Effective Process for Designing a Logo

Effective Process for Designing a Logo © Shutterstock.com | AysezgicmeliAs logo of a company represents it and provides the first impression of this company, the design and creation of a logo is very important process. In this article, we will discuss 1) whats in a logo, 2) the process for designing a logo, 3) examples of good logos.WHAT’S IN A LOGO: AN OVERVIEWA Logo is a term that is used to refer to a symbol, a mark, an emblem or a graphical representation that symbolizes one’s organization, principles or identity. Logos are used by commercial organizations, religious sects, medical institutions and even individuals to promote public recognition and may be in the form of the company’s name, the trademark or an abbreviation, etc. Instead of using the entire name of the organization, individual or group, a logo acts as a small or descriptive representation with which audiences can identify the entity.A logo is a visual mark that these days is created using several computer softwares and platforms. There are a sepa rate study and area of education that teaches how to design and create logos, and this field of study is known as Logo Designing. To know more about Logos, how they are designed and why they are important, you can go through the following given information.Importance of a good logo for businessesA logo is a visual representation of the principles, beliefs and other attributes of your business and is hence exceedingly important for any entity. A logo influences the first impression of your company or brand on customers, clients, and partners and it is hence very crucial to design a logo carefully. Once made, it can be very difficult to change the logo since people begin to identify it and use it to refer to your brand. Not only does a good logo promotes customer loyalty but also establishes a brand’s identity. It gives a professional touch to your business, no matter how large or small in scale it may be.With a little consideration, a slight creativity, and a proper brainstorming p rocedure, one can come up with a logo that is well appreciated and identified across masses. Logo designing must be given enough importance, even if it takes the time to come up with an excellent design.Features of a great logoThe following are some of the characteristics of a great logo:Should be easy memorable recognizable A good logo is one that people remember and can quickly recognize. People must not take more than a second or two to cement it in their memories and recall it when needed.Should be simple It is important that your logo is clutter free, clean and simple. It must not be very complex, confusing and distracting as a complicated design may be hard to understand and recognize.Should be timeless While designing a logo, you must consider whether it is timeless or not. Would it still hold valid and be good after a few decades? If not, change it!Should be versatile The logo you design for your company must be extremely versatile. It should be scalable to different si zes without any loss in quality. It should work across several forms of media easily.Should be appropriate It should be suitable for your business, should be able to resonate with your purpose and objectives and must be appropriate.Types of LogosThe following are some of the broad logo types:Font based logos Font based logos are those types of logos which use Type Treatments. In these logos, the company names are written with slight twists in their font styles and sizes, etc. Some examples of companies using such logos are Sony, Microsoft and IBM.Illustrative logos Illustrative logos are those kinds of logos which illustrate what the company or brand does. For example, a company that is involved in painting houses may use the symbol of a painting brush.Abstract logos Abstract Logos are the kinds of logos which do not represent the name or purpose of the company but are abstract signs or symbols that the brand can expect to become popular. An example of a brand using abstract log os is Nike.THE PROCESS FOR DESIGNING A LOGODesigning a Logo is a comprehensive and detailed procedure or process that requires not only brainstorming ideas, but also research work, initial drafting procedure, revision process, delivery of final logo and other steps. One can either design a logo on their own by learning the logo design softwares or can use the services of a logo designer who uses professional level dedication and skills to come up with a logo for your brand. To know more about what goes into designing a logo at a professional level, you can go through the following given information.Step #1: Research workThe first step involved in logo designing is the step where research work takes place. Before drafting the initial designs or brainstorming ideas, it is important to know the current trends, study the logos of competitors and observe the kind of Logos that are appreciated by the audience. Researching of the industry or field helps professional designers get a sense o f the atmosphere and environment going on currently. Research work also helps to avoid designing of logos similar to the ones that are already popular in the market.Research can be done by either searching the web for popular logos or industry-specific logos or venturing out in the market to observe symbols used by random brands and then doing the evaluations or analysis of each logo type. This process could take long, especially if field research is being conducted. Field research could also include taking opinions of the masses or customers regarding their preferred symbols, the logos they dislike or the kind of logos they would want to see.Step #2: Know the Client/BrandAfter research is done, and results are evaluated, the next step is to get to know the brand or company the designer is dealing with. Before stepping into the actual designing process, it is important to establish a level of comfort with the client so as to easily take his/her opinion on the kind of logo he/she has in mind. Besides knowing the expectations and requirements of the client, it is also important for a designer to understand the brand. A logo designer may do a brief research on the history of the company, what it stands for and what its future objectives are. These points may help the designer incorporate the purpose or goals of the brand into the logo and make it more personal for the company.In order to know the client, the brand, and the expectations, one can conduct meetings or hold candid discussions with the company owner or concerned creative head. There might be certain things that the company may not want in the logo, and it is crucial to know about these things in advance, rather than during the designing process.Step #3: Determine the function of the logoA logo is the representation of your brand, its ideas, its purposes, its principles, and beliefs. It is important for the designer first to determine the function of the logo and then go ahead and work on its font, size , color scheme, design, etc. The logo must be capable of:Creating a trust factor among the audiences or customers. A solid and attractive logo is one which conveys the company’s willingness to satisfy clients and customers.Boosting recognition and brand identity among