Woohoo! Another year, another yearbook staff to train. Before you delve into those photos and pages, make sure they know the basics. Here are 15 terms ALL yearbook staffers should know:

1. Coverage – What you plan to cover in your yearbook (events, topics, people, etc…)
2. Theme – The verbal and visual idea that tie this year’s book together
3. Endsheet – The paper between the cover and the Title Page (called the endsheet because it’s on the end) and also where your theme elements should appear after the cover
4. Title Page – The 1st page of your book, where all the important information goes (see our entry on “T is for Title Page” for more info)
5. Section Divider – The “title pages” for every section of your book. Your theme elements should be visible here as well.
6. Table of Contents – Most often found on endsheets or opening spreads, tells where to find the divider for each of your sections
7. Index – A list of names and organizations and what pages to find them on (and surprisingly, the most popular section of a yearbook)
8. Folio – The part of your spread that contains the page number, section, topic, and any accompanying graphics
9. Sidebar – Extra coverage on a spread, usually fun stuff (like Q&As, polls, charts, quick quotes, etc…)
10. Signature – Every 16 pages of your book is a signature. It’s how the pages are actually printed (before they are folded, sewn, and cut)
11. Flat – One side of a signature
12. Spread – 2 pages side-by-side in your book
13. Gutter – The space in a 2-page spread where the pages are folded and things can get lost
14. White Space – The space on a spread where the background can be seen (where there are no photos, copy, or graphics). White space is a design element that should be planned!
15. Deadline – In Civil War times, it was the line a prisoner could not cross or they would be shot. In yearbook, it’s when your pages are due to the plant in order for them to print your book in time. Aren’t you glad we use the yearbook definition? 😉

Want to learn more Yearbook Lingo? If you’re a Herff Jones’ school, you received this cool poster to help you teach yearbook terms to your staff in your Welcome Back package. (Yes, that’s what’s in the envelope on your desk labeled “Anticipate.”)

Lesson Idea:

Assign a term (that’s not on the poster) to each of your students and have them illustrate the meaning of that term. Hang their posters around your HJ one =)