The Codes and Conventions of a Contents Page

By Daniel Lee

The word ‘Contents’ and Images The word contents is there to

tell you what the page is about. It follows the colour scheme of the magazine.

The largest image on the page is generally to do with the main cover article on the magazine cover. This is the Main Contents page image.

Smaller images, otherwise known as Subsidiary images are used for other articles in the magazine, there can be multiple ones of these on the page.

Colour Scheme and Font The colour scheme, like the cover of the

magazine, consist of 3 or 4 colours, they’re also the same as the main covers colour scheme.

This magazine uses a colour scheme of four, those colours being; Red Black White Yellow

The text uses different fonts depending what the contents it is talking about, e.g. Using larger font for a big feature in the article and using smaller font for a smaller article.

Each heading would be about 11/12pt and in all capitals, to make these headings stand out there would be a line gap between the top of the heading and the bottom of the heading.

Structure, Page Numbers, Features and Regulars Contents pages are generally arranged

into three columns. They do this because if the information is spread across the page it’s in an organised fashion and not spread out randomly and out of order.

All the page numbers on the contents page are there to direct you to where each article is in the magazine. The page numbers all align with each other. The smaller articles go around the main advertised article.

The feature advertised in an magazine (either on the cover or contents page) are specific to that issue magazine.

A regular article is an article that is in every issue in the magazine, e.g. Reviews, Top Tens etc.

Subscriptions, Mini Magazine Covers and Editors Letter

In each magazine they advertise a subscription service, which is generally cheaper. If customers do buy into this then they have guaranteed money straight away.

Generally next to a subscription or a editors letter they have a small version of the magazine.

An editors letter is written by the editor as a more personal description as to what is in the issue that you are reading