Analysis of Edinburgh Napier Contents Page

Target Audience- The primary target audience for the Edinburgh College magazine is students of 16+ as people already at the University will read it but also people looking into going to that University will read it too, so this is who they will aim the magazine at. The majority of people reading this magazine will fall into the audience demographic at band A down to C1.

Layout- The layout of the contents page is quite simple with both pages clearly being split into two sections this makes it easy for the reader to look at all the information without it looking too busy. This idea of each page having two columns makes it all look confined showing the editors letter separate from the actual contents numbers and on the second page the images and other editorial information clearly separate too. This layout is also effective with the way that it makes the images link to what is on each page and almost making this look like a separate page within itself. This shows this information being in the centre so that the reader sees this as the most important for what they want to find out. This links back to the target audience as this age range are more likely to want to continue reading if they can find the information they want easily.

Colour- The basic colour scheme stays the same from the front cover with the use of red, white and black creating the professional aspect. Although this contents page does have the added detail of colour to link the certain pictures to certain page numbers within the magazine. Not only does this add a more aesthetic appeal with the extra colours of blue, green and purple it also works as a colour key to make it easier for the reader to know where to find certain things. This means that the reader only had to look at the colour the image is surrounded by to find out in a much quicker way where it is in the magazine. This is effective on the target audience as this age group are often busy doing different things at once so the easier it is to access the articles they actually want to read the more likely they are to continue reading the magazine. Also with the added colour features it gives another area of interest for the target audience.

Typography- The typography in this text is effective as all the fonts used are very similar to each other which makes the two pages flow together. This also makes the contents page less busy for the reader and therefore doesn’t look like an information overload. Also the use of different coloured text makes the page look more interesting while separating each part of the writing. This ensures that the reader can see where each different section is so that they can find out the information that they want to know.  This links back to the target audience because this age group want the reading in their spare time to be easy as it’s for enjoyment so by using the different colours it makes the amount of text look smaller so that the target audience are more likely to read it.

Images- The use of images is effective because although there are quite a few they aren’t overpowering and don’t make the page look too busy as they are set out in a simple layout that keeps them all confined to their space. Also the different sizes of images means that none of them look the same which keeps the pages looking more interesting instead of similar and boring. The images also work well as they give the reader an insight into what they will see throughout the magazine without them actually having to read, which draws their attention in meaning they are more likely to continue with reading the magazine. This again means that the target audience are more likely to continue reading the magazine as they would get more drawn in through the imagery rather than anything else.

Conclusion- Overall I think this contents page works well as it serves it’s purpose of giving the reader all the information they need before they continue reading the magazine without making it look too busy or overpowering. Although the use of colours and imagery does work well, I think it could do with some improvement. I think the overall contents page does look quite boring and doesn’t necessarily make you want to continue reading. Whereas analysing each aspect you can’t find much fault as they all serve the purpose that they should. I think the improvements that could be made would be to break the text up further and add in more colours or different sections so that it looks more interesting and inviting. This could be done through highlighting the major stories in the magazine that readers are going to want to look at which gives the contents a focus which is the main thing it’s lacking.

Analysis of Edinburgh Napier Magazine Front Cover

Target Audience- The primary target audience for the Edinburgh College magazine is students of 16+ as people already at the University will read it but also people looking into going to that University will read it too, so this is who they will aim the magazine at. The majority of people reading this magazine will fall into the audience demographic at band A down to C1.

Masthead- The masthead here is effective as it is clear against the background and is a decent size which means the reader’s attention instantly draws to it. It also sticks to conventions of typical magazines with it being about an 1/8 down the page and all these things together make it fit for purpose. The masthead also links back to the target audience as it’s quite a simple masthead yet very modern making it appeal to this age range.

Layout- The overall layout fits the purpose of the magazine as it sticks to typical conventions with the use of one main image being the focus which makes the magazine look professional and not too busy. It also has the text overlaying the image but in an order that looks confined and as if it should be there, with these bits of text giving teasers and information about the magazine therefore serving the purpose that they should. The layout attracts it’s target audience as it looks professional and not tacky, with the whole theme being modern and subtle to get your attention properly. Therefore making the target audience feel like young adults rather than an in your face layout that would make them un-interested because of the child like aspect.

Colour- The colour on this front cover works well as it has a simple colour scheme with the use of red, black and white to add the background magazine layout therefore adding the professional aspect and keeping it from looking garish. Also the main image doesn’t have many different colours in it, so it doesn’t overpower or contrast with any from the colour scheme making it fit in perfectly as the background image. Although the red colouring to some of the text doesn’t show up perfectly against the image it still works as it is still readable without detracting from the overall cover of the magazine. These uses of colour work well to get the desired target audience as the colour scheme adds a more sophisticated feel which is what people of this age group are more likely to want.

Images- The use of images on this front cover stick to the conventions of usual magazines as it has the one image being the focus so that the reader looks mainly at this and doesn’t find it too heavy looking at a bunch of images. Something that could have been added in to make it look slightly more interesting though would be to have a few smaller images with some of the teasers just in a subtle way to add more interest for a reader. This use of images if effective on the target audience as the image is quite artsy appealing to a younger range of people as this is the style of photo they are more likely to be interested in.

Typography- The typography on this cover page is effective on the reader as the use of fonts that look very similar to each other makes it flow more while all the little snippets add more information to capture the readers attention. The logo and extra sentence under that mast head to introduce the magazine make the reader able to understand where it comes from and what it’s goal within the magazine is. While the teasers give them an idea of what will be in this issue sparking an interest in any pieces they may want to read about. This works well on the target audience as this age group is likely to be caught in by teasers on the front cover that lead to a story they really want to read about.

