Multimodalidade e propósitos comunicativos no gênero homepage institucional

Abstract

The digital genres are characterized by such features as multimodal organizations, hypertext elements and communicative purposes. These, in turn, are the product of the unique resources of the environment. According to this assumption, in this research, we aim to analyze the multimodal resources, the hypertext elements and communicative purposes that contribute to the formation of the institutional homepage text genre. These include multimodal resources, hypertext elements and communicative purposes. To this end, this thesis is based on the Social Semiotic Multimodal Analysis, which finds support in the proposed Grammar of Visual Design (KRESS; VAN LEEUWEN, 1996; 2006), in studies of digital hypertextuality (COSCARELLI, 1999; 2009; RIBEIRO, 2008; ARAÚJO; LIMA-NETO, 2012), and in communicative purposes (ASKEHAVE; SWALES, 2001; SWALES, 2004; BEZERRA, 2009; BIASI-RODRIGUES; BEZERRA, 2012). Based on the genre analysis model proposed by Vijay Bhatia (2004), we established a methodology for analyzing digital genre which supported the investigation process of the federal universities’ homepages. This allowed us to achieve the desired goals of this research. The analyses of this investigation show that the genre in question is characterized by the visual/graphic dimension over the strictly verbal in order to promote multimodal and hypertextual integration, and set up the organizational logic of the genre. Therefore, rather than simply offering synopses, calls and summaries of the website content, presentation of colors, shapes, images through its own multimodal resources, the institutional homepage genre aims to engage the reader while strengthening the institution’s identity and helping to establish the desired public image. Moreover, the institutional homepage genre does not provide the reader with all site content, but presents a selection of content determined by their administrators. The selection criteria are based on what they believe will meet the needs and wishes of the reader/user.