Module 5
Creating and Sharing Media and Information
Creating and Sharing Media and Information
Table of Contents
Creating and sharing media and information are some of the most important processes in being media and information literate. What we create and share through digital media can greatly affect our relationships and our online identities.
Source: UNESCO (2013, p.56)
In UNESCO’s (2013) Media and Information Literacy Competency Matrix, the third component is the creation and utilization of information. This third MIL component is defined as “the ability to master the production know-how of information, media content and new knowledge and effectively communicate with others. It also includes ethical and effective use of information, media content and in general, knowledge for instance intellectual property aspects.”
Being media and information literate not only means being equipped with analytical and production skills, but also requires knowledge about the media and information, and requires the attitudes and values to use media and information and ICTs in an ethical manner.
In this module, we will discuss how we can be responsible and creative media and information producers!
By the end of this module, you should be able to:
Identify
the process behind the creation and sharing of information
Enumerate
Philippine Laws that regulate free speech
Determine
visual design principles and elements
Design
a media product integrating all the principles learned from the course
In conducting research, you have to make sure that all of your sources are reliable and properly cited. Refer to module 3 to remind you of the guidelines.
It usually begins with a broad idea of the topic you want to research.
Then you have to identify the problem or question that you want to answer.
You will also need to lay out your research design.
It is important to know how to retrieve information and cite sources properly when it comes to research writing.
Tips on How to Find and Manage Reliable Information Online for Your Research
Learn some tips on finding accurate and reliable information online and how you can create a solid citation system.
1) Use Google Scholar
Google Scholar is an efficient search engine that retrieves scholarly articles within seconds. It automatically shows the bibliography entry of the source in various citation styles by clicking the quotation mark below the results.
2) Append the keyword, “PDF” or “pdf” to your Google searches
This trick will increase your efficiency in obtaining journal articles, research studies, or official handbooks pertinent to your topic since most of these information materials are stored in this format. PDF documents, unlike word documents, are immutable.
3) Go Through References and Bibliographies.
If you find valuable or intriguing information in the primary source which cites another author, consider proceeding in the references/bibliography section of the written work to look for the particular secondary/tertiary source online. Then, read and cite it instead. This is to ensure that the information has not been misinterpreted or distorted by the primary author.
4) Analyze the Methodology
Although you are basing on sources that are likely to be credible and authentic, you still need to be skeptical of the details. Read the methodologies of the study and do not base its credibility and accuracy on its title. Look at the scope and limitations of the study so you can infer the margin of error for yourself in case these were not stated explicitly by the researchers. It could either be that the sample was too small or too generalized for the findings and conclusion to be valid
5) Install Chrome Extensions
Some of the applications in the Chrome Web store are helpful for researching and highlighting.
Download Weava Highlighter to highlight text from websites and make notes about them. Create an account in Weava to organize into folders your highlighted digital texts.
When it comes to researching or learning about a topic, opening multiple tabs at once is expected to occur. Sometimes, they get too many to the point of not being able to recall any longer from which site you have found certain information. Tab Manager Plus for Chrome comes to the rescue in this situation. It allows you to color-code tabs and add a label or group them. Isn't that great?
Zotero is a free, open-source reference management software that helps researchers organize, store, and cite their sources in a standardized way. It allows researchers to easily gather and save bibliographic information from a variety of sources, including books, journal articles, websites, and more. It also includes features like in-text citations, bibliographies, and full-text searching, making it easier for researchers to find and use their sources in their work. Overall, Zotero helps researchers streamline their research process and ensure the accuracy and consistency of their citations, making it a valuable tool for anyone working on research projects. Several researchers state that Zotero is a game-changer for their research studies, so it might be worth the try.
Intellectual property is protected by patents for new inventions, trademarks for product logos and symbols, and copyright for creative, artistic, and intellectual expression. These protections give the creators of intellectual property certain legal rights for the use of their creations.
Creative Commons licensing is a way for the copyright holder to pre-grant permission. When a creator puts their work under creative commons licensing, they are dictating the terms that will allow their works to be used.