the masses. A strong logo helps people identify it among the other logos and competing brands.Enhancing the impression and admiration factor among people. The logo must throw a good first impression on new clients, customers and others.As a designer, one must try to design the logo keeping the following points in mind:The target audience or public. The logo must be designed keeping their sensibilities, taste, preference, level of understand, etc. the logo must resonate with them and look appealing.Main message. The logo must be able to put across the message that the company is trying to give to the customers and should fulfill the purpose or objectives of the brand.Branding. As a designer, one must be able to unders tand whether the company wants its brand name to be visible through the logo or not. If yes, then the logo must be designed accordingly and if no, then the designer must find another abstract design.Color scheme. The logo must be created keeping the color scheme of the brand design or name in mind.Step #4: Make initial designsAfter determining the function, understanding the brand and its requirements as well as conducting a thorough research, a designer is able to collect all the information needed to start working on the initial designs and ideas. Those drafts can be prepared by sketching them on a plain white paper or sheet. At this stage, the designer usually puts down all the ideas he/she has in mind on the sheet in a rough manner. At designing schools, students are asked to create 100 possible designs before shortlisting the best one. This not only makes way for registering all possible designs but also makes the designer come up with designs that may seem dull at first but co uld be improved to get the final logo.At this stage, the designer makes use of a simple pencil and paper. Since designing is a non-linear process, one often keeps from erasing the designs created because certain mistakes could later spark bright ideas. After all, the only way to pick the good from the bad is to have a lot of options. This may sound difficult and time-consuming but is the easiest and most engaging part of the logo designing process. It is the part where the designer puts his creativity to good use and can come up with over 10 designs in an hour.Only after sketching several rough logos the designer shortlists the best few, and sketches them in a more proper manner on a fresh piece of paper so that opinions can be taken on them.Step #5: Get FeedbackThe next step is to take the best designs from the rough sketches to a target or test audience and get their feedback. This is the time when the designer or the company may approach a group of people who fit the description of the target audience and ask them to give their opinions on the logo designs shown to them. The designer must ask questions like ‘Is the design relatable to the brand name?’, ‘Is the design easy to understand and memorize?’, ‘Is the design unique or seems similar to any other logo?’, ‘Is it boring or intriguing?’, and so on. Only after getting the opinions of a cross-section of people improvements can be made and the process can be taken forward.This is a crucial stage in the designing process as whatever changes have to be made can be made right now. The designer may take the time to conduct this research and take opinions since it is important to consider everyone’s viewpoint and come up with a design that fits all requirements. Besides taking the opinion and feedback of the test audience, the opinion of the client also has to be taken at this stage.Step #6: Review and reviseNow that opinions and feedback have been gathered, the designer needs to start working on the revision of the final few designs and incorporate all changes that need to be done. At this stage, the logo needs to be digitized which means that the designer moves to a software or designing programs such as Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape from the regular paper and pencil sketching method. The logo needs to be refined, made scalable and created all again in the designing software. This stage could also prove to be a lengthy one since it involves moving back and forth several times in order to make improvements and leave no scope for error.While, in some cases, the client may approve the logo easily, sometimes it takes a long time and many efforts to convince him. In fact, the designer, may be working simultaneously on 2-3 logos so that the final decision is made after refining all the designs. Reviewing and revising also involves paying attention to the font, the size, the colors, the contrast, and other bells and whistles. This stage must also include doing application mock ups of the logo to make sure it works across all media platforms and whether it is scalable to different sizes. Once all of this has been taken care of, the final logo may be ready to be delivered.Step #7: Deliver final logoNow the designer shows the final logo or the 2-3 logos to the client in a formal manner and then presents various iterations of the logo to show how it will look in a folder, on the website, on the company’s board, in newspapers, on buildings, etc. If the client is convinced, the designer may move forward and deliver the final logo and its rights. But in case any slight changes or improvements are required, then the designer goes back to the revision process until the client is satisfied.EXAMPLES OF GOOD LOGOSThe following are some of the examples of excellent logos that satisfy the various parameters.Cisco Systems © Wikimedia commons | CiscoThe logo of Cisco Systems is recognizable worldwide and one of the main reasons behind it is the work that the company and its designers put into it. The first thing that a person sees when they look at this logo is the bar lines on top of the letters. These lines instantly make us think of ‘frequency’, ‘radio’, or something related to tech. This is what makes the logo so successful since Cisco systems belong to the Tech Industry. Cisco is a Silicon Valley based organization and the bar lines also represent the Golden Gate Bridge. This means that with a few simple lines, the logo manages to achieve a lot. The design is simple yet so effective. © Wikimedia commons | ZyMOSEvernoteThe logo of Evernote is yet another example of highly intelligent and successful logo. It has an elephant which is a reference to the famous line ‘an elephant never forgets’ which makes it highly appropriate to the purpose of the app which is to note and store’. The design is simple, very memorable and instantly recognizable.Icon Snowskates © Flickr | John FischerIcon Snowskates is a small-scale snow skateboard company that is a family operated business in Massachusetts. The main idea behind the logo design was to create one that looked good on paper as well as on snowboards. The raindrop in the logo is meant to differentiate snowboarding from snow skateboarding since in snow skateboarding, rain and precipitation are good signs unlike in the case of the former. This is a small geometric design that works well across several platforms and is hence highly usable and scalable. Image credit:  Wikimedia commons | Cisco and Wikimedia commons | ZyMO under public domain, Flickr | John Fischer under Attribution 2.0 Generic.

