After learning about the front cover conventions, I want to go further into the magazine by learning about the next part of a magazine. The next part to a magazine is the table of contents. The table of contents helps readers navigate the magazine, but it doesn’t just state the pages. It also uses visuals to show. Let me explain in more detail.
General Conventions & Examples:
Though people know a table of contents from probably reading books, they are different from a table of contents in a magazine. Since a magazine focuses on visuals, the table of contents displays some form of visuals while also displaying the pages where the different content is seen. The table of contents in a magazine also follows a layout since there are photos, typography, or a grid system. The first thing to know is how numbers should be displayed. Let’s look at this example by Aaron Johnson.
When displaying the numbers in this example, the font size for some of the numbers and titles is larger than the font size of the pages that are also part of the magazine. The larger ones could show that these pages and content are important to the magazine. This also draws the readers attention immediately to the larger and bolded numbers and text. The use of a grid also helps in aligning the numbers and text to look organized. This can show that when creating a table of contents the font size can differ based on the content and the importance of it.
Though this table of contents still follows the conventions of a table of contents, there are some ways to make it your own with images. Let's take a look at this table of contents from "Cruda Magazine".
In this example, the table of contents uses an image to match the text and number of the page. The images are related to the content on the pages. This creates a more visual idea of a table of contents design. This shows another way of how a table of contents can look if you want to focus on more of the visual aspect. This also shows that, when discussing the conventions of a table of contents, visuals can help in making it look appealing to the reader.
Another thing with a table of contents is the style guide. This consists of things like fonts, colors, and logos. The choice of color and font can affect the mood of the magazine. Here’s an example by Christian Stifani of how color can affect the mood.
In this example, the table of contents is displayed in a gradient of orange to blue on the numbers and text. This works like a guide for the readers when reading down the page while being readable. This relates to the conventions of a table of contents by showing a way to make it visually appealing and would be good for a more creative magazine.
These examples all show different ways to follow the conventions of a table of contents but let explain more about these conventions. When it comes to a table of contents, the fonts used must be clear. This is because the reader must be able to read the information as it relates to the rest of the magazine and where to find all the different content. Along with font, the font choice, size, and colors must be readable and visually appealing.
Table of Contents Layouts:
The next convention is the use of grids or layouts to keep everything in order. The use of this helps in keeping the text aligned and organized for the readers. This also allows the creator to have a little creative freedom by letting them layout and design the page for table of contents however they want. There are usually 3 layout choices.
The first is a vertical layout. An example of this would be the first example above by Aaron Johnson. This layout is the most common for a table of contents since it goes downward in the order of pages. This layout is good for easily scanning and keeping everything in order, but it could require more vertical space.
The second layout is a horizontal layout. This layout can be better used if there are less topics and smaller headings. This is also better for saving vertical space, but it can make it harder to scan since it goes horizontally than vertically.
The third layout is multi-column. This is not very common in table of contents designs, but it takes up less vertical space. This layout is better if there are many topics. Though, since it is less common, it might not be recognized as a table of contents right away.
Along with layout designs, the use of imagery helps in adding context and personality to the page. They can also provide a hint or idea on the topic on the numbered page or the magazine in general. Be careful to balance the layout so that the text and images are organized and don’t look overcrowded. Also make sure that there is some white or empty space. This allows readers to focus on the information and not feel overwhelmed.
The next thing is making sure that the colors and fonts work well for distribution. This focuses on being aware of problems readers could have with the color or font of choice and finding something accessible to everyone. The next is the use of creativity. In the examples that I have shown so far, you can see the use of creativity through the different ways of their table of contents designs. Though the table of contents is providing a guide to the magazine, it can still be creative and stand out.
Food Magazine Conventions:
When discussing conventions of a table of contents with food, some things change. For example, this magazine will focus on food, so it is important to have visuals in the table of contents. An idea can be a dish that will be related to an article or recipe and place it as the background image. Depending on the space, you can place one of the 3 layouts discussed earlier to format your table of contents with the font and font size of your choice.
Based on the content, categorize the content into sections and make it a larger font size than the content so that readers know that it is a section. Make sure that all the fonts are readable and that the headings are descriptive so that it gives an idea of the topic without revealing too much. Be sure that the font style and colors tie back to the theme of the magazine or branding.
These conventions help to achieve a table of contents for a food magazine. Now let’s look at one more example and how it follows the conventions of a table of contents for a food magazine.
Example "Better Homes & Gardens":
This example is from “Better Home & Gardens”, and the topic of the magazine is “Soups & Stews”. In this table of contents example, the background image is 3 different chilies with the ingredients all focusing on a color of the chili like the red chili. Next to red chili, there are tomatoes and chili peppers. This can hint to some of the ingredients used to make the red chili while also making it visually appealing for the readers. The overall image is a gradient of peppers and ingredients used to make the different colored chilies and the colors correlate to the chili. This idea shows an artistic display of chili's through color.
They cover part of the image with a white rectangle that says at the top, “What’s Inside”. This lets the readers know that this is the table of contents. After the heading, it states the pages and a summary of the information. They also use different colors for the number of the page and the text relating to what is on the stated page. The use of different colors helps to make it easily readable and understood by a glance the pages and the topics on the page. The last thing to point out is the circle on the background image that says, “Check out our Kaleidoscope of Chili's, P. 40”. This shows that the image had a reason to be there since it is used to give a preview to the page on “Taste the Chili Rainbow”
Reflection:
Overall, the table of content is a simple but creative example that shows how it can follow the conventions while not adding too much or overcrowding. Through researching conventions of a table of contents for a magazine, I learned how there are multiple elements that tie into making a table of contents. Also, a table of contents is not just focused on making sure the information is there but also that it is visually appealing for the readers and that it matches the overall theme of the magazine. This is why it is important to know the conventions of all elements that tie into the overall product of the magazine.
Sources:
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/table-of-contents/
