Final answer:
The source is undergoing 'encoding' when it converts meaning into signs or symbols. Encoding is crucial in how we process, comprehend, and interpret communication using a codified system of signs. It involves organizing and synthesizing information, requiring the use of various critical thinking and reading skills.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a source converts meaning into a series of signs or symbols representing ideas or concept, the source is undergoing encoding. Encoding is the input of information into the memory system where the brain labels or codes sensory information from the environment. This process includes progressively comprehending and interpreting the communication, whether written, oral, or visual, and it is influenced by personal experiences and the context in which the communication is made.
The early forms of writing, such as cuneiform, were pictographic, which evolved into forms that were quicker to record. This is a form of logographic system which uses signs or symbols to communicate a message. In contemporary times, we rely on our understanding of a codified system of signs—that is, language and symbols—to convey meaning.
An important part of encoding and critical thinking is synthesis, which implies interpreting key points to make new meaning by looking for connections between texts and combining information from sources with a specific purpose.