The War Of The Cold War - 1133 Words

As one war ends, another returns. After the end of World War II in 1945, a new conflict arose. Known as the Cold War, this conflict had threatened the globe for over 45 years. The Cold War put its two greatest powers-the Democratic United States and the Soviet Union- against each other. Each countries military power, scientific knowledge, and technology were put to the test in the Cold War. Even though there was few military wars, the Cold War still remains a mark on our history. The first action was performed by the Soviets. In Asia and Europe, the Soviet Union attempted to spread communism, which the Americans were strongly against. The tensions soon rose between the two powers. Soon, both countries realized that they were competing†¦show more content†¦As a result, the stakes of the Cold War was extremely high. The first hydrogen bomb test was dropped on the Marshall Islands. It created a 25-square mile fireball that completely vaporized the island. Not only that, but the bomb also blew a 30-square mile in the ocean floor. This gave proof to both Americans and Soviets that hydrogen bombs had the power to destroy nearly half of the city of Manhattan. As tests such as the one on the Marshall Islands continue, so does the increase of poisonous radioactive waste in our atmosphere. Realizing their mistakes, the DAR eventually came to a close. However, many entertainment films were widespread across both countries featured the horrid lands that the Earth would become if the DAR continued. Videogames were created, with the most recent one being Fallout 44. The Red Scare Also known as the Red Massacre (and Menace), the Red Scare is the time period in the 1950’s when communism spread to the United States, as well as throughout Europe and Asia. In the U.S., more than 80% of the states had favored communism. The term ‘red’ comes from the allegiance the Soviet Union has to their red flag.5 United States supporter of the communism, Joseph R. McCarthy, was Senator of Wisconsin during the time period of the Red Scare. He claimed to have a political set of ideas known as McCarthyism, which was soon realized to be entirely similar to

