Yearbook - Words to Know

A listing thanking those who helped produce the book. Including staff, contributors, faculty, parents, etc. Usually found alongside, but not part of, the colophon.

Aligning elements to something else on a spread provides a visual anchor and helps readers navigate the content.

A different method of storytelling which can either expand on a central theme or show a completely new angle. Concise and easy to read. Includes lists, quotes, personal narratives, surveys, and other formats that accurately tell the story.

A writer's specific focus on a broader topic. For example, on a theater spread: The star of the musical was almost late to opening night because he was pitching in the state final game, as opposed to facts and figures about the star.

The opening in a photographic lens that admits light to reach the camera sensor. The aperture number -- measured in f-stops -- determines how much light gets through.

Identification of the person who said the words being quoted or paraphrased. Crediting a quote to its source. Should be written: Comma quote name said.

Do not cluster all elements to one area. Distribute elements across the spread to achieve balance.

When an element extends past the grid and to the outside edge of the page. This can be used for color, graphics, and dominant photos, but never copy.

An organized, precise, and effective communicator who maintains budget, campaigns for selling both books and ads to increase community buy-in, as well as motivating the staff.

In sales and advertising, usually the final line of a persuasive message. For example, "Buy now!" or "Call today!" These should be creative.

An action photo that captures the moment or tells the story. With the exception of headshots and group photos.

Identifies the who, what, when, where, why, and how of a photo. Formula: ABCDQ. Action, basic information, complementary sentences, descriptive quote. Placed in the niches created by packaging photos.

The dominant element in a photo. The part of the image your eye goes to first.

Coverage based on a time element. Can be divided into sections based on season, months, or weeks, or not divided at all.

Can be answered with one or two words. A yes/no question. Used to obtain facts, figures, and other specifics. Should be followed by an open-ended question.

Final pages of the yearbook (typically three pages or more) where the theme concludes. Should follow ads and index.

A list of the technical printing information for the books, including number of copies, colors, fonts, photography company, and awards won by the previous year's staff. Often appears after or apart from the index.

If items are not exactly the same, make them drastically different. Contrast helps with the hierarchy of a spread by emphasizing elements you want to stand out.

The stories. Every spread should contain at least one story or body, containing mostly colorful student quotes.

Outside of the yearbook which protects the printed pages. It displays the publication title, volume, date, theme, and other required information.

Refers both to the topics featured on individual spreads and how the topics are highlighted. For example, typical topics covered in a student life section would include summer, the first day of school, and homecoming. Typical homecoming coverage would include photos, copy, and captions detailing the event.

Eliminating excess content or dead space in a photo.

Buyer of a yearbook or advertisement, and any potential purchaser.

Change in focus between the nearest and farthest objects in an image.

Coverage that is broken into bite-sized chunks. Comes from the idea that it is easy to digest. Short for "the reader's digest version." Or a shortened condensed version of a story. Brevity in reporting allows for more modules to appeal on a spread.

Yearbook day, the best day of the year, the day you give students the books they have purchased.

A spread used to separate each of the sections of the yearbook. A divider is usually theme-related in design and the copy links the main theme to the ensuing section.

This is the largest photo and highest quality photo on the page, emphasizing the theme of the page.

The most prominent story on a spread. Typically goes along with the dominant photo in the photo package and has the largest headline.

When reporters provide their opinions to readers. Editorializing must be avoided in yearbook copy. Reporters should remain objective and allow readers to establish their own opinions based on the information presented.

Heavier sheets of paper that hold pages to the cover. Endsheets may be plain or designed to reflect the theme. The front endsheet typically contains the table of contents listing.

To walk around looking for interesting candid subjects or events to shoot.

White space all around the border of a spread. All layouts should have a consistent external margin. While the top and side margins in the book are the same, the bottom margin is usually 2 to 4 picas longer.

The horizontal separator on a spread from which mods hang or sit. It carries your eye across the page.

Stands for focal stop. The size of the aperture is measured in f-stops.

Formerly called an interrupter or showstopper spread, coverage which is presented in a different fashion to break up the visual monotony created by templates.

A story worthy of standing alone. These are personal profiles or just well-told stories.

The spread identifier including page number, usually placed in the external margin.

To surround or frame the center of interest in a photo with another object to attract and focus attention.

Front cover of the book which includes the name of the book, the year, and the theme. The theme should be developed both visually and verbally.

Elements such as color, white space, rule lines, gray screens, large initial letters, and special type treatments which enhance the book's design.

This is a hidden layer on a document of the same-sized squares. It helps create structure on which to build mods, but does not print.

The 2-pica folding allowance between two pages where they are bound together.

When the first line is set slightly to the left of subsequent lines. This organizes dense copy to make it more readable.

A line of large type used to tell the reader what follows in the copy below. It introduces the topic and serves as a main visual point of interest on the spread. Should have an active verb.

Money raised from ad and book sales or fundraising profits.

A list of names, places, and subjects included in the book and the page numbers where they are found. Advertisers should be listed in contrasting type, as should topics; vital to yearbooks so students can find themselves and you can monitor coverage.

Tool that scans your book for index entries and makes it easy to create independent pages by creating a database of entries.

Half a pica of space between photos and copy indicates to readers these items are meant to be consumed together as one package of information.

Formerly called rails, provide consistent spacing between all coverage packages on a spread. Use pink to represent a "separator" in this space to make it stand out as distinct borders for mods when building a spread; they do not print.

A conversation between a reporter and a source to obtain information and quotes to use in copy.

Number indicating the camera's sensitivity to light. The higher the number, the less light required, but the grainier it looks.

Using more than one spread for a topic and linking the additional spreads to the first with a headline, logo, or similar design.

A page-by-page diagram of the yearbook's planned contents. Staff members use this to stay organized and plan deadlines.

An attention-grabbing introduction that sets the tone of the story.

Caption starters. These are two-to-three-word cues to the reader that a new caption is beginning. Use them consistently in each section.

Natural lines the eye follows in a photo, particularly elements running from the foreground to background.

A general reference to promoting and selling products or services.

About one million pixels, describes resolution. The more in an image, the higher the resolution.

Digital image storage device.

Coverage broken into modular pieces, or mods, on a spread.

A package (sidebar, set of quotes, etc) of brief content used to expand coverage. Often relate back to your theme and unify the spread.

The practice of placing like elements together, i.e. photos, copy, graphics. Should be practiced by the staff throughout the book to achieve unity.

Sheets of paper on which the yearbook is printed. There are four pages printed on each side of a press sheet. They are folded, stitched, and trimmed to be collated in book form.

Available space for content and photo boxes on a spread.

Drawn or electronically generated sketch of the proposed spread. Contains placeholders for all elements.

A process that uses ink or foil stamped on the surface of a book. Commonly used on cloth material.

A yearbook designed to include only senior portrait sections.

A preliminary layout. Contains all required elements and marks to indicate where photos and copy will be placed.

Formerly called a closing, this is a dramatic final spread designed to wrap up the book's story.

Design or layout principles based on arranging similar or identical elements in a consistent manner.

The name of the yearbook and the year of publication appear on the spine of the book. Also refers to any written segment of the book, whether headlines, captions, or stories.