The document discusses best practices for creating a high-quality yearbook, including following journalistic standards, knowing reader expectations, focusing on visual storytelling through photos and captions, ensuring consistency in design elements, and incorporating current trends to engage readers. It also emphasizes the importance of understanding the publication's mission and readers to balance traditional elements with innovative design and content.

1. the
balancing
act
the challenge to meet journalistic standards
& exceed reader expectations
ideas from Sarah Nichols, MJE

2. A few questions to begin…
• What is your yearbook mission?
• What do you do well?
• Where are your improvement areas?
• How well do you know your readers?
• Are you willing to take the next step?

3. Act I:
It’s about
details

4. knowing the standards
• State/regional press associations
• National press associations
• Staff manual
• Training days
• Workshops like this one!

5. first things first
• Looks are everything
• Judging a book by its cover
• Often, less is more
• Restraint in typography
• Purposeful design
• Attention-getting images

6. concept development
• Carefully planned theme/concept
permeates the book both verbally
and visually

7. Cover// Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, VA

8. Endsheet// Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, VA

9. Title page// Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, VA

10. Opening// Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, VA

11. Opening// Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, VA

12. Opening// Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, VA

13. Dividers// Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, VA

14. Dividers// Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, VA

15. Dividers// Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, VA

16. Closing// Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, VA

17. Parting page// Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, VA

18. reader services
• Table of contents is accurate, complete
– All major sections, including index, closing
• Folio appears consistently and provides
detailed information without over-
emphasis in design
• Index is a complete alphabetical listing
with more than just names: advertisers,
clubs, sports teams, topics, events

20. captions as stories
• Expanded: 3-4 sentences with complete
name(s), actions and additional info
• Provide the date and as many of the 5Ws
and H as possible
• Go beyond what readers see in the photo
• Background info about the photo’s
content, not the person pictured

21. ROLE
REVERSAL
Balancing on Eric Juddʼs
shoulders, Brenden Sady
cheers during the senior/
junior powder puff game on
Oct. 9. Fourteen boys
formed the cheer squad,
performing sideline cheers
and a four-minute halftime
routine to “Girls Just Wanna
Have Fun.” “We practiced
about 50 times during lunch
to get the stunts right. My
favorite part was the skirt
because nobody expected
we had them on under our
pants,” Sady said.

22. keeping score
• Sports captions: additional info required
• Provide the school/team name and
whether the game was home or away
• Get the opposing player’s full name and
position
• Provide the outcome of the action as well
as the game’s final score and/or other
pertinent info not obvious in the photo

23. Sports
HANDS UP. With nine
seconds on the clock,
Jeremy Patterson reaches
for the pass thrown from
quarterback Tom Schroeder
in the Oct. 15 home game
against West. Patterson
caught the pass at the
endzone and was able to
escape West player Carlos
Gonzales for a 27-10 win. “I
didnʼt even think Iʼd get to
play but Coach put me in at
the last minute and it was
sweet being the one to make
that catch,” Patterson said.

24. student life
• Coverage is a balance between in- and
out-of-school activities
• Topics range across full calendar year
• Royalty, awards, superlatives minimized
• Emphasis toward this year specifically

28. academics
• Focus on students, not teachers
• Coverage includes captivating photo
coverage of students engaged in the
learning process (not typical desk shots)
• In copy, consider labs, field trips, required
reading, standardized tests, hands-on…
• In photos, provide a new angle or
perspective of learning with each shot

31. people
• Logical panel arrangement for portraits in
alphabetical order
• Designed with names to the outside, not
underneath (may include senior activities)
• Combined with interesting feature
coverage (one topic per spread, unified
with headline, photos and copy)
• Faculty/staff includes detailed info

32. Northview HS, Duluth, GA

34. Westlake HS, Austin, TX

35. clubs and organizations
• Coverage is news-driven, not based on a
summary of the group’s purpose, goals or
“projects” for the year
• Action shots capture more than one
activity or event per group and are
designed larger than posed group shots

36. Horizon HS, Scottsdale, AZ

37. consistency is key
• Group shots have simple, uniform
background and adequate lighting
• Head sizes are consistent and large
enough for identification
• Rows are labeled with names listed in
order left to right (although unstated) with
consistent titles (Front row, Row 2, Back
row) and are same for clubs/sports/other

39. sports
• Team life is captured beyond the playing
field, with emphasis on this year
• Photo coverage represents practice and
other activities
• Game shots show a variety of opponents
• Each team’s results are presented in a
reader-friendly scoreboard that is
accurate, complete and minimal in design

45. how’s it look?
• Overall appearance of book is planned,
unified and teen-friendly
• Designs are related but not monotonous
• Packaging is proportional
• Each spread offers multiple entry points
• Type is attractive and readable
• Color is used with purpose

46. Whitney HS, Rocklin, CA

47. Whitney HS, Rocklin, CA

48. Whitney HS, Rocklin, CA

49. Whitney HS, Rocklin, CA

55. get the picture
• Photo quality: If it’s not top-notch, don’t
use it
• Dominant and subordinate images
• Storytelling value with each image added
• Visual variety (angle, distance, shape)

57. Act II:
It’s about
innovation

58. cover
everyone

59. Rocklin HS, Rocklin, CA

60. San Clemente HS, San Clemente, CA

63. Whitney HS, Rocklin, CA

64. Specialty// Whitney HS, Rocklin, CA

65. Specialty// Whitney HS, Rocklin, CA

66. enliven
copy

67. Northview HS, Duluth, GA

68. Rocklin HS, Rocklin, CA

69. Whitney HS, Rocklin, CA

70. play to your
strengths

71. Bryant HS, Bryant, AR

73. know your
readers

77. Northview HS, Duluth, GA

78. Rocklin HS, Rocklin, CA

79. incorporate
trends

89. Whitney HS, Rocklin, CA

90. Whitney HS, Rocklin, CA

91. Whitney HS, Rocklin, CA

92. Rocklin HS, Rocklin, CA

93. Rocklin HS, Rocklin, CA

94. Rocklin HS, Rocklin, CA

95. Rocklin HS, Rocklin, CA

96. Rocklin HS, Rocklin, CA

97. ask
questions
Email me at snichols@rocklin.k12.ca.us