In groups, evaluate last year s book. Find what was done well. Determine what could be better. Let this be your guide for the year.

Transcription

1 BOOK EVALUATION In groups, evaluate last year s book. Find what was done well. Determine what could be better. Let this be your guide for the year. Theme and voice Does the theme/concept reflect the school year, the school population, the events that took place in your school? Does the theme copy fit the voice of your book on all theme pages? Does it add something new to the theme rather than just repeating the same information in different ways? Do the photographs depict the theme? Are the dividers designed similar to the opening/closing? Are they recognizable as theme pages? Do your title page and cover contain all the essentials? Cover: Book name, year and theme on front lid. Name of school, year, city, state, volume number and theme on spine. Title page: Name of book, school, street address, city, state and zip, year, volume number, school phone and fax numbers, enrollment, website and theme. Is the contents listing accurate? Does it appear on the endsheets? Do section titles fit the theme? And, if section titles do not specifically identify sections, have you added titles (sports, student life, etc.) for clarity? If the book has been organized using section formats rather than traditional sections, is it clear to the readers where to find specific content? (Books with seasonal or monthly dividers or non-traditional sections should also include listings detailing where, for example, coverage of marching band, volleyball and class officers would be found.) Is your opening/closing design distinctive and appropriate in length? Is the verbal voice of the theme consistent with the visual tone? Does your theme have graphic appeal? Is it memorable?

2 Coverage Does your book give appropriate space to each section? (Student life 25 percent, academics percent, people percent, clubs/organizations percent, athletics percent, community 5 percent, not including theme pages.) If spreads cover more than one topic, is there balance between sports, clubs, academics and student life coverage? Are all aspects of the school year covered? Does the book reflect a 12-month year? Have you included topics covering students lives after school hours and off campus? Is the entire academic program reflected in an interesting and creative way? Does the people section coverage add to the story of the year, covering a range of interests and a variety of people? Does your clubs and organizations coverage bring the activities to life instead of just including a list of activities and officers? Are group shots downplayed, making action shots dominant? Are all varsity sports given relatively equal coverage? Are all non-varsity sports covered? PE and individual sports? Is there a scoreboard and team photo for every school team sport? Does sports copy tell what happened and rather than just rehashing the scores? Does the book include coverage of current events? Does copy on these subjects show student reaction and the way these events affected their lives? Does the advertising section include features? Does the book equally cover students from all grades? Students of all cultures?

3 Design Has a grid been used throughout, providing consistent spacing and structure to the spreads? Does every spread have a dominant visual element or photo? Does every spread contain a combination of horizontal and vertical photographs? Does picture and copy placement vary from spread to spread? Have photographs been placed so action looks into the spread rather than off the page? Does each spread contain at least one headline package and copy block? Does the use of multiple stories provide complementary coverage rather than competition for reader attention? Are designs and graphics consistent within a section without being redundant or overused? Are body copy and captions each a consistent size and font throughout the book? Does headline placement lead into the story/spread? Is headline type attractive, easy to read and consistent with the verbal message? Is the headline design within a section similar without being visually redundant? Do individual captions touch the photos they identify without being trapped between photos? Are all captions kept to the outside? Are there caption starters to begin each separate photo description, making the captions easy to read? Do graphics add to the visual unity, not call attention to themselves or take away from the content? Are the spot colors either used to create section identity or picked up from the photo content? Are you satisfied with the book s design? Does the design of the book as a whole visually represent the feel of the theme?

4 Writing Is all writing interesting, filled with specifics and strong quotes from a variety of people? Does copy start with interesting leads varying in format and style from story to story? Do story topics reflect diverse student interests? Is editorializing avoided? Are non-specific adjectives and adverbs avoided, such as many? Are transitions smooth? Are story endings as strong as the leads? Have a variety of story formats been used to tell the many stories of the year? Are grammar and spelling correct according to AP style? Does the headline attract attention? Does the subheadline identify story content and provide specific details? Do captions follow the ABCDQ formula? Do captions add relevant information, creating a mini-story? Is the writing in the book something you want to read?

5 Photography Do all photos have good contrast and color? Are all photos in focus or purposefully unfocused? Are all photos high resolution without appearing pixelated or stretched? Does every photo have an obvious center of interest? Are all photos cropped to the point of interest without cutting people at joints or putting faces in the gutter? Can you see everyone in group shots? Have photographers shot from different angles? Have photos of students showing only tops of heads or backs been avoided? Have posed shots been avoided? Reference Folios are included on at least one page of each spread. Index includes every person mentioned in the copy, spread topics, sections of the book and advertisers. In the portrait section, faculty members are listed with information about subjects taught, positions held, club sponsorships and coaching positions. Each sport has a complete scoreboard with the team picture. Colophon appears as part of the index and includes at least: Number of copies printed, book price, software and hardware used, font families, paper stock used, staff listing and advertising policy. Discuss the following: What did we do well last year? Which area is in need of the greatest improvement? Are there any easy, little things we can do to improve our publication? What are our goals for the year?