Visual/Verbal Collaboration in Print: Complementary Differences, Necessary Ties, and an Untapped Rhetorical Opportunity

Abstract:
The purpose of this text is to analyze the relationships between visual and verbal collaboration in print. This journal gives an extensive analysis of why they coincide with one another, and the disadvantages of having one or the other, or how it can be disadventeous to leave one medium out. This journal also discusses the importance of hoe supportive these two mediums can be to one another if used correctly. Visual/verbal collaboration allow the viewer to see the "big picture" of the desired consequence in an image. The author uses arguments on both sides of the spectrum to give depth to her essay while also explaining why both arguments, for or against the visual/verbal collaboration, are important when examining the significance of the subject matter. The author looks at 130 examples of the collaboration--some are student examples while the majority are professional examples--and she analyzes these examples to examine the differences in the types of visual/verbal collaborations. 
Key Concepts:
-The importance of visual/verbal collaborations in print: The two ideas are very important to one another because they allow the creator to convey a specific meaning, thus allowing the audiene to understand this meaning in a deeper sense. While one may not need to be supported by the other in all instances, they are very important to one another in the meaning-making process. 
-Image and text being equal contributors to a visual: "Image and text are potentially equal contributors to meaning, even though specific examples might emphazise one or the other modailty." The author further explains this topic in the sense that although one medium may have slight dominance over the other meaning that one medium is more powerful in the meaning-making process, the less-dominant meaning is still needed to support the other. 
-The "big picture" idea in visual/verbal collaboration in print: The purpose of visual/verbal collaboration is to afford the audience to see the "big picture" easier. These two are purposely paired together to compliment one another while making it easier for the audience the understand the meaning behind the visual. Allowing the audience to understand the bigger picture by using prior knowledge and their own reasoning is an essential task in the visual/verbal collaboration. By having visual and verbal aspects in an image, it makes it much easier for an audience to understand the desired consequence. 
Examples:
Smokey the Bear: The photos at the bottom of the page give concrete evidence to Hagan's argument. In the first photo, you see a bear with no shirt, jeans, and hat, holding a shovel. One may think that perhaps he is some type of digger or he may work in a field where it may be hot, but that may be as far and the inquiry in this photo may go. In the second photo, however, the words "Only YOU can prevent wildfires" afford the audience to know that this is clearly a bear raising awareness on the issue of wildfires. This example is proof that text is important when trying to help the audience understand the bigger picture of the overall meaning one is trying to convey. 
Keywords:
-Visual Affordance
-Verbal Affordance
-Rhetoric
-Graphic
-Visual Rhetoric
-Visual Studies
Citation: 
Hagan, S. M. (2007). Visual/Verbal Collaboration in
Print: Complementary Differences, Necessary Ties, and an Untapped Rhetorical
Opportunity. Written Communication , 49-83.