Magazine Contents Pages

The importance of a contents page: 

Magazine contents pages are used to inform the audience of all of the articles that are inside that issue of the magazine. The contents page has a structured layout and is usually divided into different categories and headings; this makes it easier for the audience to navigate around the magazine. Magazine contents pages should follow a 50:50 ratio, of text to image; this means that they have a balanced structure. Magazine contents pages tend to all follow the same conventions however they layout and style of them will differ from magazine to magazine to make each one unique.

The conventions of a contents page:

Main Image:

There is always one main image on a contents page and it is the biggest image on the page. The main image usually relates to the main article/feature within the magazine and the image on the magazine front cover. The main image is used to frame the contents page because the text is position around it. However there are also other images on the contents page. These other images are usually smaller than the main image and have the page number to its article and have anchorage text. The anchorage text is usually written on top of the image or is written below it; the anchorage text is usually a short description but it can occasionally be a pull quote.

Logo:

The logo is positioned next to the masthead; across the top of the contents page. The logo is placed next to the masthead because it is one of the first things the reader looks at one on the contents page. It is important to have the magazine logo on the contents page because it helps to advertise the magazine further and means that the reader is more likely to remember if they see it frequently throughout the magazine.

Masthead:

The masthead on a contents page, usually just starts ‘Contents’ so that the reader is aware what the page is. The masthead is the biggest text on the page because it is the most important text on the page. The font of the masthead is usually the same or is similar to the other fonts on the contents page; this shows how they are connected and make the page more fluent.

Subheadings:

Subheadings on a contents page are used to categorise the articles on the contents page into different sections and topics. By categorising the articles on the contents page it helps to create an organised layout which makes it easy for readers to navigate around the page and find the specific articles that they are interested in. There are usually a couple of subheadings on the contents page so that each article is in its relevant section. 

Advert: 

Adverts on the contents page of the magazine are usually advertising the next issue or a subscription plan. The advert might include details of what is in the next issue or the costs of a monthly subscription. Occasionally the advert might be the names of the magazines social media profiles and contact information. Adverts are used so that the reader can find out additional information about the magazine. The adverts only take up a small section of the magazine contents page because it isn't the main focus of the page. 

Colour Scheme: 

The colour scheme of a contents page usually follows the same as the magazine front cover; this is to show fluency within the magazine.