this time im really gonna do it

1. “Evaluation 1 : In what ways does your media product use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media
products?”
Lauren Evans, Natalie Foulkes, Niles Bithell – Contents Pages

2. What Is Seen In A Contents Page
• Contents pages are different depending on the magazine but usually every magazine needs to put in most of
the conventions needed so we can see that it is a contents page and know what’s in the magazine.
• Things such as these are usually needed;
• Headings
• Page Numbers
• Themes
• Contact Info, Web Address
• Issue Number/Date
• Features Of The Magazine
• A Main Image
• Subscription Information
• Logo Of The Magazine
• Text Showing The Reader The Actual “Contents”

3. • Layout of a contents page usually has columns so you can read the numbers
easily.
• Usually the theme of the whole magazine applies to the contents page, for
example here is a black and white theme with a red colour splash.
• The word “Contents” is usually very prominent and big on the page to make
it clear where you are, and because usually it is close to the cover and wants
to make a big impression for the magazine. It also shows features in the
magazine.
• Main image is important – here it’s Kanye West, so we get the feeling that
they’ve chosen him due to being a main feature in the magazine, maybe
there’s a double page spread on him?
• The dark grey “V” in the background of Kanye West is the magazines logo,
usually this is on most contents pages and lots of pages throughout the
magazine as they want you to remember their brand. This “V” is styled very
well and blends into the page, giving it an aesthetically good look.
• Page numbers are next to the “Contents” header, although a bit hard to
notice at first they seem to have sacrificed putting it in the corner in order to
make it look aesthetically pleasing.
• “Vibe” looks at music and fashion, hence why Kanye is wearing smart
clothes and ones that look stylish.
Heading
Features Of The Magazine
A Main Image
Logo Of The Magazine
Text Showing The Reader The Actual “Contents”

4. • It doesn’t really matter what kind of magazine it is when it comes to
contents page design as mostly they all follow the same conventions. This
magazine is more for alternative, punk, and rock music, which differs from
the magazines on the previous slides. Yet, it has the same or similar
conventions.
• It has a large title for the contents page and the date below it, along with
the name/logo of the magazine in bold colours.
• The main image is of an artist who is obviously prominently featured in
the magazine. Artic Monkeys are a famous band in the rock and indie rock
scene so people will be motivated to buy the magazine just for articles on
them. Below the image is information from the main article about them,
so it’s obvious they want you to direct your attention to the Artic Monkeys
and the article, so it caters largely to fans of them.
• It also has small text around the side displaying other articles and news in
the magazine.
• It has the large subscription notice on the bottom in order for them to try
and create more of a profit. It’s white text on a black background and
differs from the rest of the page so it’s obvious it wants to stand out.
Contact info is near here.
• Contents page also follows with the red, white, black and yellow theme.
Issue Number/Date
Subscription Information
Logo Of The Magazine
Text Showing The Reader The Actual “Contents”

5. • The Masthead of the contents page is the name of the magazine instead
of “Contents”, however we can see the word “Contents” much smaller
above the Masthead and next to the date. This looks artistically pleasing
for the magazine and also highlights the name even more; Vogue is a
very big, famous, popular magazine that wants to keep it’s fame and so it
constantly reminds people of its name and how “big” it is.
• Text around the side shows you page numbers of where to find things
and what exactly is on those pages, so it functions well for what a
contents page is essentially supposed to do.
• The image on the contents page contains a model wearing clearly
fashionable and probably expensive clothing which gives off an
impression fitting this. Since she is so noticeable on the page she is
instantly representing the magazine and is something that appeals to
their target audience of usually high social class people who are
interested in celebrities and what’s popular in fashion.
• Theme of the magazine in the whites, blacks and subtle reds is also
prominent here; again, usually the contents page has to carry the same
theme the whole magazine does. It’d be odd if the magazine theme was
black and the contents page where a bright pink theme.
• Subscription notice is in the corner but in big bold letters, it redirects you
to another page for contact info.
Page Number
Issue Number/Date
Text Showing The Reader The Actual “Contents”
Heading

6. • Here’s another issue of Vogue, and it seems very similar to the last
slide’s issue of Vogue, to spite the issues being months apart. Vogue
seems unlikely to change it’s theme often as it’s popular and it’s
readers are likely used to a certain theme.
• It keeps up the colour scheme of the Vogue magazine theme – red,
white, black.
• It keeps the masthead as Vogue and doesn’t replace it with
“Contents” or anything else.
• The date is again just above the “Vogue” logo with the “Contents”
text.
• Again there’s a main image with a woman wearing stylish clothing
and who looks fashionable.
• There’s columns there again so the reader can find things easily.
• There’s similar text around the side telling you what’s in the
magazine and there’s a subscription slip in the corner, this time
there’s an image of some sort of gift you get if you sign up for the
magazine, although usually there’s not many other images on the
contents page.
Issue Number/Date
Heading

7. Conclusion
• Most contents pages contain the word “Contents” as a masthead or
the name of the magazine.
• Most of them have a subscription strip there due to the magazine
trying to make a profit off you. Contact info is usually close to here. If
it’s not on the contents page it’s somewhere else in the magazine.
• Usually a main image of some sort is there and it’s typically the artist
that’s the main feature of the magazine.
• Usually have the date, issue number and/or page number somewhere
on the page.
• Usually have a logo somewhere and at least some of the conventions
seen on the second slide.