Research methods

For my coursework I will need to research to be able to make my magazine. I will be able to use research methods such as Primary, Secondary, Quantitive and Qualitative.

Primary research is information I will be able to collect myself such as people opinion on something. This can be obtained by making questionnaires, surveys, interviews, focus groups, phone calls, letters, emails and textual analysis.

Collecting information from books, the internet, search engines, industry websites, websites by individuals, newspapers, magazine and journals are all types of Secondary research. This research method is when information is collected from other people or places.

Quantitive is research to do with numbers and looking for patterns or trends within them to find peoples responses. This can be found using questionnaires and surveys.

Qualitative research involves collecting data to do with opinions, words, feeling in peoples response. This, like Quantitive research, is found using questionnaires and small interviews and surveys.

For my research I will use methods such as:
~Primary- textual analysis, focus groups, questionnaires and interviews.
~Secondary- Search engines, industry websites, magazines and websites made by individuals.
~Qualitative and Quantitive- questionnaires and surveys.

Photos- original to finished design.

 1. Original image. Outside the school with the school emblem. 

 2. Exposure and contrast increased. Focus blur around the girls face and the school name.

 3. Font added to look similar to the School Sign, formal but modern. Colour scheme of white red and black. 

4. Finished Design. Bolder writing for the title which is simply 'Southfield School.'

Conventions to include in my School magazine

In my school magazine the is aimed at students I will include the conventions of:

• a Banner/Masthead to attact the audience.
• Sell lines to show the target audience what's included in the magazine.
• a single picture of a student, smartly dressed, in the centre of the magazine with a background of the school.
• a simple and clean layout which will make the cover seem less like a social magazine.
• Sans serif writing to give an 'edgy' feel, appeals to the target audience.
• 3 colour, colour scheme of red, white and black to go with the colours of the school.

School Magazine analysis

‘The Griffin’ Magazine analysis

The purple bar at the top seems a little odd as it isn’t in the same shade as the other purple and the competition seems random for a school magazine.

The magazine has a well structured set of text as well as a clear layout.

The font seems a little plain and doesn’t go with the theme the magazine is portraying, of a higher class educated school as the students are in professional dress. However, the font does have a clear colour scheme but could come across as more feminine.

The ‘Free!’ sticker makes the magazine come across as tacky and does fit with the plain, simple structure and font.

The two individuals in the shot are standing at different angles which causes it to look strange on the. She is in a slightly model pose whereas he is standing quite rigid, business man pose. 

‘Back to school’ Magazine Analysis

Has a very clear target audience.

There is a clear colour scheme of green, pink and orange which is good on the eye and goes well. It also doesn’t single out one gender. However, the pink’s are different shades and, although may be intentional, looks like poor matching of the colours.

Picture depicts an ideal student. She is portrayed as very organised and professional. The image is also very centred and fits the messages on the front of helping ‘your child.’

‘SMS’ Magazine analysis

The bright green seems inappropriate for a school magazine. 

A text box that reads ‘Does Homework really help?’ is overlaying the sign saying ‘The St. Marylebone School. This makes it confusing to read as the two texts overlay.

There is a clear colour scheme of green and yellow in the font, however, there is several different fonts on the magazine which ruins the continuity of it. Also, two of the fonts come across as a creative idea and the other, which is in the green boxes seems boring and doesn’t go with the ‘quirky’ theme of the rest of the front cover. 

The picture has a good angle and setting but there are some background distractions such as other students walking. 

Welcome to my Blog!

Hello. My name is Kyra Summers and I'm currently studying AS Media studies. I will be completing two tasks for my Foundation Portfolio Coursework. My first, preliminary, task is a School/College magazine containing a front cover with a medium close-up of a student and a contents page. My main task will be to create a Music Magazine front cover, contents page and a double page spread. This blog will map my progress through the tasks.