1. A Three-Step Approach for Analysis
Reading An Image
A Three-Step Approach for Analysis

2. “A picture is worth a thousand words”?
The Value of An Image
What is the meaning and the accuracy of the saying:
“A picture is worth a thousand words”?

3. What information can we learn by examining historical images?
The Value of An Image
Another question:
What information can we learn by examining historical images?

4. We will use this approach throughout our course.
The Value of An Image
To provide you with the skills to analyze an image, you will be learning a three-step approach to use when “reading” an image.
We will use this approach throughout our course.

5. Step One: Summary Statement
Take a look at the photo on the next slide and in front of you on the handout.

7. Step One: Summary Statement
In pairs, formulate a one-sentence response to the following question:
What is the picture about?

8. Step One: Summary Statement
Back up your one-sentence response to the image with supporting reasons (whys).
Be prepared to share.

10. Any questions or comments?

11. Step Two: 5 Ws Questions
A useful step in analyzing an image is to use five questions that reporters/journalists ask when working to explain an event.

12. Step Two: 5 Ws Questions The 5 Ws Questions:
1. Who appears in the images?
2. What is occurring in the images?

13. Step Two: 5 Ws Questions 3. When does the scene take place?
4. Where does the scene take place?
5. Why are the events in the scene occurring?

14. Step Two: 5 Ws Questions
With a partner, use these 5 Ws Questions to identify details from the previous image provided (see handout and slide).

15. Be prepared to share your responses.
Step Two: 5 Ws Questions
Use the chart handout (provided) to fill in your responses for the 5 Ws Questions.
Be prepared to share your responses.

16. Step Two: 5 Ws Questions
In addition to the 5 Ws Questions, look for other details that might confirm or challenge various conclusions about the image.

17. Step Two: 5 Ws Questions Chart
Detail
Conclusion
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?

19. Distinguish Observance from Inference
When examining an image, readers often draw conclusions and identify details that are not explicitly (obviously) observable from the image.
Observations provide evidence for the inference.

21. Distinguish Observance from Inference
Use the reformatted/edited chart (see new handout) that restates Details as Direct Observations and Conclusions as Inferences.
Include your “Original” observations and now your “Changed To” observations.

22. Distinguish Observance from Inference
Make sure you confirm whether the details you originally offered are observations or inferences.
Make the necessary adjustments on the new chart.

23. Step Two: 5 Ws Questions Chart with Observations and Inferences
Who?
Original:
Changed to:
Revised Inference:
What?
When?
Where?
Why?

24. Criteria for Thoughtful Analysis of an Image
1. Accurate and detailed observations:
The observations that are offered accurately describe the relevant details in the image, including less obvious details.

25. Criteria for Thoughtful Analysis of an Image
2. Plausible and imaginative inferences:
The inferences go beyond the obvious conclusions and are supported by several pieces of evidence found in the image or based on other facts known about the topic.

26. Chinese Canadians in Vancouver, BC
Wah Chong family outside laundry business on Water Street, 1895.
Chinese Canadians in Vancouver, BC

28. Revised Analysis of an Image with Title
Now that you know the title of the image, what more can you identify about the image?

29. Revised Analysis of an Image with Title
With your partner, take the time to identify any more details from the image or offer other information you know about the time period/event to support the identification of this image?

30. Any questions or comments?

31. Step Three: Focus Questions
Answers to the 5 Ws Questions are useful in explaining the overall contents of any image.
Often we want to probe images for specific information about a topic of particular interest (i.e. study clothing fashions, architecture, or daily life).

32. Step Three: Focus Questions
Lets look at our image again.
You will be divided into small groups and provided a particular focus (topic) for a more detailed analysis.

33. Step Three: Focus Questions
There will be 6 groups…
There will be 3 topics…
I will count you off and you will move to where your respected number is located and form a group.

34. The topics include:
1. The clothing and accessories of the Wah Chong family
2. The quality of life for the Wah Chong family
3. The setting/location of the business (Wah Chong washing and Ironing) and its construction

35. The topics assigned to groups include:
Group #1 = Clothing + Accessories
Group #2 = Quality of Life
Group #3 = Setting/Location + Construction
Group #4 = Clothing + Accessories
Group #5 = Quality of Life
Group #6 = Setting/Location + Construction

36. Step Three: Focus Questions
You are encouraged to go beyond the obvious clues, working to extract/reveal as much information as possible from the image.

37. Chinese Canadians in Vancouver, BC
Wah Chong family outside laundry business on Water Street, 1895.
Chinese Canadians in Vancouver, BC

38. Step Three: Guidance Suggestions
Yet before you begin to study the image and learn about your assigned topic, here are a few more suggestions to guide your reading of the picture.
See accompanying handout for reference.

39. Step Three: Guidance Suggestions
What do I already know about the topic?
Take a minute to make a list of all the information you know about your assigned topic and time period.

40. Step Three: Guidance Suggestions
What can I tell about the topic from a sector-by- sector analysis?
Rows, Panels + Quadrants – see the next slides for explanations.

41. Step Three: Guidance Suggestions
Rows:
Divide the image into three horizontal rows and analyze the foreground (what is at the front), the middleground, and the background.

43. Step Three: Guidance Suggestions
Panels:
Divide the image into three vertical rows and analyze the left panel, middle panel, and right panel.

45. Step Three: Guidance Suggestions
Quadrants:
Divide the image into four quadrants and look closely at each section.

46. Step Three: Guidance Suggestions
The composition of the image often suggests which way of segmenting the image may be more useful.
For example, viewing the image in panels works when there are sections of relevant details on the sides of the image (as is the case of exploring setting of environment in an image).

47. Step Three: Guidance Suggestions
A complicated picture that has evenly distributed relevant detail may be best viewed in four quadrants (the bottom two quadrants are the most useful if exploring clothing on the subjects).

49. Step Three: Guidance Suggestions
Outside landscape images or images with depth of view are often best approached in rows (perhaps, if exploring the remoteness of an image or the limited constructed buildings).

51. Step Three: Guidance Suggestions
How plausible are my/our conclusions?
Make sure your group assesses the possibility of each of your inferences in the light of the corroborating (supporting) details in the image.

52. Step Three: Guidance Suggestions
How plausible are my/our conclusions?
If you know little about the topic and are faced with limited and inconclusive detail in the images, be tentative in stating your inferences; qualify tentative conclusions by using terms such as “may be,” “possibly,” and “perhaps.”

53. Step Three: Focus Questions in Small Groups
In your small groups, review what you all already know about your assigned topic.
Then study the image section-by-section looking for relevant details and draw inferences about the topic.

54. Step Three: Focus Questions in Small Groups
Finally, summarize and quality (back up with evidence) any conclusions about the image related to your topic.

55. Step Three: Sharing Findings
Find a group that had the same topic as you and meet to share findings with each other.
Be prepared to share what your group has learned about your assigned topic and listen to what others have found.

56. Chinese Canadians in Vancouver, BC
Wah Chong family outside laundry business on Water Street, 1895.
Chinese Canadians in Vancouver, BC

57. Any questions or comments?

58. What are the step to analyzing an image?
Hint: there are three main steps…

59. The Steps to Image Analysis: Review
Summarize the image’s main focus on a sentence.

60. The Steps to Image Analysis: Review
Explain the contents of the image using the 5 Ws Questions to make observations and draw inferences.

61. The Steps to Image Analysis: Review
Conduct an in-depth reading of the image of a particular topic by reviewing prior knowledge, making relevant observations and drawing inferences based on a section- by-section analysis, and summarizing and qualifying all relevant conclusions.

62. Any questions or comments?