Edward Jenner the Creator of the Vaccine for Smallpox Essay

Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth century a disease dominated the world killing one in three people who caught it, smallpox. The few that survived the disease were left with very disfigured bodies and weak immune systems. In modern days this disease seems very unusual and hard to catch; it is all because of one man, Edward Jenner. Edward Jenner, â€Å"the father of immunology†, was born on May 17, 1749. He was one of nine siblings and he was treated for smallpox for a very long period of his childhood. I predict that his treatment to small pox as an infant encouraged his work into creating the vaccine for smallpox itself. It is said that his work â€Å"saved more lives than the work of any other human†. He found the similarities of cowpox†¦show more content†¦Finally Jenner had his proof but he just needed more cases to prove its credibility. To find his proof he traveled to Europe to try and gather volunteers to test his vaccination. After three months of talking around and attempting to get test subjects he was unsuccessful. He was very desperate and wanted to prove his theory but with his hopes denied in Europe he had to take another big step to try and prove his results. It took a global wide survey to find some people to test his theory o and confirm his results. From there his vaccine was acknowledged globally. With a vaccine to one of the world’s deadliest diseases for the time Jenner was awarded with several honors and awards. Along with those honors and awards he was given a lot of cash prizes as an addition to the world’s thanks. Unlike plenty of other scientists or most people he did not use his money to become known as a wealthy figure. Jenner used almost all of his money to create vaccines for the poor and to continue researching other topics. He was so dedicated into helping the poor or anybody who desperately needed the vaccine that he built a hut in his garden that he called the â€Å"temple of vaccinia†. In that he vaccinated the poor for free anytime he had the chance to or whenever he had the resources. Sometimes Jenner did not have the appropriate resources to create a vaccine for his patients inside of the temple of vaccinia. It never failed thatShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Vaccine that Made Me Want to Become a Doctor878 Words   |  4 Pagesthe shot had been carried out I asked the doctor what that syringe contained. He went on to tell me that in the shot there was a vaccine, â€Å"Vaccines contain a miniscule amount of the disease or germ so that your body can kill it. In doing that your body will know what to fight off if that ever enters your body in the future. Also, fun fact: vaccine actually means smallpox of the cow.† Although it was not the first time I had ever gotten an injection that one doctor visit made me want to have a futureRead MoreThe Work Of Louis Pasteur1759 Words   |  8 Pages(Lamont). Edward Jenner shook the foundation of the medicine with his discovery that injecting a human with a microbe similar to smallpox protected them from smallpox entirely (â€Å"The Whole Story†). More than fifty years after his death, Louis Pasteur expanded on Jenner’s work greatly. â€Å"The Whole Story† says, â€Å"[While] Edward Jenner invented vaccination, Louis Pasteur invented vaccines.† Pasteur improved Jenner’s finding to create vaccines for anthrax, fowl cholera, and rabies. His vaccine for rabiesRead MoreThe Work Of Louis Pasteur1778 Words   |  8 Pages(Lamont). Edward Jenner shook the foundation of the medicine with his discovery that injecting a human with a microbe similar to smallpox protected them from smallpox entirely (â€Å"The Whole Story†). More than fifty years after his death, Louis Pasteur expanded on Jenner’s work greatly. â€Å"The Whole Story† says, â€Å"[While] Edward Jenner invented vaccination, Louis Pasteur invented vaccines.† Pasteur improved Jenner’s finding to create vaccines for anthrax, fowl cholera, and rabies. His vaccine for rabiesRead MoreShould You Vaccinate Your Child? Essay1813 Words   |  8 PagesShould You Vaccinate Your Child? The Center for Disease Control describes vaccines as the greatest development in public health since clean drinking water. For several decades, vaccines have saved countless lives and helped eradicate some fatal diseases. The push to do away with vaccines will not only endanger our youth, but our society as a whole. Vaccination is needed to maintain a healthy balance within our country. Vaccines provide the immunity that comes from a natural infection without the consequences

