Contents Page

Contents Conventions

 

v  Most of the time, the issue number is positioned in the top left or right corner of the contents page. From the many front covers I have now seen, I noticed that they are normally near the magazine title. The issue date is positioned with the issue number; they are shown together on the front cover and the contents page also.

v  The words are always prominent; this feature lets people know it is actually the contents page where they can find out more detail for the rest of the magazines.

v  There is also usually a main image on the contents page suggesting it will be the magazines main focus or most important story in the magazine. It is usually positioned in the middle or towards the side of the page.  

v   The magazine’s name or logo is usually in the top left hand corner of the contents page.

v  The specials are one off interviews or features. These are separate from the other headings so it stands out.

v  The magazine will sometimes have their website positioned by the issue number and issue date at the top of the contents page. Allows the audience to get more information from their website if needed.

v  The page numbers start at the left, they are before the heading. The numbers are a different colour and font from the heading also, this makes them stand out. The headings are only either one word or few words, and then it is followed by a short sub line explaining more about article.

v  Sometimes the contents pages have quotes from interviews they had done in the magazine. Most of the time they are on the main image, they are never over the faces of the bands or artists as this will obstruct the readers from being able to actually identify the celebrities’ face easily.

v  The front cover would usually have the largest typography in the whole magazine to represent the title page. Most of the time the magazines’ masthead is Serif, since it’s the main thing that they would want the readers to remember. However on contents pages the front would be Sans Serif, this is because this page’s text is there to direct the readers more easily to the page of their chose, and therefore the writing should be easier to read for them.