Taken from a Visual Rhetoric Study.

1. Rhetorical Analysis
INTRODUCTION
The Subject of my rhetorical analysis is the iPad User Guide For iOS 6.1
Software. I will evaluate the visual and textual principles as they apply to Gestalt theory
and semiotics. After an exploratory review I have found the manual between pages 70
and 73 very clear and concise. The authors were successful at applying Gestalt theory
and semiotics which individually aided and heightened the usefulness and overall effect
of this informative composition. The manual displayed many important attributes that
satisfy the principles of which I will further discuss within my analysis. My analysis will
be anchored with the terms and principles found in the articles of Amare and Manning’s
The Language of Visuals, Moore and Fitz’s Using Gestalt Theory to Teach Document
Design and Graphics and Stephen Bernhard’s Seeing the Text. The three main points
of my focus will be the analysis of text, graphics and document design. I will describe
how the text and the implementations of bullet points and font choice served to ease the
eye. I will go on to discuss the graphics use to further inform the reader. These graphics
visually prompt the reader and the use of screen shots further cement the authors
credibility as to the validity of which they set to instill. Finally the careful document
design and the well thought out placement of visuals serve to bring this document
together and render it complete. These three parts make a whole and I will further
describe the importance.

2. RhetoricalSituation
Authors of user manuals face complex challenges when attempting to inform
their customer about the process needed to effectively use their product. The
demographic of their audience and the fact that a product may serve a number of
cultures and education levels means that they must present the information in a simple
and clear way for any user. This begins with the text and contrast of colors most
pleasing to the eye. The iPad user guide applies a soft black font over an illuminated
white background. The text also features a pale blue heading the serves to draw further
contrast and divide subtly the topics that seamlessly flow into the next principle to be
discussed. The author then uses a bold black heading of the same point size font to
separate the instructions in order to promote a clearer focus. These points that can be
described as rhetorical organization and are highlighted in Bernhardt’s Seeing the Text.
The author asked the question of rhetorical organization, “what transaction is intended,
what the major divisions are, what is considered important, and what relations exist
amongst the various sub-points.”(67) The user manual remained conscience of these
questions and systematically applied text to aid the instruction.
The principles Mr. Bernhardt discusses in Seeing the Text, set forth a requisite
for a structured textual visual utilized by the authors of the iPad manual. Bernhardt’s
article later speaks of rhetorical relations, “The control of rhetorical relations is strictly
internal to the text.” (68) They proper text must be applied to give the visuals the
meaning that solely intends to assist the textual meaning. The authors exercised
rhetorical control which was the key to the effectiveness of the manual. The internal text
which Bernhardt describes and the manual displays, centers the message and serves

3. as the foundation for the composition. The clear text and layout allows the authors the
space and opportunity to later apply graphics to satisfy and make it Gestalt.
Analysis of Graphics
Authors of the iPad manual, carefully applied screenshots as graphic texts. The
document also interjected small prompting graphics that lead the reader through a
process that at times could be complicated. The authors exercised the principle of
similarity described in Moore and Fitz’s article, Using Gestalt Theory to Teach
Document Design and Graphics, “changes in spacing, type size, or typestyle suggest a
change in subject matter emphasis, or focus.”(400) The subliminal signposts move the
document forward and satisfy the principle of similarity. The visual text and its design is
the key element in the study semiotics and serves not only to inform the reader but also
move the reader along seamlessly to the next principle to be taught. The manual itself
was purposely left visually simple in order to promote ease. The authors were mindful
not overwhelm the user with added visual distractions which in turn allowed the issue to
be resolved in a more focused manner. The figure ground segregation was reinforced
by the glowing white background and series of bold headings and simple to follow bullet
points. The document created a visual literacy that utilized a language system that is
based in icons and figures that the iPad itself displays.
The visual aids the user manual displayed was place to scale within the page
and adhered to the symmetry principle. Moore and Fitz described the effect poor
symmetry has on a document when they pointed out, “symmetry problems make
readers anxious about where to start processing information and make them wonder if

4. something is not with the page or design.”(391) Proper symmetry speaks to the
credibility of the information shared; more importantly proper symmetry allows the
reader to focus on the issue that brought them to seek help in a manual.
DOCUMENT DESIGN
The document design of the iPad manual was also firmly constructed with
semiotics in mind. Semiotics is the combination of text and visuals to create an overall
documental ambiance with looks not only to inform but to do so in a fashionable
manner. A manner that seeks to ease the readers mind in order for them to pay
particular attention to the underlining message rather the delivery. Amare and Manning
in their article point out, “A feeling of ease might emerge from emotional tones created
by color, ornamental borders, and font forms.”(60) The authors of the manual were
conscience of this and succeeded abundantly when preparing something as daunting
as a how-to-manual. Amare and Manning continued, “feeling of ease may equally well
arise from visually balanced, appropriately divided text and uncomplicated sentence
structure.”(60) Ease when facing instructions is the most important and instrumental
emotion one can have to help them think clearly through a complicated process.
I agree with Amare and Manning when they conclude, “visual rhetoric goes
beyond basic document design issues to include the rhetoric of both textual visuals and
graphics visuals where the author, message, and audience all connect.” (65) Sound
judgment and deliberate placement of different forms of language systems are
paramount to an effective user manual. The iPad instruction served to connect the
reader to the information that they laid out cleanly and plainly.

5. ANALYSIS OF TEXT
I conclude the user manual was textually and visually concise, as well as
informative. The Information is configured in such a way that aids to the text and creates
a fluid process for one to follow relatively easy. The incorporation of screenshots the
designers placed against the left margin which served to assist the overall symmetry of
the composition. The symmetry presented a clear idea through a process that slowly
adds information that culminates in instruction absolute. The devices of the semiotic
process that authors enacted allowed the completed instruction to meet its goals. This
was to instruct and inform. Moore and Fitz go on to explain in their article, “Carefully
applying the laws of Gestalt to one’s textual and graphic designs is one way to create
effective texts and graphics.”(407) The iPad manual successfully applied the principles
of Gestalt. They mastered the placement of information, prompts and headings in a
systematic way.
CONCLUSION
Overall I believe the iPad User Guide For IOS 6.1 Software manual was
successful. It satisfied the requirements a proficient author is expected to. Its
appropriateness was based in its deliberate presentation that utilized Gestalt theory and
semiotics. The thorough application of simple principles allowed any user regardless of
demographic, to clearly understand the instruction. Bernhardt expressed in his article,
“The intention was to produce a document which would satisfy a number of functional
considerations of cost and distribution, while being attractive enough to draw reader
attention and substantial enough to encourage their reader to keep the sheet, compile it

6. with others in the series, and use it.”(71) The authors of this manual took very technical
information and presented it in a simple and clear way which is far more difficult than it
seems.
Work Cited:
Amare, N., & Manning, A. (2007). The Language of Visuals: Text + Graphics = Visual
Rhetoric. IEEE Transactions On Professional Communication, 50(1), 57.
Bernhardt, S. A. (1986). Seeing the text. College Composition & Communication, 3766-
78.
Moore. , & Fitz, (1993). Using Gesalt Theory to Teach Document Design and Graphics .
Technical Communication Quarterly, 2(4), 389-410.
iPad User Guide For iOS 6.1 Software