1-6: GENERAL EXCELLENCE
This category recognizes overall excellence in magazines in six circulation categories (under 100,000; 100,000 to 250,000; 250,000 to 500,000; 500,000 to 1,000,000; 1,000,000 to 2,000,000; over 2,000,000). It honors the effectiveness with which writing, reporting, editing, design, and photography all come together to command readers' attention and fulfill the magazine's unique editorial mission. Entries consist of three entire issues with covers dated 2008 (December 2008/January 2009 issues are acceptable). The submission statement must include a reader profile and explain how these issues meet the magazine's editorial mission.

7: SINGLE-TOPIC ISSUE
This category recognizes magazines that have devoted an issue to an in-depth examination of one topic. It honors the ambition, comprehensiveness and imagination with which a magazine treats its subject. Each issue counts as one entry. Note that the overwhelming majority of the feature well must be given over to the single topic.

8: MAGAZINE SECTION
This category recognizes the excellence of a regular, cohesive section of a magazine, either front- or back-of-book and composed of a variety of elements, both text and visual. Judges will select finalists based on the section's voice, originality, and unified design and packaging. Entries should include complete examples of the same section from three separate issues.

9: REPORTING
This category recognizes excellence in reporting. It honors the enterprise, exclusive reporting and intelligent analysis that a magazine exhibits in covering an event, a situation or a problem of contemporary interest and significance. If the reporting was "exclusive," supporting evidence should be included with the entry. Entries may consist of one story, a thematically related package (single-topic issues are not eligible in this category) or a series of up to three stories. Although three pieces should in most cases be sufficient, we will in appropriate instances—where individual elements are short and clearly branded as a series—consider submissions with more parts. Some or all of the pieces in an entry may have been published online only, but they must be printed out, and the submission must clearly indicate when they first appeared.

10: PUBLIC INTEREST
This category recognizes journalism that sheds new light on an issue of public importance and has the potential to affect national or local debate or policy. Entries may consist of one story, a thematically related package (single-topic issues are not eligible in this category) or a series of up to three stories. Although three pieces should in most cases be sufficient, we will in appropriate instances—where individual elements are short and clearly branded as a series—consider submissions with more parts. if the article/package has had significant impact, supporting evidence should be included with the entry. Some or all of the pieces in an entry may have been published online only, but they must be printed out, and the submission must clearly indicate when they first appeared.

11: FEATURE WRITING
This category recognizes excellence in feature writing. It honors the stylishness and originality with which the author treats his or her subject. Entries consist of one story. Freshness counts and brevity is not a negative. An article that appears online only may be submitted, but it must be printed out, and the submission must clearly indicate when it first appeared.

12: PROFILE WRITING
This category recognizes excellence in profile writing. It honors the vividness and perceptiveness with which the writer brings his or her subject to life. Entries consist of one profile. Interviews are eligible, but pieces co-authored by the profile subject are not. An article that appears online only may be submitted, but it must be printed out, and the submission must clearly indicate when it first appeared.

13: ESSAYS
This category recognizes excellence in essay writing on topics ranging from the personal to the political. Whatever the subject, emphasis should be placed on the author's eloquence, perspective, fresh thinking and unique voice. Entries consist of one article. An article that appears online only may be submitted, but it must be printed out, and the submission must clearly indicate when it first appeared.

14: COLUMNS AND COMMENTARY
This category recognizes excellence in short-form political, social, economic or humorous commentary. It honors the eloquence, force of argument and succinctness with which the writer presents his or her views. Entries include three pieces of commentary by the same author. Some or all of the pieces in an entry may have been published online only, but they must be printed out, and the submission must clearly indicate when they first appeared.

15: REVIEWS AND CRITICISM
This category recognizes excellence in criticism of art, books, movies, television, theatre, music, dance, food, dining, fashion, products and the like. It honors the knowledge, persuasiveness and original voice that the critic brings to his or her reviews. Entries can include up to three pieces of criticism linked by subject or author. Some or all of the pieces in an entry may have been published online only, but they must be printed out, and the submission must clearly indicate when they first appeared.

