AD103
Systems of Communication
Section 1: General Information
1.1
Unit administrative details
Name of Unit
AD103
Systems of Communication
HE Award(s)
Associate Degree
(Communication Design, Branded
Environment, Digital Media)
Duration
Level
12 weeks
100
Bachelor of Applied Design
(Communication Design, Branded
Environment, Digital Media)
1.2
Core or elective unit
Core unit
1.3
1.4
Unit weighting
Unit Weight
Total course points
10 credit points
240 credit points
Student workload
The expected student workload per week for this unit is:
No. Timetabled hours*
No. Personal study hours**
4
*
**
***
1.5
10
Total time spent per week at lectures, tutorials, clinical and other placements.
Total time students are expected to spend per week in studying, completing assignments.
That is, * + ** = workload hours.
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
1.6
6
Total workload hours***
Pre-requisites
There are no pre-requisites for this unit.
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Section 2 – Academic Details
2.1
Student learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:
1. Understand various systems of communication (print, digital and environmental)
2. Apply the creative potential of various digital technologies
3. Analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of systems of communication
4. Critically analyse the significance of typography as a visual expression
5. Understand the composition and design of letterforms and their architecture.
2.2
Unit content and structure
This is a core unit in the suite of Billy Blue Bachelor of Applied Design courses.
This unit introduces students to the language of typographic form and how it underpins the interaction of
communication technologies in an historical context. Students explore typographic form through drawing
and rendering leading to further experimentation through importing these results into industry standard
software programs.
The unit also introduces students to computer hardware and industry standard software applications
which enable visualisation and production of visual communication solutions.
The purpose of the unit is to enable students to integrate their typographic concept work into the digital
environment through an understanding and application of computer manipulation and the knowledge of
systems used in contemporary visual communication.
Indicative topics and when they will be discussed are outlined below.
Unit Structure:
Week
Topic
Week 1:
Course overview
Symbols and marks
Week 2:
Vector drawing
Historical context
Week 3:
Manuscripts / calligraphy
Anatomy of type
Week 4:
Work-in-progress presentations
Week 5:
Production Week
Week 6:
Designing type
Roman / Trajan columns
Week 7:
Project development
Week 8:
Presentations
Week 9:
Interaction of type and image / composition
Working with digital images
Week 10:
Production Week
Week 11:
Colour
Manipulating Imagery
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Assessment Task
Assessment Task 1
Week 12:
Combining and compositing images and type
Week 13:
Project development
Week 14:
Presentations
Week 15:
Review Week
Assessment Task 2
2.3 Teaching methods/strategies
The unit will be delivered via four (4) hours per week in a combination of face-to-face lectures, tutorials
and studio practice.
2.4 Student assessment
Assessment Type
Task 1
When
assessed
Weighting
Purpose
Week 8
50%
Students are required to design and
develop an interrelated set of symbols
and letterforms supported by process
work and a design rationale.
Symbol and type design
project
Task 2
Image and type design
project
This assessment addresses student
learning outcomes 1 – 5
Week 14
50%
Students are required to design and
develop a project that combines image
and type content into an integrated
visual communication outcome,
supported by process work and a
design rationale.
This assessment addresses student
learning outcomes 1 – 5
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2.5
Prescribed and recommended readings
Prescribed:
Lupton, E. (2007) Thinking with type, Princeton Architectural Press
Perfect, C. (1992) The complete typographer, Prentice Hall
Recommended:
Carter, R. (1997) Experimental Typography – working with computer type no.4, Rotovision
Clair, K. and Busic-Snyder, C. (2005) A Typographic Workbook, Wiley
Hardy Wilson, D. (2002) An Encyclopaedia of Calligraphy Techniques, Sterling
Jaspert, Berry and Johnson (1962) Encyclopaedia of Type Faces, Pitman
McLean, R. (1995) Typographers on Type, Lund Humphries
Meggs, P. and Pirvis, A. (2005) Megg’s History of Graphic Design (4e) Wiley
Nesbitt, A. (1957) The History and Technique of Lettering, Dover Publications
Pipes, P. (2005) Production for Graphic Designers (4e) Overlook Hardcover
Spencer, H. and Poyner, R. (2004) Pioneers of modern typography, revised edition, The MIT Press
Websites:
http://mitpress.mit.edu/e-books/HP/
www.1001freefonts.com
www.2rebels.com
www.acidfonts.com
www.adgame-wonderland.de/type/bayeux.php
www.allposters.com
www.astigmatic.com
www.bemboszoo.com
www.bmasse.com
www.dafont.com
www.emigre.com
www.fontcraft.com/scriptorium
www.fontface.com
www.fontfactory.com.au
www.fontfreak.com
www.fontpool.com
www.goodbrush.com
www.gutenbergdigital.de
www.gyotaku.com
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www.houseindustries.com
www.identifont.com
www.impressionistprints.com
