Contenets page analysis

Every magazine has a contents page, it helps you to explore the articles, pictures and gossip or information a lot easier as you don't hunt around for the items you want to see.

First of all the layout of the contents is usually in columns, either 3 or 4. This helps split the magazine up into sections so you can find your page easier. With this, there will usually be images connecting to the feature article and a few others dotted around the ouside. Here is a contents page for Q magazine, they've not got many pictures relating to the feature articles however they have got one, this could tell you that in this months issue there is more reading to be done.

Every magazine has a structure which they stick to. This helps to create a constant magazine and develope the brand. Page numbers are very helpful as they show you where the article is. Another reason there so useful is because when magazine companies put the page number on a picture, it anchors it to the written content. Contents pages are usually split up into categories and headings which are used to identify each section of the magazine. Some categories are main articles, features and regulars. This example of Q magazine shows there structure is constsnt throughout every issue.

 

Contents pages are usually written in the same conventional way: first line -page number, 1 or 2 words which could be the artists name or ambigious text to intrigue the reader in blod type or usually capitals however this isn't always the case. Another thing some magazine contents pages have is sublines, these give more specific detail about what the articles about, for sublines magazines usually use smaller font.

Lastly, on the contents page they usualy have the title of the magazine, a page number, an issue date and oftern a web address. Usually contents pages are one or two page spread, depending on the size of the magazine.