Unit 5 Coverage And Content
- 1. UNIT 5: COVERAGE AND CONTENT Coverage: Gathering information, photographing subjects and writing about topics to be included in yearbook. Content: Subject matter included in the yearbook.
- 2. WHO’S BOOK IS IT ANYWAY? Yearbooks are produced for students and should be about them. Students should be the focus in stories and photos.
- 3. CHOOSING AN ANGLE An angle is a way of considering a subject. Example: DATING First dates Cost of dating How to break a date Dating older students Now… you can write more concisely. You can decide who to interview. You know what questions to ask. You determine what photos to take. You better hold the reader’s attention.
- 4. STUDENT ACTIVITIES Discuss movies, slang, fashions, TV shows, hangouts, etc. and other popular things that distinguish the year. Cover everyday, routine events students relate to but generally take for granted. Capture emotions and reactions to events Don’t use or take photos of students mugging the camera. Use natural candids only. Include both on and off-campus activities. Cover topics students are interested in. Include local, regional and national events if they affect students directly. Use good taste and avoid including embarrassing or libelous information . Make it fun.
- 5. PEOPLE Good place for personality profiles . Faculty mug shots and statistics can be included here. Include topics that only hold significance for an individual class or group of faculty members. Use new angles for topics repeated year to year. Include class-related activities not covered in academics or organizations. Portrait identifications should include Full First and Last Names.
- 6. ACADEMICS Include lots of names and faces. Provide variety with visually exciting design and photos. Coverage of students should be the primary emphasis. Focus more on the learning process than on teaching methods. Include reactions of people involved in special projects. Don’t use or take obvious, teacher-at-the chalkboard shots. Make this section more than a list of courses. Teachers can be included here or in the people section. Avoid heads-down shots of students reading, thinking or working. Capture their eyes and expressions. Ask teachers when they plan to do fun things. Sample feature story topics include field trips, academic assemblies, off-campus learning, college night programs and study hall. Consider grouping content by topics rather than academic departments.
- 7. CLUBS/ENRICHMENT Topical approach . Instead of covering each organization, you might write about weekly meetings, initiations, community involvement or club-related trips. In this way only active organizations are included. Include each organization and a list of members. (Yearbook is a historical record.) Have advisers bring membership lists to their group photo sessions. When photographing groups, pass a blank sheet of paper down each row and have members print their names. Base your decisions to include important activities that affect a majority of students. Emphasize activities of members , not the goals of the group. Mention awards and honors if groups receive any. Don’t rely on information received months in advance of a scheduled activity. Plans can change . Ask the adviser for confirmation before mentioning it in the yearbook.
- 8. COVERING EVENTS Develop a list of every person, group, club and team you feel should furnish resource information. Assign specific coverage areas to individuals on staff. Staff members must take responsibility for covering their assigned beats. Gather background information, take clear notes and consider photo opportunities and potential interviewees. Create a filing system.