Although representation may be a recurrent theme in research on journalism and advertising, as well as in studies of other social discourses, there may be less clarity regarding its epistemological and methodological aspects. One example is the frequent use of Social Representations Theory (Moscovici), despite its research object is a cognitive phenomenon. Beginning with a literature review in which I examine several sources (for example, sign theory, the philosophy of language, and rhetoric), the following article presents a theory of discursive representation, as well as associated semiotic, epistemological, and methodological theories. My aim is to provide a conceptual framework to help guide and prompt further research in this area.