16: FICTION
This category recognizes excellence in magazine fiction writing. It honors the quality of a publication's literary selections. Entries consist of two pieces of fiction, by one or more authors, from one or more issues. Some or all of the pieces in an entry may have been published online only, but they must be printed out, and the submission must clearly indicate when they first appeared.

17: PERSONAL SERVICE
This category recognizes excellence in service journalism. The advice or instruction presented should help readers improve the quality of their lives in areas that are core to their personal well-being (such as their physical or mental health, relationships, family, careers or personal finance).  An entry should include information a reader can act on.  Entries may consist of one story, a thematically related package (single-topic issues are not eligible in this category) or a series of up to three stories.

18: LEISURE INTERESTS
This category recognizes excellent service journalism about leisure-time pursuits. The practical advice or instruction presented should help readers enjoy hobbies or other recreational interests (e.g., sports, travel, fashion, interior decorating, design, food, crafts or arts and entertainment). An entry should include information a reader can act on. Entries may consist of one story, a thematically related package (single-topic issues are not eligible in this category) or a series of up to three stories.

19: DESIGN
This category recognizes excellence in magazine design. It honors the effectiveness of overall design, artwork, graphics and typography in enhancing a magazine's unique mission and personality. Entries consist of three entire issues with covers dated 2008. The submission statement should explain how these issues fulfill the magazine's editorial goals.

20: PHOTOGRAPHY
This category recognizes excellence in magazine photography. It honors the effectiveness of photography, photojournalism and photo illustration in enhancing a magazine's unique mission and personality. Entries consist of three entire issues with covers dated 2008. The submission statement should explain how these issues fulfill the magazine's editorial goals.

21: PHOTOJOURNALISM
This category recognizes the informative photographic documentation of an event or subject in real-time. Although photo essays accompanied by text will be eligible, they will be judged primarily on the strength of the photographs. Images that are digitally altered are not eligible. Entries consist of a single story by one or multiple photographers.

22: PHOTO PORTFOLIO
This category honors creative photography and photo illustration (including portraiture or specially produced layouts on fashion, food, decorating, travel, design, the arts, etc.). Although photo essays accompanied by text will be eligible, they will be judged primarily on the strength of the photographs. Entries consist of a single portfolio by one or multiple photographers.

23-24: GENERAL EXCELLENCE ONLINE
This category recognizes excellence in magazine websites as well as online-only magazines that publish original content. Websites are honored in two traffic categories (less than 1,000,000 average monthly unique visitors; 1,000,000 and above average monthly unique visitors; for preferred data source, please see entry form). The site must convey a distinct editorial identity and create a unique magazine environment on the Web. The site should also be well designed and easy to use, with clear navigation, while making creative use of web links and multimedia. Editorial material must be clearly delineated from sponsored content, advertising and product sales as prescribed in ASME's "Best Practices for Digital Media."

25: PERSONAL SERVICE ONLINE
This category recognizes excellent service journalism on the Web. The practical advice and instruction presented should help readers improve the quality of their personal lives or enjoy recreational pursuits. Emphasis will be placed on the effective use of multimedia technology to deliver information that users can act on. The entry may be published all at once or incrementally over any length of time but must have been created or substantially changed within the previous calendar year, and the dates the material was live must be clearly indicated. Submissions should take the form of links to a Web address or addresses, supplemented where necessary by print descriptions.

26: INTERACTIVE FEATURE
This category recognizes an outstanding feature or section of a website that uses multimedia technology, tools, community platforms or other interactive formats to deliver or share content such as news, information and entertainment, rather than practical instruction or advice. The entry may be published all at once or incrementally over any length of time but must have been created or substantially changed within the previous calendar year, and the dates the material was live must be clearly indicated. Submissions should take the form of links to a Web address or addresses, supplemented where necessary by print descriptions.