Academic History Free Essays

I am currently enrolled in the Business School at Villanova University. My academic standing is good and I have maintained a grade point average of 3.62. We will write a custom essay sample on Academic History or any similar topic only for you Order Now I believe I am stable and the change I wish to make in my choice of universities is based on logic and not a whim. I have not transferred before, so this will be a first. My university experience has not had any significant breaks; it flows in an unbroken line from my initial enrollment to the present time. I suffered a few hiccoughs alone the way, but I have persevered, and I managed to rise from the bottom of my seventh year class in Shanghai to the rank of number one in ESL. I was in an alien environment and it was no small matter to adapt to the different culture I found in Shanghai. Despite my lack of height I managed to excel in varsity basketball as well. I think it is worth noting that I am not a native English speaker, but I took my deficiency in the language as a challenge and managed to thrive. I am proud of the fact that I quickly moved from ESL to 1B Class in the British system, which is equivalent to AP. I am steadfast in my resolve and I have not changed career paths. I have found that there is a lack of cultural diversity at Villanova. I initially did not realize the lack was so profound. I had erroneously assumed that matters would balance themselves and I would find there was more diversity than I first saw. This proved not to be the case, however. I believe that the university experience is not one-dimensional. I think a university education is only complete when the student is rounded into a productive member of society instead of just being grounded in the basics of his or her major. I was once accepted at the University of Washington, and I have every hope that the university will look favorably on my application once more, permitting me to correct my mistake and allowing me to attend the University of Washington as I should have done in the first place.   Major and Career Goals: It is my intention to major in Finance. I believe that the university is home to one of the best and most extensive business programs in the United States. I am Taiwanese by birth and spent most of my life in Shanghai, which has a reputation as being the future â€Å"Finance Center† for all of Asia. Early on I came to realize the importance of knowledge in financial dealings, with money management being particularly important.   I spent my high school years in pursuit of learning all I could on the subject of economics, calculus and other math related subjects. Business is the life-blood of my country’s economy. I am savvy enough to understand that capital is the engine that drives business. It is as the old Chinese proverb says, â€Å"Money is not everything, but without money nothing can be done.† But I also realize that money alone is not enough. Having funding is only the first step toward a successful business. The entrepreneur must have the knowledge and associated skills to handle turning a profit and ensuring that the business operations run smoothly. Money management is the second part of the equation in producing success. I believe that a degree from the University of Washington will go far toward ensuring that I will have this knowledge and the necessary skills. I have expectations that a degree from your university’s Finance program will benefit me greatly as I scale the corporate ladder. Further, I believe that a University of Washington education will help me fulfill my avowed goal of becoming a specialist in investment analysis. My intention is to become an investment or business analyst in the United States, with an eye toward the Wall Street Journal. I have a fervent believe that I can attain this dream if I am blessed and fortunate enough to be accepted at the University of Washington. Cultural Understanding: The University of Washington is culturally diverse, and being Taiwanese, I am acutely aware of how important that can be for a student, irrespective of his area of study. I look forward to the healthy interaction and social intercourse that will avail itself to me in the richer milieu of this university. I look forward to the exchange of ideas and the broadening effect that intercultural communication can bring. In essence I look forward to being able to share my culture and I look forward to the learning experience I will receive from the various cultures of my fellow students. I fully expect the school to pave the path which I will follow as I experience personal growth on the road to my ultimate goals. It is not a capricious decision, I have carefully studied my options and have chosen what I believe to be the most advantageous avenue for me. When considering the reputation which the university enjoys I feel confident that my acceptance into the business program will furnish me with the needed tools to accomplish my goal in this life. I expect to become a highly competent business analyst, but more, I expect to become a productive citizen, replete with the values that will enhance the fulfillment of my aspirations. I expect to become a valued alumnus, having been enriched by the university experience. This growth in personal values and mores is important to my sense of self worth, and will make me a more valuable member of society. It is my belief that the true excellence of any institution of higher learning lies in its ability to educate the whole person. A school becomes truly excellent by excelling in the programs that it offers as well as the values it inculcates in its students, which is how I see the University of Washington. How to cite Academic History, Papers

