Methods of Message Analysis (20358)
Degree/study: Bachelor's Degree in Advertising and Public Relations
Year: First
Term: Second
Number of ECTS credits: 4 credits
Hours of studi dedication: 100 hours
Teaching language or languages: Spanish/Catalan
Teaching Staff: Carlos A. Scolari
1. Presentation of the subject
Methods of Message Analysis is a compulsory course taught during the first year of the Degree in Advertising and Public Relations. The course's main goal is to present the mass media methods of message analysis from a multidisciplinary perspective. The theoretical-analytical approach combines teaching the main analysis models with their practical application.
The course presents the main theoretical and methodological models (content analysis, semiotics, rhetoric and discourse analysis), particularly focusing on interpretative and generative semiotics text analysis methods. After a general introduction, the course will study in depth the generative and interpretative semiotics models, up to the new barriers in text analysis.
With regard to the practice, as the multidisciplinary approach favours a 'multimedia' vision of communication, therefore verbal, iconic, audiovisual, interactive... messages will be analyzed. The course's goal is to offer students a series of conceptual instruments and analytical models that enable them to get a better understanding of the sense production dynamics and the interpretation processes in mass communication.
2. Competences to be attained
1. Capacity for applying theoretical models.
2. Critical analysis skills and being able to expand the proposed bibliography.
3. Capacity for communicating, clearly and precisely, the analysis results and the followed process.
4. Analysis, synthesis and information organization skills.
5. Team work skills (establishing synergies with the rest of the group).
6. Critical assessment and self-assessment skills.
(About the tasks to be carried out:)
7. Capacity for understanding the fundamentals of the main theories and message analysis methodologies.
8. Capacity for applying theoretical and methodological principles to message analysis.
9. Capacity for understanding the different message analysis theories and schools.
10. Capacity for carrying out textual analysis from an interpretative and generative semiotic point of view.
11. Capacity for developing a critical approach to mass media communication messages.
12. Critical assessment skills aimed at textual analysis and targeting strong and weak points.
3. Contents
Contents block 1 - Message analysis: theories and methods
- Main textual analysis theories and methods
- Rhetoric: Figures and practical use
- Languages and semiotic approach
Contents block 2 - From linguistics to semiology
- Ferdinand De Saussure and the structural linguistics
- Roland Barthes and the semiologic project
Contents block 3 - Generative semiotics: theoretical model and practical uses
- Vladimir Propp's narratology
- Algirdas Greimas and the Paris School
- Levels and meaning generation
Contents block 4 - Interpretative semiotics: theoretical model and practical uses
- Umberto Eco and the interpretative semiotics
- Possible worlds and unlimited semiosis
Contents block 5 - Semiotics, discourse and culture
- Mijail Bajtin: intertextuality, dialogue and enunciation
- Iurii Lotman: culture semiotics
- Eliseo Verón: social semiosis net
- Teu Van Dijk: critical discourse analysis
Contents block 6 - Semiotics in action
- Analysis methods and examples
- Semiotics and the professional work
4. Assessment
Assessment is continuous and integrates different modalities. It will consist of different parts (Block 1 + Block 2), both of which will have to be passed separately.
The final mark will be the addition of the two blocks' marks, as long as both of them are passed. In order to get a pass in the course, each block's mark must be over 5 (out of 10) in any case.
ASSESSMENT CHART
BLOCK 1
4 supervised textual analysis guides in groups
Time period: throughout the term
Weight: 5% x 5 = 25 %
Assessment: by the teacher + group discussion
One supervised textual analysis in group task
Time period: towards the end of the term
Weight: 25 %
Assessment: by the teacher + group discussion
Total Block 1: 50 %
BLOCK 2
Individual written assessment
Time period: session 14 (approx)
Weight: 50 %
Assessment: by the teacher
Characteristics: multiple choice + open questions + textual analysis
This exam will assess the theoretical knowledge learnt during the course, as well as the capacity for applying textual analysis methods worked on throughout the term.
Total Block 2: 50 %
All tasks are compulsory.
50% of the final mark is individual.
Students who do not pass Block 1 will have a supplementary part in their exam worth 50%.
5. Bibliography and teaching resources
5.1. Basic bibliography
- Power Point presentations for every unit of the subject
- Selection of compulsory readings (available in the library or in PDF)
- Classroom, whiteboard
5.2. Complementary bibliography
- Selection of compulsory readings (available in the library) depending on the analysis object
5.3. Teaching resources
- Power Point
- Texts dossiers
- Work guides
6. Metodology
The course considers several learning activities. The correct implication of the students in each one of these activities should enable them to achieve the previously defined specific skills and to reinforce the general skills.
These learning activities are:
1. Following the theory classes of the program. It includes activities such as:
- Class attendance.
- Compulsory bibliography reading.
- Discussions on the main concepts and theories.