Works under a CC license will always have the appropriate license and logo listed, so you can quickly tell what permissions you have to use the work, so you can correctly cite it when you do use it.
Important Terms to Consider:
ND - other licenses indicate that you can use it, but not create derivatives (ND), adapting the works into a new form, such as creating a screenplay from a book or story, etc.
NC - Others stipulate that you can't use it for commercial purposes (NC)
SA - You need to share your derivative with the same license as the work you are using (SA).
With each additional stipulation for permission to use, the logo is added, making it easily recognizable on the work, as shown in the example below.
Source: Creative Commons
CC-BY
One of the most common you might see is the CC BY, which means that the works are free to use, as long as you give proper attribution to the author. You will most likely see the logo that looks like this:
Source: Creative Commons
This logo means that the work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The graphic below shows the range of the licenses from most open to least open, so you can quickly get an idea of how it works. This was taken from the Creative Commons Organization website, which is under a CC BY 4.0 license.
Source: “Creative Commons License Spectrum” by Shaddim (CC BY)
Citing your sources is important for several reasons (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, n.d.):
To let your readers know that you have properly researched to get your information.
To give credit and acknowledge other scholars’ works.
To avoid plagiarism.
To give your readers a list of sources through bibliographies, references, and footnotes that you used so they can easily track it for their own research.
Citing your sources means that you are showing in your body of text that you took words and ideas from a different source (Southern Illinois University, 2023). You can easily identify published works through citations. They are usually found in the bibliographies in articles.
Citations usually contain information to easily retrieve publications such as:
author name(s)
titles of books, articles, and journals
date of publication
page numbers
volume and issue numbers (for articles)
APA
APA (American Psychological Association) style is most commonly used to cite sources within the social sciences. The latest as of 2023 is APA 7th edition.
Click the button below to know the guidelines on how to properly cite sources using APA style:
Chicago
This citation style is commonly used in citing sources in history, and sometimes in humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
Click the button below to know the guidelines on how to properly cite sources using Chicago style:
MLA
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities.
Click the button below to know the guidelines on how to cite sources using MLA style:
AMA
AMA (American Medical Association) style is most commonly used to cite sources within the health sciences.
Click the button below to know the guidelines on how to properly cite sources using AMA style:
How to cite sources?
Time Allotment: 5-30 mins
Using these details, kindly cite this source using the different styles of citation above:
Author: Juan dela Cruz
Title of Publication: How to be Filipino?
Title of Journal: Journal on Philippine History
Year Published: 2022
Volume: 86
Pages: 365-367
In the Philippine Constitution, Section 4 and 7 of the Bill of Rights states the right of Filipinos to be informed and express themselves:
SECTION 4. No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.
SECTION 7. The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.
Cybercrime Prevention Act
of 2012
The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, also known as Republic Act No. 10175, is the foremost Statute in the Philippines. Its purpose is to direct certain legal issues concerning the use of cyberspace, online interactions, and the usage of the Internet in the Philippines since the advancement of technology is a fast-becoming trend in the Philippines.
It also provides for punishment relative to the wrongful and unlawful acts done through the use of cyberspace.
Click on the image above to view the full infographic by DigitalFilipino.com.
Anti-terrorism Law of 2020
The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 is the most recent effort to address the issue of terrorism and all allied activities, while at the same time ensuring the protection of our civil and political rights.
The implementing rules and regulations seek to explain how to put the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 into effect and what a citizen must do to comply with the law. The implementing rules and regulations thus contain very detailed provisions on terrorism and terrorism-related crimes, on surveillance, on the designation of terrorist individuals and organizations, on prescription, and on the examination of bank accounts, among others.
Click on the image above to view the full infographic by Ben Drill for Daily Bruin.
Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313)
The Republic Act No. 11313 or The Safe Spaces Act (Bawal Bastos Law) covers all forms of gender-based sexual harassment (GBSH) committed in public spaces, educational or training institutions, workplace and online space.
Click on the image above to view the full infographic by Committee on Decorum and Investigation.
