This document defines common journalism terminology used in print media. It provides definitions for over 70 terms related to layout, design, editing, and production of newspapers and magazines. Some key terms defined include things like bylines, which credit authors; headlines, which summarize stories; and captions, which explain photos. Other terms cover stylistic elements like fonts, formatting, and page sections. The comprehensive list aims to establish a shared vocabulary for discussing elements of print journalism.
4. LOWERCASE – small letter as distinguished from a capital letter ALIGN – to place adjacent to an even baseline on a horizontal plane GUTTER – long, unbroken space between two columns of type
6. AP – short for Associated Pres. A major news agency BREAK OVER or JUMP, – story that jumps from one page to another JUMP LINES – continuation lines: continued on page 4
7. BAD BREAK – bad phrasing of a headline; bad wrapping of headline type
8. BANNER or RIBBON – usually a headline stretching across all columns of a newspaper WIDOW – one or two words appearing at the end of a paragraph and on the last line
9. BARKER or HAMMER – reversed kicker in which the kicker is in larger type than the lines below it.
10. BLANKET HEAD – headline over several columns of type and/or illustrations
11. CLOSEUP or HEADSHOT – photo showing head or head and shoulders of an object seen at close range BLEED – running an illustration off the page
12. BLOOPER – any embarrassing error in print (not a typo)
13. BOLDFACE – type that is blacker than normal typeface ITALICS – slanted letter form, abbreviated itals.
22. CAPS – short for capital or uppercase letters STANDALONE – a photo without an accompanying story
23. CAPTION or CUTLINE –explanatory material, usually placed beneath a picture
24. CENTER SPREAD or DOUBLE TRUCK – two facing pages made up as one in the center of a newspaper section SPREAD – story predominately displayed often over several columns and with art
25. CENTERED – placed in the middle of a line DROPOUT – a subsidiary headline
46. INITIAL – (initial cap) first letter of a paragraph set in type larger than the body type
47. JUMPHEAD – headline over the continued portion of a story RUNOVER, JUMP STORY, or TURN STORY – portion of a story that continues from one page to the next
54. POINT – unit of printing measurement, approx. 1/72 of an inch
55. RIVERS – streaks of white space within typeset columns caused by excessive word spacing or letter spacing
56. ROP – run of paper. Ads that my appear anywhere in several editions of the paper ROPROP: run of the paper. Ads that may appear anywhere in several editions of the paper