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  • The postmark deadline has passed for the 2024 IJEA Yearbook Contest! Books were to be mailed and entry forms submitted by Oct. 15. Please contact us if you ran into any problems or have questions!
  • A big thank you to everyone who attended our 2024 Fall Conference, which took place Sept. 20 at Illinois State University. The sessions were amazing! Thank you to all of our presenters! Now let's get ready for contest season!
  • High school seniors! Get your portfolios ready for the 2025 Illinois Journalist of the Year Contest! Entries will be due Feb. 15.
  • Advisers! Join IJEA today! Annual memberships and lifetime memberships are available. Use our online form or fillable PDF to join!
Illinois Journalism Education Association, 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 200, Springfield, IL 62704

Illinois JEA

Illinois Journalism Education Association, 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 200, Springfield, IL 62704

Illinois JEA

Illinois Journalism Education Association, 2501 Chatham Road, Suite 200, Springfield, IL 62704

Illinois JEA

Print Categories


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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.

 

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