Magazine Analysis Improvement

When analysing your magazines, it is essential that you use the correct media terminology.

TASK

Read the three posts below and improve your analysis by identifying and then including the correct terminology in your work.

Extension task

Reflect on what you have found by answering the following three questions

1. What do you think is the most important element of a magazine page and why?
2. What idea will you use in your own work and why?
3. What will you not use in your own work and why?

Magazine Double Page Spread Analysis

When analysing magazine double page spreads, you should be able to identify all of the following elements:

Alley: the space between columns within a page.

Bleed: when the image is printed to the very edge of the page.

Byline - A journalist's name at the beginning of a story.

Copy - Main text of a story.

Cropping: the elimination of parts of a photograph or other original that are not required to be printed. Cropping allows the remaining parts of the image to be enlarged to fill the space.


Deck - Part of the headline which summarises the story. Also known as deck copy or bank.

Drop cap: a large initial letter at the start of the text that drops into the line or lines of text below.



Headline - The main title of the article. Should be in present or future tense to add to urgency. Must fit the space provided. If it doesn’t, you are using the wrong words.

Kicker - The first sentence or first few words of a story's lead, set in a font size larger than the body text of the story.

Pull quote: A brief phrase (not necessarily an actual quotation) from the body text, enlarged and set off from the text with rules, a box, and/or a screen. It is from a part of the text set previously, and is set in the middle of a paragraph, to add emphasis and interest.

Standfirst - Lines of text after the headline that gives more information about the article, or about the author.
Talkie headline: a quote from one of the people in the story used as a headline

This vocabulary is essential for any student aspiring to a B or above.

Magazine Contents Analysis Terms

When analysing magazine contents, you should be able to identify all of the following elements:

Alley: the space between columns within a page.

Bleed: when the image is printed to the very edge of the page.
Boost: picture boost (usually front page) pic promoting a feature or story in later pages

Strap boost: as above, but with a strapline, not a picture

Cropping: the elimination of parts of a photograph or other original that are not required to be printed. Cropping allows the remaining parts of the image to be enlarged to fill the space.

Flush left: copy aligned along the left margin.

Flush right: copy aligned along the right margin.

Sell - Short sentence promoting an article, often pulling out a quote or a interesting sentence.

Talkie headline: a quote from one of the people in the story used as a headline

This vocabulary is essential for any student aspiring to a B or above.

Magazine Cover Analysis Terms

When analysing magazine covers, you should be able to identify all of the following elements:

Boost: picture boost (usually front page) pic promoting a feature or story in later pages

Strap boost: as above, but with a strapline, not a picture

Centre of visual interest (CVI) - The prominent item on a page usually a headline, picture or graphic.

Cropping: the elimination of parts of a photograph or other original that are not required to be printed. Cropping allows the remaining parts of the image to be enlarged to fill the space.

Filler: extra material used to complete a column or page, usually of little importance.

Flush left: copy aligned along the left margin.

Flush right: copy aligned along the right margin.

Golden ratio: the rule devised to give proportions of height to width when laying out text and illustrations to produce the most optically pleasing result. Traditionally a ratio of 1 to 1.6.
 Masthead - Main title section and name at the front of a publication.

Sell - Short sentence promoting an article, often pulling out a quote or a interesting sentence.

Talkie headline: a quote from one of the people in the story used as a headline

This vocabulary is essential for any student aspiring to a B or above.

Magazine Research - Part 1

Research the following:

• Research the genre-conventions of the magazines within your chosen genre
• Examples of existing titles within the genre
• Analyse a cover, contents page and double page spread from an existing title within your genre
• Colour palettes-five examples of colour palettes you may use. Add examples from your genre.
• Fonts-five examples of the type of font you may use. Add examples from your genre.
• Language register (A/A*)
• Moodboard-create at least one for the ideas that have inspired you.
• Audience research (UK Tribes)-which tribe would buy your magazine? They are the tribe/ target audience you are aiming your magazine at.
• Use SurveyMonkey to create a Questionnaire aimed at your audience. Ask at least 5 people to answer it.
• Create audience profiles for a male and a female audience member.
• Analyse the media institution that will publish your magazine

Add as much detail as possible. Look at the guidance on the blog for extra help. Look at the examples for ideas.

10 Media - Work To Do

1. Complete the film poster work
2. Start researching magazines
3. Analyse a magazine cover, contents page and double page spread
4. Look at a full marks example

11W MS1 - TV Comedy

1. Download and work through this revision booklet
2. Make sure you know all the audience pleasures and can link them to Friday Night Dinner and Bad Education
3. Read and remember this (especially the bits in pink)
4. Don't forget you need to know about audience demographics
5. Answer the questions on TV Comedy (from page 11)