The Media and Information Design Framework aims to be your guide in the analysis, development, implementation, and evaluation of media and information outputs as a media and information producer.
The framework is composed of: target audience, author or sender, key content, purpose, form/style, and format.
In the preparation or pre-production stage of media materials (video/podcast/infographics/image/social media post), you may use the Media and Information Design Framework below:
If, for example, you’re planning to create an infographic, your MIDF may look like the graph below:
Source: CHED & PNU (2016)
Every visual medium, from fine art to contemporary web design, is built on the principles of design. Even seemingly trivial aspects, like the fonts and color combinations used entail the understanding of visual design elements and principles. Therefore, it is crucial for you to be introduced to each one in your role as a creator of media.
The Elements of Design refer to the following: dot, line, shape, form (positive space), space (negative space), color, value, text, and texture. Click here or on the arrow on the right to view the infographic.
Required Online Resources
The Elements of Design by Lara Keung (2022)
Lara Keung is a graphic designer with over 15 years of experience. She goes over each design element and demonstrates how it applies in actual designs.
You have two choices to study this material. Watch the video or read the web article. Both are easy to digest, especially for beginners. Choose which suits your learning style best:
2. Understanding the Elements of Design by Canva (2021)
This 7-minute video by Canva tackles aesthetics and why they are important in design, together with other elements of design aside from the ones discussed by Keung.
3. Color and Typography by GCF Global (2019)
Color gives life to your design, be it a multimedia presentation, graphic design, video, photography and film. Head over to the web article by GCFGloball to know more about color theory, color schemes, and best practices in choosing the right colors for your creative project by clicking the button below.
Typography is the art of text. Study the web article by GCF Global below to learn about the common types of fonts and how you can mix and match fonts to effectively convey the message to your audience, together with other important terms to remember when it comes to text as a designer (e.g, leading, tracking, kerning).
The design elements are the building blocks of every design, whereas design principles are guidelines on how you can put these elements together to create an eye-pleasing design that conveys your message effectively. Study the resources below to know more about the principles of design, which are the following:
Required Online Resources
Understanding the Principles of Design by Canva (2021)
This almost 10-minute-long video by Canva will teach you the principles of design and their importance.
2. How to Use the Principles of Design by Canva (2021)
This seven-minute video by Canva transforms theory into skill by demonstrating how you can apply principles of design into the actual process of graphic designing.
Adobe Suite is the standard for creatives. However, such a powerful arsenal for multimedia authoring requires a monthly subscription fee. There are free editing applications available on the web as alternatives. Click on each link to access the site!
Graphic Design/Social Media Collaterals
Slide Presentation
Video Editing/Animation
Click the button below to access the interactive slides.
“More Information on Fair Use.” U.S. Copyright Office, https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/more-info.html. Accessed 23 July 2021.
Twitter Terms of Service. https://twitter.com/en/tos. Accessed 23 July 2021.
U.S. Copyright Office. Circular 1: Copyright Basics. U.S. Copyright Office, Dec. 2019. Zotero, https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf.
World Intellectual Property Organization. About IP. n.d., https://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/index.html.
Department of Justice (2020). Anti-Terrorism Council Approves the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2023 from https://www.doj.gov.ph/news_article.html?newsid=671
RALB Law (n.d). The Cybercrime Law | What Is The Purpose of RA 10175. Retrieved 27 February 2023 from What Is The Purpose of RA 10175 | RALB Law.
REALISAN ALMEDA BERNARDINO ROTAO & ASSOCIATES LAW OFFICES: The Cybercrime Law | What Is The Purpose of RA 10175 | RALB Law
UNESCO (2013). Global Media and Information Literacy Assessment Framework: Country Readiness and Competencies. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Paris, France.
Southern Illinois University (n.d.) Citation Styles: Citation Basics. Retrieved 27 February 2023 from Citation Basics - Citation Styles - LibGuides at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (siue.edu)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (n.d.) Citing sources: Overview. Retrieved 26 February 2023 from https://libguides.mit.edu/citing#:~:text=Why%20citing%20is%20important,researchers%20and%20acknowledging%20their%20ideas