Contents page conventions

A contents page needs to have many conventions to make the magazine a success and eye-catching to the reader of the magazine.

The main conventions include:

• There is usually a issue number at the top right or left hand corner of the contents page near to the title of the magazine.
• Placed with the issue number is the issue date
• The masthead, Contents, is usually prominent and bold to make it stand out to the reader that it is the contents page and that is where they will find out more information.
• There is normally a main image on the contents page which indicates that the picture will be something to do with the main article int he magazine to draw people into reading it.
• The image is usually in the middle or towards the side of the page where it is framed by the text.
• The magazine logo is usually positioned on the left hand corner of the contents page to make the magazine flow more.
• There are normally category headings such as 'features' to make it easier for the reader to find what they are looking for.
• There are sometimes 'specials' which show the interviews and features of the magazine that they dont usually have - the 'specials' heading is separate from the other headings so it stands out more to the reader.
• There are page numbers next to the sub-lines in the each heading to indicate where the article is.
• The page numbers are a different colour and font to the sub-lines and headings to make them stand out.
• There is usually a website address at the top or bottom of the contents page to give the reader the option of getting more information from a website if they wanted to.
• Sometimes contents pages have quotes from interviews they have done in the magazine -  the quote normally goes with the main image.
• In some contents pages they have a small picture of the front cover of the magazine.

Below is a previously annotated contents page: