin105s09.wordpress.com/page)

The Dumbest Generation. 2007. Mark Bauerlein. 3 March. 2009 (http://dumbestgeneration.com/welcome.html).

Is Stupid Making Us Google? Summer 2008. The New Atlantis. 3 March. 2009 (http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/is-stupid-making-us-google).

Growing Up for Dummies. 2009. Newsweek. 3 March. 2009 (http://www.newsweek.com/id/138537). 

The Dumbest Generation’ by Mark Bauerlein How dumb are we? Thanks to the Internet, dumb and dumber, this author writes. July 2008. Los Angeles Times. 3 March. 2009 (http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-et-book5-2008jul05,0,3980465.story).

 Don’t trust anyone under 30? 14 January 2009. Herald Tribune. 3 March. 2009 (http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/14/news/letter.1-407193.php).

 Will Generation Y be dumb or great. 26 October 2008 The Washington Times. 3 March. 2009 (http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/26/will-generation-y-be-dumb-or-great/).

Dumbed down. 7 Nov. 2008. Macleansica. 3 March. 2009 (http://blog.macleans.ca/2008/11/07/dumbed-down).

Online Literacy is a Lesser Kind. 19 Sept. 2008. The Chronicle Review. 3 March. 2009 (http://chronicle.com/free/v55/i04/04b01001.htm).

REPN TRI to the FULLEST!!! Summer 2008. Education next. 3 March. 2009 (http://www.hoover.org/publications/ednext/18845104.html).

Why Johnny Won’t Read. 25 Jan. 2005. The Washington Post. 3 March. 2009 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33956-2005Jan24.html).

Chandler, Daniel. Semiotics, the Basics. Oxon: Routledge, 2002

words: 1195

Guide to UIB 2

Siden jeg og gruppen min har bygget samarbeidet vårt rundt, er nokså inspirert av UIBs egne sider (www.uib.no).

Den inneholder logoen til UIB og forsøker å organisere og katalogisere informasjon om de forskjellige bygninger og attraksjoner universitetet innehar. Den har et ganske enkelt design, men rent og oversiktlig. Språket var ei stund nynorsk, men ble altså omgjort til bokmål. Årsaken til det er nok en konsekvent linje i forhold til formidlingen av innholdet.  Hadde målformen blitt nynorsk, ville vi ha vært nødt til også å skrive flytende og korrekt og konsekvent, som med bokmål. Jeg konstaterer at bokmål ble valgt for å forholde språket konsekvent; altså ikke begge målformer kombinert – det ville vært uprofesjonelt. Dessuten utgjorde flertallet bokmålsbrukere av de ulike samarbeidspartnere, noe som ga et flertallig bifall til bokmål som verktøy for formidling.  Nynorsk er dog forsatt representert på siden ettersom en kan lese en liten notis som fungerer instruerende i forhold til samarbeidspartnere bak nettsiden; kanskje dette kan symboliserer det ubalanserte forholdet av målformsbrukere.  Det ligger ellers mye kreativitet bak prosjektet og ettersom nettsiden ikke er av det mest avansert slaget, blir synlig inspirasjon fra andre profesjonelle nettsteder vanskeligere å avdekke.

Jeg kunne tenkt meg en litt mer oversiktlig side,  en side som ikke navigerer studenter og besøkende rundt på studentområdet ut i fra tekstsforklaringer. Dette kan virke litt desorienterende. Kartbeskrivelser ville etter min mening fungert bedre i den hensikt å orientere vedkommende om lokasjoner.  Dette ville nok gjort arbeidet litt mer omfattende og det er nok grunnen til at ideen ikke ble gjennomført.

Organisering av siden er meget bra og ser profesjonell ut.  Selvsagt er det alltid et potensiale, men etter alt å dømme fungerer den tilfredsstillende i forhold til dens formål. Den viser vedkommende hvor en finner hva og innholder også et katalogisert oppsett over alle lokasjoner etter tekstbeskrivelsen.  En annen teknisk finesse som bidrar til å fremme profesjonalitet er tekstens evne til å markere seg selv når en holder musepeker over (“hovring”). Dette gjør siden mer oversiktlig.

http://hoguslg.uib.no/huin105/v09/guide/START-IDAOGVIBEKEMARCHUS.HTML

HUIN105 – hvorfor et slikt valg?

Når jeg leser navnet HUIN015,  kommer en lang rekke merkelige assosiasjoner og tanker flyvende. Ordet hund spesielt… Så det var ikke navnets klang som lokket meg til å velge faget. Jeg valgte dette fordi jeg mente at det kunne gi meg kompetanse med hensyn til jobb på et senere tidspunkt. Som en del av bachelor-programmet Språk og Informasjon er 15 stp. som har å gjøre med presentasjon og formidling via Internett, ypperlig for en som har lyst til å jobbe med informasjon og kommunikasjon ekstern og/eller internt, tror jeg – ja, også veilederen min. Dessuten liker jeg design, web, estetikk og det som har med kunst å gjøre.

 

Marchus – Assigment – Why did you choose to take HUIN105?

Facebook og HUIN105

 

 

At det eksisterer en Facebook-gruppe som representerer HUIN105, er for så vidt en grei ordning. Men om en bruker Facebook mye, legger ut bilder av seg selv, legger ut informasjon om seg selv, legger ut venner man har, legger ut seg selv og sin person og gjør alt tilgjengelig for mange og enhver – kanskje for mennesker en i det virkelige liv ikke ville ha delt slik informasjon med, bidrar kanskje Facebook litt vel mye åpenhet?

