The Stevenson Villager is an excellent source for information needed on the livelihood of a Stevenson student. From the articles, to the news, to information on Stevenson sports, The Villager creates an environment that is easily accessible for not just current students, but prospective students as well. Although the content of The Villager is well written and displayed, it does not however depict everything that might go on in within a typical students time here at Stevenson.
Modes:
The linguistic mode for The Villager is somewhat of a professional manner, while also being something that is easy to read and understand. Since it is a news publication, the professionalism aspect of the linguistic mode is important. You see this in the various articles throughout the site while you also see text that is more casual in aspects such as the “categories” or “recent posts” section. The content creators for the site have done a good job of keeping it professional, but also making sure that it is something that will keep the reader engaged and wanting to read more.
Visual mode can be seen everywhere on The Villager as with most texts, there is either a diagram, or picture relating to the post it is with. This is an important aspect of the modes used on the site because it can help bring in the reader if the visuals are done correctly. Aside from pictures being used, the visual mode used for the fonts and styles of much of the text being different. As seen in the example below you can notice just from one news article that multiple fonts are being used, as well as different sizing and choice of bold text on headings.
The aural mode of The Villager is lacking in most cases. Throughout, there is no music, sound effects, or any type of volume being used. On occasion, there are articles that have been attached with a video as also seen above when discussing the visual mode. Adding more content where aural mode is being used could be something that adds that missing factor to The Villager that could put it over the top. Sometimes as a reader it is nice to be able to take a break from an article and be able to see a visual effect of what they are reading.
The spatial mode is something I see as a strong suit for the publishing. On the various pages throughout, each section of content is clearly labeled for whatever you trying to read, as well as the use of bold and italics. There is also a use of underline which helps the creator of that content stick out while adding the dates to the bottom of the picture helps organize the entire site not only for the creators, but also the readers. There is a good amount of space left between each article which also helps the visual effect making it easier to navigate and find your preferred article.
The gestural mode of the publishing is not as existent as it would be in a physical setting, or in a setting of face to face interaction. However, The Villager is able to communicate what they do because of the tone and choice of words that they decide to use on a piece, or a news story regarding the University. The gestural mode is then up to the creator of the content to be able to attach some sort of gestural mode. In all, gestural mode is something that is not as obvious in this instance.
Affordances seen in the content of The Villager consist of several videos, pictures, and writing. All around, there is a good mix of all three where it is seen as the best way to capture the audience for that particular piece. In some instances, video is used in order to showcase a certain player or person within the university while some things require only writing or are only able to be explained through the writing that is done. Affordances are the make up of the entire Villager website so making sure that these are something checked off is important to the success of the site.
The color of The Villager is very simple throughout the headings and different sections of the website. Although making it more colorful would add some eye appealing content, keeping the simple colors of black, white, and green make it feel more professional. Simple colors for the site also helps to not make it too busy and really helps the reader focus on the content of the website as opposed to the flare and appeal it may bring.
Font choice for The Villager differentiates depending on whether or not it is the heading of an article, or if it is the content to go along with it. More capital letters and bold are used throughout when it is the heading or title of a section of piece where much of the content is done in smaller font. Making sure the font sticks out for the titles and headings is a great way to draw attention to a piece that someone may want someone else to see.
The layout of the publishing is done simply just as much of it is. It is well organized throughout making it easy on the eyes as well as making it much easier to navigate and find the content that you are looking for. There is no clutter especially on the front page which makes it easier for someone to want to read through all the headings and articles. Seeing a clean front page and a good layout is the first thing that someone is going to notice when first visiting a publishing. Since this is something affiliated with the university as a whole, it makes it all the more important.
1. The thesis for this rhetorical analysis is clear and shows the author’s standpoint which is not a matter of fact but rather an opinion which is debatable.
2. The author does provide at least two modes and with each mode there is specific and concise evidence of where said mode is present on The Villager site.
3. The author identified three affordances on the site and with each affordance they connect back to the thesis and the idea of the site being well written and displayed.
4. The author provided three screenshots within their article to help further support their evidence. The use of these images is clear as it gives the reader a clear example of the point they are making.