Visual Analysis Essay

Negative Effects of Multitasking

Intro (1 para, 5-10 lines):

· The image I am analyzing is from The Norton Field Guide To Writing With Readings & Handbook (5th edition) on page 780. The authors of the book are Richard Bullock, Maureen Goggin and Francine Weinberg.

· Reason I chose the image – it shows something I do and see other people doing

· Thesis – The primary message of this image is that multitasking with technology has negative effects.

Body (at least 3 paras, each one 5-18 lines):

· No personal experience in body

· BP1 – description of image

· BP2 – size: if the picture was bigger, could have seen more details about the exact location to better understand the context of multitasking; color: indicates approximate time of day and race/ethnicity of people in the image which shows when and among whom multitasking takes place; angle: front view which helps us see what each person is doing, so I can see the multitasking taking place; focus/emphasis: boy in front because of placement and caption;

· BP3 - symbols: backpack, phone, him looking down, clothing, their age (mention/explain what each one symbolizes; background: looks like a college campus (explain why); characters: different gender, boy is alone while other characters are in pairs and significance of this; contrasts: he is in the shade, others in sunlight but he probably doesn’t realize it because of what he is doing;

· BP4 - emotions: boy serious, a couple of ladies happy/smiling; ethics: he doesn’t seem aware of surroundings so could be dangerous to him or others; one change to picture – add more people multitasking with technology to show how common it is

Conclusion (1 para, 5-10 lines):

· Message is important for society because many people multitask with technology, not realizing the harmful effects

· Personal experience with multitasking

· Words are better because less subjective and can go into more detail