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12 DIGITAL VISUAL LITERACY So, why should you ask your students to think about the purpose of the image? Knowing why you’re using an image will help you search for that image more effectively. It clarifies what you need and lets you formulate an appropriate search strategy. Brainstorming keywords for images varies by image use—see the “How to Search” section for more information. Students should also consider their audience when selecting images for a project. Knowing who is going to be viewing this image will help them make better decisions. For example, a student presenting on the Civil War would probably want to include a map of certain battles mentioned in the main points of their argument. If the student is presenting to their classmates, their goal might be to instruct their fellow students on the topic. If that’s the case, they’d need to select a map with some modern context. Choosing a map with clearly marked modern cities and state lines would help the less knowledgeable audience understand the image’s content more easily. If they’re presenting at an undergraduate conference or symposium, they’d consider perhaps choosing a very different map. In this situation, it’s safe to assume that this audience would have some knowledge of the subject and so wouldn’t need as much context. The student could search a digital reposi- tory and find a map of battles from that time period—an image that would be much more compelling to that audience. PHOTO 2.2. First-Rate Education. 1923. Belmont University Special Collections. Source: Image used with permission from Belmont University.