Illinois JEA

Print Categories


ijea lighter resized2


DESCRIPTIONS OF PRINT CATEGORIES
Open to entries from print media only,
including the print versions of hybrid publications



Best Single-Page Story Package

A main article and related elements that work together to inform, entertain and/or move a publication’s audience about a single topic.
The subject matter may be news, features or sports. Besides a main article, the package at a minimum must contain a dominant visual image (photo or illustration) and one “quick read” sidebar element (e.g., a brief secondary article, “roving reporter” poll, at-a-glance box, list, chart, map, diagram, timeline, quiz, Q&A). The package will be judged on how well the writing, visuals and design work together to tell a story. The package may cover less than but not more than a single page.

Best Centerspread Story Package

A main article and related elements that work together to inform, entertain and/or move a publication’s audience about a single topic.
The subject matter may be news, features or sports. The package must not go beyond the publication’s middle two pages. Unrelated elements are not permitted in the pages that make up the centerspread. Besides a main article, the package must contain a dominant and secondary visual image (photo or illustration) and at least two “quick read” sidebar elements (e.g., a brief secondary article, “roving reporter” poll, at-a-glance box, list, chart, map, diagram, timeline, quiz, Q&A). The package will be judged on how well the writing, visuals and design work together to tell a story.
NOTE: If a centerspread consists solely of photos and captions, please enter it in the “Best Photo Story” category below.

Best Photo Story

A minimum of three photos that work together to tell a story.
The subject matter may be news, features or sports. The photo story must have a headline. It must have captions that explain the photos and identify the people in them. The photo story must be independent of any written article, but a modest amount of story copy — i.e., text separate from captions — is permissible for introductory purposes. Collectively the photos may cover an entire page, less than a page or more than a page.

Best Front-Page Design

A single front page of a publication.
The page may be designed in newspaper style (one or more stories laid out) or magazine style (dominant cover image, no stories laid out). The page will be judged on how well it incorporates the principles of good design. The emphasis is on modularity, dominance, balance, contrast, hierarchy, flow and overall reader friendliness. All elements on the page should contribute to a cohesive design — nameplate, teasers, text, headlines, captions, photos, graphics, illustrations, typography, rules, borders, screens, color, white space.

Best Overall Design

A single issue of a publication submitted in its entirety.
The issue will be judged on how well it incorporates the principles of good design. The emphasis is on modularity, dominance, balance, contrast, hierarchy, flow and overall reader friendliness. All elements on each page should contribute to a cohesive design throughout the issue — nameplate, teasers, masthead, folio lines, standing heads, story text, headlines, pullout quotes, info boxes, captions, photos, graphics, illustrations, typography, column logos, rules, borders, screens, color, white space, advertisements.

 

Activate Search
Print Categories