COM3703
ASSIGNMENT 3 SEMESTER 1 2023
, SEMESTER 1
ASSIGNMENT 03
PORTFOLIO EXAMINATION
The due date and the unique number for this assignment will be made available on the
landing page of the myModules site for COM3703.
Contribution to final mark: 60%
IMPORTANT
To complete Assignment 03, you need to study the following:
In the prescribed book
Chapter 2: Communication and media semiotics
Chapter 4: Media and visual literacy
Chapter 6: Textual analysis: narrative and argument
Chapter 11: Field research in media studies
In the study guide
Study unit 2: Communication and media semiotics
Study unit 4: Media and visual literacy
Study unit 6: Textual analysis: narrative and argument
Study unit 11: Field research in media studies
The assignment is structured as follows, with the mark allocation [TOTAL 160] indicated below:
DECLARATION
1 INTRODUCTION (5)
2 COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA SEMIOTICS (35)
3 MEDIA AND VISUAL LITERACY (35)
4 TEXTUAL ANALYSIS: NARRATIVE AND ARGUMENT (35)
5 FIELD RESEARCH IN MEDIA STUDIES (35)
6 CONCLUSION (5)
7 SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION (5)
SOURCES CONSULTED
TECHNICAL PRESENTATION (5)
1 INTRODUCTION (5)
In the introduction, you should clearly identify/indicate what you will discuss in the assignment and
also how your assignment is going to be structured. You should refer to all four themes/study units
that you are covering in your assignment, as well as the particular topics within the theme on which
you will answer questions. Furthermore, if you are using any media texts as examples in your
answers to some of the questions, you need to identify those media texts by name/title in the
introduction.
The introduction should ideally be a paragraph of approximately eight sentences and not more than
half a page.
22
, COM3703/101/3/2024
2 COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA SEMIOTICS (35)
2.1 Provide a critical theoretical discussion of the three levels of meaning, namely denotation,
connotation and ideology. (10)
[25% deduction for not referencing sources]
2.2 Conduct an analysis of the three levels of meaning (denotation, connotation and ideology)
on the advertisement appearing on page 70 of the study guide namely, Tommy fragrance
advertisement: Figure 2.11. (12)
2.3 Discuss Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding model. (7)
[25% deduction for not referencing sources]
2.4 Select a newspaper article and identify the dominant, negotiated and oppositional readings
from it. (6)
Please note that no marks will be awarded if the newspaper article is not attached.
3 MEDIA AND VISUAL LITERACY (35)
To answer this question, please select a television advertisement of your choice.
3.1 State what is being advertised in your selected television advertisement and provide a
description of the advertisement. (2)
3.2 Identify and define three types of visual signs that are used to communicate according to
the semiotic approach. (6)
[25% deduction for not referencing sources]
3.3 Analyse your selected advertisement and provide examples of the types of signs as they
appear in the advertisement. (6)
3.4 Du Plooy (2017:130) and Berger (1991:20–7) suggest that two types of codes can be
distinguished in spoken, written or visual texts. Identify and define these two types of codes.
(4)
[25% deduction for not referencing sources]
3.5 Give examples of the two types of codes from your television advertisement. (4)
3.6 Identify and define the three ways to ascribe meaning to a visual text in the semiotic
approach. (6)
[25% deduction for not referencing sources]
3.7 Provide examples of the three ways to ascribe meaning to your chosen television
advertisement. (7)
4 TEXTUAL ANALYSIS: NARRATIVE AND ARGUMENT (35)
4.1 Critically discuss the contributions made by Tzvetan Todorov to the field of textual analysis
and narrative in particular. Your discussion needs to focus on the following two aspects:
23
ASSIGNMENT 3 SEMESTER 1 2023
, SEMESTER 1
ASSIGNMENT 03
PORTFOLIO EXAMINATION
The due date and the unique number for this assignment will be made available on the
landing page of the myModules site for COM3703.
Contribution to final mark: 60%
IMPORTANT
To complete Assignment 03, you need to study the following:
In the prescribed book
Chapter 2: Communication and media semiotics
Chapter 4: Media and visual literacy
Chapter 6: Textual analysis: narrative and argument
Chapter 11: Field research in media studies
In the study guide
Study unit 2: Communication and media semiotics
Study unit 4: Media and visual literacy
Study unit 6: Textual analysis: narrative and argument
Study unit 11: Field research in media studies
The assignment is structured as follows, with the mark allocation [TOTAL 160] indicated below:
DECLARATION
1 INTRODUCTION (5)
2 COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA SEMIOTICS (35)
3 MEDIA AND VISUAL LITERACY (35)
4 TEXTUAL ANALYSIS: NARRATIVE AND ARGUMENT (35)
5 FIELD RESEARCH IN MEDIA STUDIES (35)
6 CONCLUSION (5)
7 SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION (5)
SOURCES CONSULTED
TECHNICAL PRESENTATION (5)
1 INTRODUCTION (5)
In the introduction, you should clearly identify/indicate what you will discuss in the assignment and
also how your assignment is going to be structured. You should refer to all four themes/study units
that you are covering in your assignment, as well as the particular topics within the theme on which
you will answer questions. Furthermore, if you are using any media texts as examples in your
answers to some of the questions, you need to identify those media texts by name/title in the
introduction.
The introduction should ideally be a paragraph of approximately eight sentences and not more than
half a page.
22
, COM3703/101/3/2024
2 COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA SEMIOTICS (35)
2.1 Provide a critical theoretical discussion of the three levels of meaning, namely denotation,
connotation and ideology. (10)
[25% deduction for not referencing sources]
2.2 Conduct an analysis of the three levels of meaning (denotation, connotation and ideology)
on the advertisement appearing on page 70 of the study guide namely, Tommy fragrance
advertisement: Figure 2.11. (12)
2.3 Discuss Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding model. (7)
[25% deduction for not referencing sources]
2.4 Select a newspaper article and identify the dominant, negotiated and oppositional readings
from it. (6)
Please note that no marks will be awarded if the newspaper article is not attached.
3 MEDIA AND VISUAL LITERACY (35)
To answer this question, please select a television advertisement of your choice.
3.1 State what is being advertised in your selected television advertisement and provide a
description of the advertisement. (2)
3.2 Identify and define three types of visual signs that are used to communicate according to
the semiotic approach. (6)
[25% deduction for not referencing sources]
3.3 Analyse your selected advertisement and provide examples of the types of signs as they
appear in the advertisement. (6)
3.4 Du Plooy (2017:130) and Berger (1991:20–7) suggest that two types of codes can be
distinguished in spoken, written or visual texts. Identify and define these two types of codes.
(4)
[25% deduction for not referencing sources]
3.5 Give examples of the two types of codes from your television advertisement. (4)
3.6 Identify and define the three ways to ascribe meaning to a visual text in the semiotic
approach. (6)
[25% deduction for not referencing sources]
3.7 Provide examples of the three ways to ascribe meaning to your chosen television
advertisement. (7)
4 TEXTUAL ANALYSIS: NARRATIVE AND ARGUMENT (35)
4.1 Critically discuss the contributions made by Tzvetan Todorov to the field of textual analysis
and narrative in particular. Your discussion needs to focus on the following two aspects:
23
