COMM 313: Editorial Processes
Layout exercise using dummy sheet

Note: Try to be neat, please. Use pica rule or other ruler to draw straight dummy sheet lines. Use pencil with eraser for obvious reasons.

Download and print this dummy sheet, or one provided to you in class.

Advertisements: These must be dummied in first. Normally that would be an ad staff job, but as they seem to all be on vacation right now, I guess you'll have to do it.... Ads should be laid in beginning at the bottom of the page, grouped toward the inside corner, larger at the bottom to smaller toward the top, like a stack of building blocks. Draw a single horizontal line where ad ends, write sponsor's names, and number of columns by number of inches. For instance, a 2-col by 4-in (two-column by four-inch) ad might be marked, "Bison Turf, 2 X 4." How many column inches is a 2 X 4 ad? It's 8, of course. Display ads are sold by the column inch.
Ads to lay in:
Bison Turf, 6 X 6
Bab's Coffee, 2 X 4
HuHot Restaurant, 2 X 3

Right: sample dummy sheet with some ads laid in.

Copy: Choose from the stories below to fill your news page. Choose headline sizes based on your layout. Headline choices must be listed on hed sked. Fill out a copy control sheet, and after laying in each story, add it to the sheet under these headings: slug, headline size, page number, size (in col in) including head. Think "modular design" (squared off rectangles). All columns of a story must be under its headline.

Remember: Calculate the size of a headline in column inches by multiplying height of type by number of columns by number of lines. For example, a 4-36-2: 36 pts is one-half column inch X 4 columns X 2 lines=4 col in. Add this to the number of column inches indicated for the story size.

Note: you probably won't be able to fit all these stories in, so you'll have to make some choices, and adjust to fit. If a story is too long you can jump to another page, adjust headline size (to an extent), redo layout, cut story. If too short, you can adjust headline, redo layout or, if it's only a matter of a column inch or so, just leave it.

List of stories:
City Commission, 25 col in.
NDSU commencement speaker, 20 col in.
Liquor licence approvals, 14 col in.
Fargo road construction, 10 col in.
Proposed tuition cut, 10 col in.
St. John Lutheran Church fundraiser, 9 col in.
Flood threat, 8 col in.
House fire, 4 col in.
Fishing derby, 3 col in.
Art show, 2 col in.

As you lay in each story, fill in the copy control sheet. Do not list ads on copy control sheet (the ad people take care of that). If you need to cut stories to fit, be sure to indicate the cut story size (not original size) on copy control sheet. As you will not be able to use all stories, write on your copy control sheet only the copy you actually use.

Hand in dummy sheet and copy control sheet for grading.

Right: sample dummy sheet with ads and stories and a photo laid in.