1. Analysing Magazines
Key Tips:
Don’t just annotate the pages, write a detailed analysis for each page
Use media terminology
Refer to specific examples from the magazine pages
Explain the effect of each example you use
Use terms like connotations or signifies
Make sure you are analysing a professionally produced magazine, not
another student’s coursework
Typography – what font styles are used? What are the connotations of the font
(what do they suggest)? What effect do you think the fonts are supposed to have on
the audience? Why were the font styles chosen?
Layout – is the layout cluttered or order? What effect does this have? Does the
layout follow the route of the eye and/or the principle of thirds? What is the ratio of
image to text?
Colour – what colours are used? What do the colours connote? Why have these
colours been chosen?
Images – what shot types and angles were used? What is the effect of the shot type
and/or angle? What effect does the mise-en-scene have? Why were the props,
costumes, locations, etc. used? What do they signify?
Mode of address – how does the magazine ‘speak’ to its audience? What language
is used? What impression do the fonts, colours, etc. have?
Headline
Standfirst
Byline
Caption
Coverline
Cover Story

2. Feature Kicker
Layout
Masthead
Pull Quote
Serif Font
Sans Serif
Font