Textual analysis of "Common Sense"

I chose to write about “Common Sense”, which was released on the 9^Th March 2005. The front cover is an image of the band “America idiots” which tells us that this is going to be a cheerful and funny magazine. We can also see that it is a lighthearted magazine from the font that they use for the title of the magazine “common Sense”. Common is in big, bold and in a serious shape however, sense is in a curve and casual font which tells us that the designers are making fun of the serious part of the title.

The headline is the most important parts of the magazine it has big, bold letters to grab your attention, “American Idiots” is the headline of the magazine. The cover lines in the magazine are “Students Sex Appeal”, “Universities”, “Good Grub!” “Chill Out” and “Real Life Stories” these headings summaries the most important and exciting features and articles which are inside the magazine.  “Free” is in bold letters because it makes the magazine more appealing if it is free.

“Luton Sixth Form College” is the masthead of the magazine; it is the title on top of the front cover, which identifies the magazine.

The members of the band are positioned in this way to show that the guy in the middle is the most well known and therefore has the most power in the band, he is normally the singer. Also the other members of the band are smaller than the guy in the front this also exaggerates that the guy in the front is more powerful. As well as the men being behind they also frame the leader, which makes your eye focus more on him and less on the other too. The photographer used a medium; close up to focus on the humour of their faces.  The photograph is in Black and white, which enhance the colour in the title and the words.

There is also a lure on the front cover to attract the customer to get the magazine “ I faked my own rape…”

The content page for this magazine has a simple layout; it has this because it makes it easier to get to the article you want to read instead of just flicking through the pages. It has pictures that go with the article. This makes the contents page more interesting. The page numbers are in big, bold letters to make it easier for the reader. There is more writing on this page than the front cover because the cover is aimed to attracted and the contents is aim to be a helpful guide. The byline; which is the name of the journalist who as written the articles, is in the corner of the contents page this is because people might be looking for a particular writer and it makes it easier to find them in the first page you open. Next to the page numbers they give a headline of the article, which is in big letters to attract you to the article. The title of the magazine is in every page of the magazine so that you don’t forget get about it and you remember the name of the magazine and buy the next addition.