 

”Hei, du… Jeg husker ikke navnet ditt… Men jeg skriver dikt, er født i 23.04.1987 og ser Friends støtt og stadig – ja, Joey er bare så kjekk. Jeg kjenner Per, Toril, Ola, ja, og heisann… Hva var det du sa du het igjen? Hehe… samme det… Her har du noen bilder av kjæresten min og meg. Bare behold dem. Ha det bra, vi sees nok aldri igjen!”

 

Eller for å si det på en annen måte: ”Vi sees nok aldri i det virkelige liv.”

 

Ved hjelp av Facebook, har en mulighet til å dele mye informasjon om seg selv med andre. Hadde du møtt en slik person for første gang på Facebook, hadde du kanskje ikke reagert. Men hva om du traff vedkommende personlig, ja, uten å ha truffet ham/henne før - hadde du kanskje blitt litt sjokkert? Det er ikke rart potensielle arbeidsgivere bruker Facebook til å granske intervjuobjekter. Her kan de få seg en overraskelse. Men nå kan jo heldigvis Facebook-bruken begrenses.

 

 Facebook sees gjerne på som et sosialt nettverk med henblikk på å skape kontakt venner i mellom, men også skaffe seg venner. Funksjoner burde ha blitt utvidet betraktelig om det skulle fungert som et nettverk for business, konserner og organisasjoner. Skulle man f.eks. ført alle man kom i kontakt med under kategorien ”venner”? Kanskje ”arbeidskollegaer”, ”bekjente”, ”skolekamerater” osv. burde legges til.

 

 

 

Skolegården… hmmm…

 

Vanligvis bærer det ut og inn, fram og tilbake, opp og ned trapper, gjennom korridorer – ja, også studentkafeen, seminarrommer, lesesaler er aktive steder for en student. Livet handler her om å studere, studere – ja, og kanskje kokkulere… Men jeg tror likevel at området jeg personlig kanskje har vanket mest i er skolegården – alle de korte oppholdene teller nok noen hundre. Men jeg er sannelig ikke helt sikker, for jeg har ikke telt. Faktisk har jeg ikke tenkt tanken på hvor jeg har vanket mest en gang, før nå.

Men det er jo uvesentlig å tenke på slikt. Jeg må studere, studere… jeg har i alle fall ikke tid til sånt.

Jeg sier stopp! Det er viktig å stoppe opp, for se: Arkitekturen og fargesammensetningen er jammen fin å se til i skolegården. Det oppdaget jeg først ordentlig da jeg fikk i oppgave å finne noe representabelt bildemateriale som jeg kunne legge ut på bloggen.

Her kommer altså poenget, for det er altså et poeng knyttet til det “uvesentlige” som er rundt oss: Verden ligger der ute, og det som er uvesentlig, kan plutselig bli vakkert og betydningsfullt. Men jeg tror ikke det om toalettene på Sydenshaugen skole da… eller?

Do you read? I do… sometimes

Jakob Nilsen argues that users rarely read Web pages; that as much as 79 percent of Web users just scan. I agree with Nilsen’s theory in many ways, but let me explain by using an example. When entering http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html for the first time, I scanned the page roughly. Why? Well, I was trying to maintain an overview concerning its contents. Instead of initially reading I wanted to see if the page was readable. How much time would I have to spend reading it? Was it relevant? In case it was good reading, what should I pay particular attention to? However, I did not finish my analysis of the text fully. I went on reading it thoroughly – actually word-by-word to a great extent. Why? The reason why was because I found the contents so relevant that I wanted to read what it was all about in details. My point is that one (at least I do) scan Web pages at first in order to get an overview. Secondly, one might read word-by-word so that an understanding of the details is reached.

Piratebay – viser deg hvor du kan bryte deg inn.

Piratebay er et nettsted som katalogiserer og organiserer fildelingsmateriale. Det er imidlertid ulovlig å laste ned materialet, så det er brukeren som gjør noe ulovlig – ikke Piratebay. For å illustrere det, kan en se for seg en person som viser en annen hvor han kan finne materialet uten å betale for det, personen peker ut huset der verdiene befinner seg. En skjønner godt at Piratebay har mange fotfølgere som puster dem i nakken.

            Piratebay tar sikte på særlig gutter/menn i 10-30 års alderen. Ser man på reklamen på siden, er den preget av lettkledde jenter i samme aldersgruppe, pokerannonser. Jenter/damer er mest sannsynlig også en del av gruppen ettersom nettstedet har annonser særlig rettet mot dem.

            Piratebay reklamerer ikke så mye for seg selv. Men siden tjenesten de tilbyr er så populær, er den mye brukt og rykter spres. Videre hører en stadig om rettsaker mot dem i media, noe som gjør folk klar over tjenesten de tilbyr.

            Designet siden fremholder er enkelt og rent, oversiktlig med lite fargebruk. Det fremstår rett og slett som et oversiktlig arkiv, noe det jo nettopp skal være. Reklamen den gjør bruk av er på den annen side litt tvilsom, noe som jo ikke er så rart – det er jo ei tvilsom side i det hele tatt. Bortsett fra reklamen er det ikke mye krittverdig ved designet.