Conclusion- I think this College magazine is much more suited to it’s target audience than the Bodmin College magazine is as the Edinburgh magazine sticks to the common conventions of a magazine which overall makes it look more professional. This means that through the colour scheme, non-busy layout, clear masthead and other aspects the target audience are more likely to read it as these things catch their attention because they stand out in the way they should. Rather than the Bodmin College magazine standing out because of how bad it looks. Although the Edinburgh magazine still has room for improvement with the need for further detail on the cover with more stories to fill it out and make the reader interested in what’s inside. This idea could also be furthered with bigger headings for the more important stories that are likely to get the readers attention.

Analysis of the Bodmin College Magazine Front Cover

Target Audience- The primary target audience for the Bodmin College magazine is students that are aged 11-19 as these are the ranges of ages within the college. Although there is also a secondary target audience aimed at the students parents/guardians who are of an older age than the students. The majority of people reading this magazine will fall into the audience demographic at band C1 down to E.

Masthead- The masthead is not fit for purpose as it doesn’t stand out because the colours aren’t clear against the busy background and it is also too small which means it doesn’t jump out at the reader. Whereas in conventional magazines the masthead would take up an 1/8 of the cover making it stand out more as it should do to serve it’s correct purpose. Also the text used to create the masthead is outdated which doesn’t fit in with the target audience of students as the overall masthead isn’t what you would expect a typical student aged 11-19 to like.

Layout- The overall layout doesn’t fit the general layout you should see on a magazine cover as it has three images that are all poorly taken long shots making the cover look too busy. The layout should have one main image with text overlayed and maybe a couple of smaller images, this layout looks far more professional and doesn’t look too heavy for the reader. The cover should also have little teasers that get the audience’s attention so that they want to read the magazine, whereas this is lacking here with just a jumble of images it doesn’t make anyone really want to read it. This also goes against the target audience as students want something to look good and professional with something interesting on the cover that gets their attention with something they care about reading.

Colour- This cover has generally too many colours used together that make it almost sickly for the reader to look at, as well as taking away any professional aspect to it. A typical magazine cover would have a colour scheme to it that makes it look professional whilst remaining appealing to the reader. Whereas this magazine cover uses colours that don’t fit well together, with the colour of the writing not even showing up against the contrasting colours of the picture behind it. This makes the whole display of the cover unclear for the reader with everything blending together and nothing standing out. These busy colours go against the conventions of magazines that usually only use 3-5 colours at the most. This again doesn’t cater for the target audience as these different colours create an old fashioned yet young feel that all age ranges aren’t going to be appealed by.

Images- The images used go against the usual conventions of a magazine as there are three images just thrown together on the front whereas a usual magazine would have just one main image with maybe a few smaller ones. Also the long shots of these go against the usual main image being either a close-up or medium shot, as well as this the quality of the images is low with them being blurred and making the people in the images look strange colours. Also the content of the images with mainly girls being shown in them supports Laura Mulvey’s theory of the male gaze and shows that this might be showing them as an erotic desire for the reader. Also the content of the images is all about dancers which shows that it doesn’t appeal to all of the audience with only catering to the needs of dancers or those that have seen these dancers, therefore not bringing in all of the target audience.

Typography- A big thing that takes away the professional aspect to this is that lots of different types of text are used whereas this wouldn’t have been done in a usual magazine. It also doesn’t have any teasers which mean the reader doesn’t get any information about what is going to be included in the magazine. As well it doesn’t have an issue number which means the reader doesn’t know how many have come before this one, so they don’t have any extra information on the magazine which they are likely to want to know.

Conclusion- Overall I think this magazine is not fit for purpose as none of the aspects fit the common conventions of a magazine. As it goes against these conventions it doesn’t appeal to a reader because it isn’t interesting and doesn’t capture their attention. Also from these features looking too busy and not professional enough I can connote that the target audience would not find it appealing enough to read. As it doesn’t look like anything they would read away from the College they wouldn’t like the difference and would most likely find it tacky. Also without the lack of a big story jumping out on the cover they wouldn’t even be interested in anything that the magazine has to offer, as they would assume the content is as bad as the cover. 

Analysing College Magazines

I am going to analyse two college magazine covers and two contents pages in order to establish what the common conventions are that need to be included in my work, so that my magazine will represent the needs of my target audience. One way of representing these needs is by sticking to the common conventions of the genre I am working within. As is shown in the following statements by these theorists creativity is not always a simple and instant process:

"A process needed for problem solving...not a special gift enjoyed by a few but a common ability possessed by most people" (Jones,1993)

"The making of the new and rearranging of the old" (Bentley, 1997)

"Creativity results from the interaction of a system composed of three elements: a culture that contains symbolic rules, a person who brings novelty into the symbolic domain, and a field of experts who recognise and validate the innovation" (Csikszentmihalyi, 1996)

Prelim Task

In order to develop my skills in pre-production, photography, Photoshop and critical reflection before starting on my main task, I had to complete the preliminary task. This is a good thing to do to ensure that I have the skills that are needed to have a good outcome from my main task as I haven't worked with print much in the past. The brief is outlined below:

My AS Coursework

For my Foundation Portfolio I have decided to do the print brief as I have an interest in the music industry and would like to research into it more through the medium of music magazines. I also feel that developing my skills in print will provide me with a solid knowledge on media production, which will assist me in other aspects of media in the future. I also enjoyed looking at theories of youth and gender during the AS representation module, and I think this is something I can link in well with this brief. The brief I will be working on is as follows: