Album Cover Outline Template
Introduction:

Attention Getter: Background on the artist, type of music, the album, the time and place of its creation, or even the designer. You can also tell us information about how the album was received or how it sold.
Thesis: What techniques are used on the album cover to create meaning, and how does it influence the audience?

Body (This is just one possible organizational pattern. Choose an organizational structure based on the elements of your album cover):

Paragraph One:

Describe the album cover and what it looks like.
Discuss the artist who designed the cover. What was the inspiration?

Paragraph Two:

Analyze the Message

What is the message of the album cover? What emotions does it create?
How do the images, colors, text and layout help create the message?
Are symbols used and what are they symbolic of?

Paragraph Three:

Relate the album cover to the subject matter of the album, using a specific song and its lyrics as proof.
Does the cover art create an argument?

Paragraph Four:

Anything else you want to analyze (Ethos, Logos, Pathos, Overall Effects, Negative or Positive Consequences, stereotypes, etc.)
Audience: who is it, how are people likely to respond?

Conclusion:

Rephrase thesis
Summarize main points
Challenge, Recommendation or other final statements about the album and why it was worth analyzing.