Study the table of contents from the previous issue to see what style is used and whether, for example, author names or a descriptive sentence for each article is needed. Make sure that you have all the information you need to write the table of contents. Make sure you have a map of the issue's contents so you know where each article falls in the magazine.
Make sure the table of contents matches the rest of your magazine. For instance, the font, colors and design should be similar or a complement to these important items in the rest of your magazine.
Divide up your content as you want it to appear. Group together any reoccurring content, like monthly columns or advice sections. New feature and cover stories can be grouped together as well or can be divided into sections based on topic or sub-topic, such as sports, entertainment, love and health.
Record the order of your sections, and the articles within that section, to appear in your table of contents. Often, articles within the sections are listed in page number sequence. For example, in the sports section, the baseball article on page 25 is listed before the basketball article on page 30.
Write a cover caption. Study the cover photo or illustration and write a short but descriptive caption that reflects the cover or feature story that it represents. Be sure to include a photo or illustration credit if needed and the page number where the story appears.
Use a poster board and draw up your table of contents with reference to design layout, including columns, fonts, photos or illustrations and colors. Having a model of how you want your table of contents to appear can help you address any problems with design or photo content before you structure it in your software design program.
Create your table of contents in whatever design program your magazine uses, using your sample table of contents model as a reference point. Print it out and check it carefully for any errors in content, spelling of author names and page numbers.
Correct any errors or issues and send your final result to the print or production department.