Parts of a Yearbook
Yearbook Vocabulary
Design Basics
Miscellaneous
100
The area of the yearbook connecting the front and back covers.
What is a spine?
100
A few sentences that identify the who, what, where, when, why and how of a picture.
What is a caption?
100
Blank area where no elements are placed.
What is white space?
100

Another name for a portrait.

What is a mugshot?

200
The heavier sheets of paper which hold the pages of the yearbook to the cover.
What are endsheets?
200
A 16 page grouping made up of two 8-page flats.
What is a signature?
200

A horizontal break on the spread that is usually one pica, but should not be found in the middle of the layout.

What is eyeline?

200

The main text on a page that tells the story.

What is body copy?

300
The first page of the yearbook that gives identifying information for the school, including full name, address, telephone number, website, name of the book and year.
What is the title page?
300
A verbal statement and a visual look which tie all parts of the yearbook together.
What is the theme?
300
The photo that is 2 to 2.5 times larger than other photos on the spread.
What is the dominant photo?
300
Games used often in the classroom to help students learn names, relieve stress, maintain camaraderie, and build community.
What is an ice breaker?
400
The area between two facing pages (a spread) when the book is opened. It is important to keep important design out of this area as it will cut off parts of pictures and copy.
What is the gutter?
400

A roadmap of a yearbook that shows the order of pages, sections, and content. It helps the staff plan layouts, photos, captions, and stories before design begins.

What is yearbook ladder?

400

When any image or element touches the edge of the page extending beyond the trim edge

What is a bleed?

400
The date or time before which all pages of the yearbook must be done. This is the plant receipt date, not the mailing date.
What is the final deadline?
500

The part of the book that contains publication information such as paper stock, typefaces (fonts), book price, staff members, and acknowledgements. Consider this the “how it was made” section of the yearbook and is usually found at the end.

What is a colophon?

500

The page number and the topic of a spread placed as a unit, usually found at the bottom left and bottom right of the spread.

What is a folio?

500

A small, self-contained design package, like a sidebar or infographic, that fits within a larger yearbook page layout

What is a yearbook mod?

500

Set of rules and standards that dictate the visual and written consistency of a yearbook, including fonts, colors, layouts, photo styles, and tone of writing. It ensures that all pages look cohesive and maintain the book’s overall design and voice.

What is a style guide?

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