Poetry Essays - Literature, Poetry, Rhyme, Figures Of Speech

Poetry POETRY REPORT 1. THE DANCE The song The Dance was written by Country Music star Garth Brooks in 1989. To Garth The Dance has many meanings, such as a love gone bad or life. He really thinks that it is about the loss of the people who gave up their life as an ultimate sacrifice. Some of these people are John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. I chose this song because it is one of my favorites and the meaning that it gives to the listener. The meaning is that life is better left to live and chance than to miss everything by not do anything or even living. Throughout the song many of the poetic terms are used. The rhyme scheme that is used is that the first verse has no rhyme in it. The chorus, second verse and the tag have the first two lines and the second two lines rhyme with each other. The tone that is displayed is sad but if the person didn't take a chance he wouldn't of had anything at all. ?The dance we shared ?neath the stars above' shows the imagery of the song. A metaphor is used in ?I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance. The dance is referring to life and the pain is where the person never lived or did anything at all. The line that is repeated, or the refrain, is?I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance.' There are four stanzas present in the song. The mood that is given to the reader is sympathetic and/or empathetic. Similes and personification are not used. 2.ELDORADO The poem Eldorado was written by Edgar Allan Poe on April 21, 1849. Eldorado was a ?Golden City' to the Spanish Conquistadors that they never found. In the poem the knight is looking for this special thing, and he travels all his life to find it. The knight is very sad and never finds what he is looking for. Later in the poem he starts to die (it's actually later in his life). The knight finds a vision and asks it why he cannot find what he is looking for. The vision tells him where it is and that it could be unreachable if he did not continue looking for it. The vision encourages the knight not to give up and to always try really hard to achieve your goals. I chose this poem because it sounded cool. Once I analyzed it I really liked the meaning it gave: to never give up and to always try until you succeed. This poem uses many of the poetic terms. The sequence AABCCB makes up the rhyme scheme. The author's tone is a feeling of frustration and inadequacy in not finding his ?gold'. The imagery is given in dark and light. ?In sunshine and in shadow' which probably mean life and death is a metaphor. Eldorado which is thesomething special or gold is also a metaphor. The last line in every stanza are similar and make up the refrain. Personification is represented with the ghost(shadow) giving the knight advice in how to find his ?gold'. The mood that the reader has is a supernatural feeling. It is also mythical because Eldorado was a mythical place. Similes are not used in this poem. POETIC TERMS 1.RHYME SCHEME- A regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem. 2.TONE- The writer's attitude toward his or her subject, characters, or audience. 3.IMAGERY- Is the descriptive or figurative language used in literature to create word pictures for the reader. 4. METAPHOR- A figure of speech in which one thing is spoken of as thogh it were something else. 5. SIMILE- A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two subjects using either like or as. 6. REFRAIN- A repeated line ora group of lines in a poem or a song. 7. PERSONIFICATION- A figure of speech in which a nonhuman subject is given human characteristics. 8. STANZA- A group of lines in a poem. 9. MOOD- Atmosphere, is the feeling created in the reader by a literary work or passage.

Characteristics of Romanticism in the History of Art. essays

Characteristics of Romanticism in the History of Art. essays Characteristics of Romanticism in the History of Art. To characterise Romanticism within the fine arts one must consider the historical background from which this movement manifested, as it plays such an influential role in the Romantic artist's development of subject matter and style. The movement itself began around the beginning of the 19th century, and is often dated 1775 1830 it is important to note that this was a period of change and revolution in human rights, and the main countries this movement manifested in were Germany, Britain and in France during the French Revolution of 1789. This political and cultural revolution had a major affect on all of the arts as well as the visual arts; as artists began to revolt against Neo-Classical and academic traditions and look inwards into their own experience and imagination. Imagination is one of the most prominent themes in the Romantic Movement as artists began to direct their attention towards subjects other than the rigid definitions of genres within the academic world of pain ting, and also to the simplicity of the Medieval artists. Instead, artists turned to literature (especially poetry), political and historical events as well as individual and imaginative styles of depicting this subject matter. This essay will aim to highlight and describe the manifestation of these themes, within this period, through the observation of the artist's work that is linked to the Movement. The artists of the Romantic Movement, as suggested, no longer wanted to be constrained to the proscribed theories and practices of the Academies; who thought that everything that needed to be learned could be done so by observing the Roman Masters, and wished to create their own imaginative responses equalizing them with the authors and poets of the Romantic Literary Movement. One form of imaginative response, which manifested in this change of thinking about the visual arts, was the way in...

