Assignment 1 Analytical Task

It's now time to complete the Assignment 1 Analytical Task. A reminder of the task AQA have set you:

Analyse the cover pages of two popular magazines. How do the covers appeal to their audiences?

Word count: 750 words
10 marks

AO2: Analyse and Respond

Remember - we add a couple of details to that. Firstly, the two magazines must be from the following choices and aimed at different audiences:

Magazine 1: GQ OR Men's Health
Magazine 2: Glamour OR Empire

Secondly, you also need to analyse your own magazine cover.

You can find guidance for the layout of the Assignment 1 Analytical Task here.

Use the official magazine Media Packs to help you with the target audience:

GQ Media Pack
Men's Health Media Pack
Glamour Media Pack
Empire Media Pack

Remember, we analyse something by explaining HOW and WHY it is produced in that way and the EFFECT it has on its audience. For an A*, you need to explain in real detail and offer alternative interpretations.

One of the ways of doing this is making sure we use those key words and phrases to show connotation:

This tells the reader...
This could signify...
A possible interpretation of this is...
The reader could infer that...
This shows the audience...
This suggests to the reader...
From this, the audience will understand that...
This connotes...
This is significant because...
This creates...
This emphasises...

Assignment 1: planning and sketching

Some great work going on today planning our Assignment 1 magazine covers. Here are the notes if you've missed anything:

Things a teenage audience may be interested in:
Sport, Football, Crime, Fashion, Basketball, Technology, Music, Celebrities, Movies, Comedy, TV shows, Politics, Gaming etc.

Design skills

Reading path
The standard reading path for western audiences is left-right, top-bottom.

Rule of thirds
Graphic designers and photographers often divide pages/images into thirds to create a balanced composition.

Visual centre

The visual centre is just to the right and slightly above the actual centre of the page

Assignment 1 production brief

Produce a magazine aimed at a teenage audience to be given away free with the i newspaper.

You need to complete a detailed planning document – giving you a title, slogan, target audience and what features you could include in your magazine.

You then need to produce two A4 sketches of your front cover (one with colour).

These three planning documents need to be in your folder before you participate in the photoshoot.