2. Development of textual analysis group reports:
- Reading specific bibliography.
- Putting analysis models into practice.
- Report discussions.
3. Carrying out an analysis group project in coordination with the teacher about a subject-related topic. It includes these activities:
- Reading specific bibliography.
- Personal tutoring sessions.
- Participation in a group for the project preparation.
- Doing a written report.
This course's goal is to open up possibilities for students to find out new places to apply the theoretical models explained in the master classes.
The presentation of the "theoretical" units is quite reduced within the syllabus framework (just 15 hours of master classes). However, there is an intense time commitment to applying theories, presentations and discussions (25 hours).
7. Planning of activities
|
Time period (week) |
Session types and learning activities |
Estimated time of commitment (hours) |
|
Week 1
Session 1 |
In-class activity -Large group - Presentation of the course, assessment system, bibliography and course dynamics. - Creation of the work groups. Out of class activity - Choosing the analysis topic to be developed. - Obtaining the compulsory bibliography. - Compulsory reading (with reading guide). |
In class 2 hours
2 hours |
|
Week 1
Session 2 |
In-class activity -Large group - Master class: "Introduction to rhetoric and message analysis" Out of class activity - Work guide 1 |
In-class 2 hours
2 hours |
|
Week 2
Session 3 |
In-class activity -Large group - Practical class: figures of rhetoric analysis Out of class activity - Work guide 1 |
In-class 2 hours 2 hours |
|
Week 2
Session 4 |
In-class activity -Large group - Master class: "From linguistics to semiotics"
Out of class activity - Work guide 1 |
In-class 2 hours 2 hours |
|
Week 3
Session 5 |
In-class activity -Large group - Master class: "Propp and the formal narrative theory " - Handing in work guide 1 (advertising rhetoric) - Discussion Out of class activity - Work guide 2 |
In-class 2 hours 2 hours |
|
Week 3
Session 6 |
In-class activity -Large group - Master class: "Greimas and the generative semiotics (I)"
Out of class activity - Work guide 2 |
In-class 2 hours 2 hours |
|
Week 4
Session 7 |
In-class activity -Large group - Master class: "Greimas and the generative semiotics (II)"
Out of class activity - Work guides 2 & 3 |
In-class 2 hours 2 hours |
|
Week 4
Session 8 |
In-class activity -Large group - General discussion and conclusions on the block. - Presentation of the final analysis project.
Out of class activity - Work guides 2 & 3 |
In-class 2 hours 3 hours |
|
Week 5
Session 9 |
In-class activity -Large group - Handing in work guide 2 (generative semiotics) - Discussion - Master class: "Umberto Eco's interpretative semiotics (I)"
Out of class activity - Work guide 3 |
In-class 2 hours 3 hours |
|
Week 5
Session 10 |
In-class activity - Large group - Master class: "Umberto Eco's interpretative semiotics (II)" - Example of a text analysis.
Out of class activity - Work guide 3 |
In-class 2 hours 3 hours |
|
Week 6
Session 11 |
In-class activity - Large group - Handing in work guide 3 (interpretative semiotics) - Discussion - General discussion and conclusions on the block.
Out of class activity |
In-class 2 hours 3 hours |
|
Week 6
Session 12 |
In-class activity - Large group - Master class: "Social semiosis, intertextuality and sense production (I)" - Discussion on the final analysis project.
Out of class activity - Work guide 4. |
In-class 2 hours 3 hours |
|
Week 7
Session 13 |
In-class activity - Large group - Master class: "Social semiosis, intertextuality and sense production (II)" - Handing in work guide 4 (intertextuality) - Preparation for the final assessment. |
In-class 2 hours 3 hours |
|
Week 7
Session 14 |
In-class activity - Large group Out of class activity - Textual analysis task. |
In-class 2 hours 4 hours |
|
Week 8
Session 15 |
In-class activity - Small group - Group tutoring sessions
Out of class activity - Textual analysis project. |
In-class 2 hours 4 hours |
|
Week 8
Session 16 |
In-class activity - Small group - Group tutoring sessions Out of class activity - Textual analysis project. |
In-class 2 hours 5 hours |
|
Week 9
Session 17 |
In-class activity - Small group - Group tutoring sessions Out of class activity - Textual analysis project. |
In-class 2 hours 5 hours |
|
Week 9
Session 18 |
In-class activity - Small group - Group tutoring sessions Out of class activity - Textual analysis project. |
In-class 2 hours 5 hours |
|
Week 10
Session 19 |
In-class activity - Small group - Group tutoring sessions Out of class activity - Textual analysis project. |
In-class 2 hours 5 hours |
|
Week 10
Session 20 |
In-class activity - Large group - Handing in the final project- General discussion. - Conclusions on the subject.
|
In-class 2 hours
|
|
Total hours |
|
100 hours |