www.indianhillpress.com
www.joecartoon.com
www.lycettebros.com
www.misprintedtype.com
www.monib.com
www.myfonts.com
www.ni9e.com
www.owlsoup.com/foamtrain
www.psyops.com
www.stencilrevolution.com
www.t26.com
www.typeculture.com
www.typographi.ca
www.typography.com
www.typography.org.uk
www.typophile.com
www.typorganism.com
www.veer.com
Assessment briefs
An assessment brief will be provided for each assessment. The brief will include information such as weighting, due
date, learning outcomes, description of task, instructions, marking criteria, and submission instructions. Briefs will be
provided to students well in advance of the due date of the assessment deadline.
Meeting deadlines
It is your responsibility to organise your time effectively in order to meet deadlines. If you are absent from class when
a brief is delivered, it is your responsibility to obtain a copy of the brief from the lecturer, and the original deadline for
the project will remain unless an extension has been approved.
Extensions
If you anticipate that you’ll need an extension for a project before the published deadline you must apply for the
extension using an Application for Extension form.
These forms are available from Student Services and the
Learning Portal. The extension must be approved by the Program Director at least three days before the deadline.
Extension can only be granted due to compassionate or compelling circumstances that are generally beyond your
control and which have an impact upon your course progress or wellbeing.
Submission of assessments
Assessments are to be submitted directly to the lecturer by the due date. Hardcopy submissions are to be handed
directly to the lecturer, and softcopy documents submitted in the lecturer’s drop box. Your lecturer will maintain a
record of the submission to avoid any later confusion.
Three-dimensional submissions (such as sculptures and models) are to be accompanied by a photograph. You can
take your 3D work home on the day of assessment after the lecturer has assessed it, leaving the photograph as a
reference for your lecturer.
Late submissions
Late assessments are to be submitted at the Resource Centre, and need to be accompanied by a Late Submission
form, which is available from the Resource Centre and Learning Portal. The form is to be completed by the student,
and signed off by Resource Centre staff. If you hand work in late due to illness or compassionate or compelling
circumstances, attach documentary evidence to the Late Submission form.
In such cases, the work must be
submitted on your first day back at College.
Late work attracts a penalty of 10% per day, unless the lateness is due to compassionate or compelling
circumstances.
Reassessments
If you obtain a mark of 45%-49% for an assessment, you can request a reassessment from your lecturer within 5
working days of receiving the result. Only one reassessment can be offered for each failed assessment. A successful
reassessment can only be awarded a Pass.
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Academic Integrity
Any form of plagiarism or other type of academic misconduct may endanger your position at the College. Behaving
with academic integrity means valuing honesty in learning and submitting assignments and exams that are all your
own work (except for reference material acknowledged appropriately), and you never help others to cheat on
assignments and exams.
Plagiarism refers to the deliberate or inadvertent use of someone else’s intellectual property without proper
acknowledgement. Any borrowing, and its source, must be clearly indicated in your text, not just a reference list at the
end. If you incorporate material from secondary sources to support your research or arguments, then the reference to
these sources should be clear and unambiguous.
Academic misconduct includes:

Plagiarism, and failing to properly acknowledge sources

Taking unauthorised material into exams

Permitting others to copy answers in an examination or assessment

Exchanging notes in an exam

Inappropriately obtaining prior knowledge of an exam’s contents

Downloading material from the internet into an assessment or using material purchased, acquired, or
commissioned from sources that write assignments for payment.

Incorporating material that has been previously submitted for assessment, without so stating. If inclusion of
previous work is warranted it should be referenced fully

Presenting group work as an individual assignment.
Penalties for plagiarism or other types of academic misconduct range from a verbal or written warning; surrendering
unauthorised materials; downgraded marks; failure, or being deemed Not Yet Competent for item(s) of assessment;
failure of a unit of study; to suspension or expulsion. Familiarise yourself with information on how to avoid plagiarism
and what is good practice. (Refer to the Think: Colleges Academic Writing Guide).
Attendance
You are required to attend all your classes and any additional events organised by your lecturers. You are also
required to arrive on time. If you arrive more than15 minutes late, you will be marked as absent, regardless of
reason.
Students should refer to the current student handbook for more detailed
information about their participation in Billy Blue courses.
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