Skip Main Navigation
Eventbrite
Browse Events
Organize
Help
Log InSign Up
Menu
Page Content
This event has ended.
Sumin Zhao and  Chris Cummins- Multimodality Talks Series

Actions Panel

Dec 09

Sumin Zhao and Chris Cummins- Multimodality Talks Series

Statistical data- digital multimodal dialogue

By Multimodality at Leeds

When and where

Date and time

Fri, December 9, 2022, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM GMT

Location

Online

About this event

Arguing with numbers in digital multimodal dialogue

Sumin Zhao & Chris Cummins

The University of Edinburgh

Abstract

Statistical data—death tolls, hospitalisation rates, vaccination rates, R-numbers—have played a prominent role in Covid-19 discourses. Numbers are foregrounded in government briefings and news reporting, shaping public debates on pandemic measures such as lockdowns and vaccinations. While statistics and numbers are often seen as “objective” and “factual”, they can nevertheless be exploited for rhetorical and argumentative effects (Cummins & Franke 2021). Presenting numbers in a particular way can potentially advance different and mutually irreconcilable narratives about a situation, in that a speaker/writer can select among the many truthful ways of describing reality with numerical data to produce a specific discursive effect. For instance, if the case rate increases from 1% to 2%, this can be described as either a 'doubling' or a '1% increase'. Our project sets out to understand how numbers have been used to promote and justify policy decisions and personal choices on social media during the global pandemic.

In this talk, we focus on numeric information presented in multimodal forms, including scientific graphs produced by researchers and those generated through visualisation applications such as Our World in Data and used by non-expert posters. Drawing on pragmatic theories of number meaning (Cummins & Franke 2021) and multimodal theories of social media (Zhao & Zappavigna, 2018) we will show that quantity information is selectively presented (even by objective and cooperative interlocutors) in Twitter debates on Covid. The selective nature of the visual data presentation is facilitated and enabled by the design of the visualization application. We argue that to protect ourselves from drawing erroneous conclusions, we need to understand the argumentative stance of the speaker. This applies to graphs as well as utterances. There are good reasons to think that typical hearers are highly skilled at inferring a speaker's argumentative stances based on very little information (e.g. how they package a graph in a tweet). We will close the talk by revisiting classic multimodal works on scientific and mathematical discourses (e.g. Bezemer & Kress, 2008, O’Halloran, 2008) and discuss how changing digital visualization technology and social media cultures will shape how we approach multimodal literacy in the age of big data.

References

Bezemer, J., & Kress, G. (2008). Writing in multimodal texts: A social semiotic account of designs for learning. Written communication, 25(2), 166-195.

Cummins, C., & Franke, M. (2021). Rational Interpretation of numerical quantity in argumentative contexts. Frontiers in Communication, 6, 662027.

O'Halloran, K. (2008). Mathematical discourse: Language, symbolism and visual images. London: Continuum/Bloomsbury

Zhao, S., & Zappavigna, M. (2018). The interplay of (semiotic) technologies and genre: The case of the selfie. Social Semiotics, 28(5), 665-682.

Biosketch

Sumin Zhao is a Lecturer in Discourse Analysis at the University of Edinburgh. Her research explores the digital literacies of young (multilingual) children and social media through the lens of multimodality. You can find more about Sumin’s research here (https://www.ed.ac.uk/profile/sumin-zhao) or here (https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=OWSe9m4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao) .

Chris Cummins is a Reader in Linguistics and English Language at the University of Edinburgh. His research focuses on meaning in context, particularly involving expressions of quantity, with an interest in how this applies to challenges in medical communication.

Tags

  • Online Events
  • Online Seminars
Event ended

Sumin Zhao and Chris Cummins- Multimodality Talks Series


Follow this organizer to stay informed on future events

Multimodality at Leeds

Event creator

Events you might like

  • Pei Soo Ang- Multimodality Talk Series

    Pei Soo Ang- Multimodality Talk Series
    Pei Soo Ang- Multimodality Talk Series

    Fri, Feb 17, 2023 12:00 PM GMT (+00:00)
    Free
  • CASA Seminar Series: Chris Thompson, Bain

    CASA Seminar Series: Chris Thompson, Bain
    CASA Seminar Series: Chris Thompson, Bain

    Wed, Feb 22, 2023 4:00 PM GMT (+00:00)
    Free
  • Enwayaang: A Series of Extraordinary Talks - Jennifer Trotman

    Enwayaang: A Series of Extraordinary Talks - Jennifer Trotman
    Enwayaang: A Series of Extraordinary Talks - Jennifer Trotman

    Thu, Feb 9, 2023 4:00 PM EST (-05:00)
    Free
  • RPS Engagement Talk - Ken Grant on Chris Killip

    RPS Engagement Talk - Ken Grant on Chris Killip
    RPS Engagement Talk - Ken Grant on Chris Killip

    Wed, Feb 8, 2023 6:00 PM GMT (+00:00)
    Free
  • Cyber Talks Series: "The Future Of Cyber Risk Quantification"

    Cyber Talks Series: "The Future Of Cyber Risk Quantification"
    Cyber Talks Series: "The Future Of Cyber Risk Quantification"

    Tue, Feb 7, 2023 4:00 PM CET (+01:00)
    Free
  • Let's Talk Credit  Q&A Talk Series

    Let's Talk Credit Q&A Talk Series
    Let's Talk Credit Q&A Talk Series

    Wed, Feb 22, 2023 8:00 PM EST (-05:00)
    Free
  • Cyber Talks Series: "Seeing It From The Hacker's Vantage Point"

    Cyber Talks Series: "Seeing It From The Hacker's Vantage Point"
    Cyber Talks Series: "Seeing It From The Hacker's Vantage Point"

    Tue, Feb 21, 2023 4:00 PM CET (+01:00)
    Free
  • IKSU Book Talk Series

    IKSU Book Talk Series
    IKSU Book Talk Series

    Wed, Feb 15, 2023 2:00 PM GMT (+00:00)
    Free
  • Gifted Speaker Series:  Multi-tiered Systems of Support for Gifted Learners

    Gifted Speaker Series: Multi-tiered Systems of Support for Gifted Learners
    Gifted Speaker Series: Multi-tiered Systems of Support for Gifted Learners

    Mon, Feb 13, 2023 7:00 PM CST (-06:00)
    Free
  • AI Forward Forum Talk series

    AI Forward Forum Talk series
    AI Forward Forum Talk series

    Thu, Feb 16, 2023 4:00 PM CET (+01:00)
    Free

Site Navigation

Use Eventbrite

  • Create Events
  • Pricing
  • Eventbrite Boost
  • Eventbrite Mobile Ticket App
  • Eventbrite Check-In App
  • Eventbrite App Marketplace
  • Event Registration Software
  • Content Standards
  • FAQs
  • Sitemap

Plan events

  • Sell Tickets Online
  • Event Planning
  • Sell Concert Tickets Online
  • Event Payment System
  • Solutions for Professional Services
  • Event Management Software
  • Community Engagement
  • Virtual Events Platform
  • QR Codes for Event Check-In
  • Post your event online

Find events

  • Browse Online Events
  • Get the Eventbrite App

Connect with us

  • Report This Event
  • Help Center
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • CA Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility
  • Community Guidelines
Eventbrite + Ticketfly

© 2023 Eventbrite