An example front cover with Photoshop Tutorial

I've quikcly made this as an example of a cover. I used some covers I had found on google images and repeated conventions from a number of magazines in this one. Remember, the brief and specification asks you to produce a magazine that USES CONVENTIONS. It does not ask you to create conventions. 

This cover uses:

• A consistent colour theme
• A limited number of fonts (Arial and Times New Roman)
• Conventions identified by research from other magazines - it doesn't create a new set of rules but uses the rules that are currently used in the market.
• A main image that has been edited to exclude elements (the background)

Log on the the Student Shared Area to download a Photoshop tutorial that will guide you step-by-step to making this magazine or similar.

Examples of detailed Secondary Research (click to enlarge)

These are examples from last year of very good annotated front covers and contents pages. They show a highly proficient/excellent skill in research: they identify conventions of the similar products and use media-specific terminology.

Remember that the strength of research will also be evident in the planning - your work will show how you are USING the conventions you have identified in the research stage.