Definition and Examples of Language-Style Matching

Definition and Examples of Language-Style Matching In conversation, texting, emailing, and other forms of interactive communication, the tendency of participants to use a common vocabulary and similar sentence structures. The term linguistic style matching (also called language style matching or simply style matching) was introduced by Kate G. Niederhoffer and James W. Pennebaker in their article Linguistic Style Matching in Social Interaction (Language and Social Psychology, 2002). In a later article, Sharing Ones Story, Niederhoffer and Pennebaker note that people are inclined to match conversation partners in linguistic style, regardless of their intentions and reactions (The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology, 2011). Examples and Observations Robin: To an outsider listening to their conversation, very healthy families are less easy to understand than average ones. John: Less? Because? Robin: Their conversation is quicker, more complicated. They interrupt and finish each others sentences. There are big jumps from one idea to another idea as though bits of the argument are missed out. John: But its only outsiders that find it confusing? Robin: Exactly. The conversation isnt as tidy and logical and carefully structured as it can be with somewhat less healthy families, nearer the middle of the range. Ideas are coming so thick and fast that they keep interrupting and capping each others statements. They can do that because everyone grasps what other people are trying to say before theyve finished saying it. John: Because they understand each other so well. Robin: Right. So what looks like lack of control is actually a sign of their unusually good communication.(Robin Skynner and John Cleese, Life and How to Survive It. W.W. Norton, 1995) Linguistic Style Matching in Relationships Attraction is not all about good looks; a pleasant conversation is important too. To test the idea, [Eli] Finkel, [Paul] Eastwick, and their colleagues [at Northwestern University] looked at language-style matching, or how much individuals matched their conversation to that of their partner orally or in writing, and how it related to attraction. This verbal coordination is something we unconsciously do, at least a little bit, with anyone we speak to, but the researchers wondered if a high level of synchrony might offer clues about what types of people individuals would want to see again.In an initial study the researchers analyzed forty speed dates for language use. They found that the more similar the two daters language was, the more likely it was that they would want to meet up again. So far, so good. But might that language-style matching also help predict whether a date or two will progress to a committed relationship? To find out, the researchers analyzed instant messages from committed couples who chatted daily, and compared the level of language-style matching with relationship stability measures gathered using a standardized questionnaire. Three months later the researchers checked back to see if those couples were still together and had them fill out another questionnaire. The group found that language-style matching was also predictive of relationship stability. People in relationships with high levels of language-style matching were almost twice as likely to still be together when the researchers followed up with them three months later. Apparently conversation, or at least the ability to sync up and get on the same page, mattered. (Kayt Sukel, Dirty Minds: How Our Brains Influence Love, Sex, and Relationships. Free Press, 2012) Patterns of Linguistic Style Matching [P]eople also converge in the ways they talkthey tend to adopt the same levels of formality, emotionality, and cognitive complexity. In other words, people tend to use the same groups of function words at similar rates. Further, the more the two people are engaged with one another, the more closely their function words match.The matching of function words is called language style matching, or LSM. Analyses of conversations find that LSM occurs within the first fifteen to thirty seconds of any interaction and is generally beyond conscious awareness. . . .Style matching waxes and wanes over the course of a conversation. In most conversations, style matching usually starts out quite high and then gradually drops as the people continue to talk. The reason for this pattern is that at the beginning of the conversation its important to connect with the other person. . . . As the conversation rolls on, the speakers begin to get more comfortable and their attention starts to wander. There are times, however, that style matching will immediately increase. (James W. Pennnebaker, The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us. Bloomsbury Press, 2011) Linguistic Style Matching in Hostage Negotiations Taylor and Thomas (2008) reviewed 18 categories of linguistic style in four successful and five unsuccessful negotiations. They found that at the conversational level successful negotiations involved more coordination of linguistic styles between the hostage taker and negotiator, including problem-solving style, interpersonal thoughts, and expressions of emotion. When negotiators communicated in short, positive bursts and used low sentence complexity and concrete thinking, hostage takers would often match this style. . . . Overall, the driving factor that determined linguistic style-matching behavior depended on the dominant party in the negotiation: Successful cases were marked by the negotiator taking the dominant role, implementing a positive dialogue, and dictating the hostage takers response.(Russell E. Palarea, Michel G. Gelles, and Kirk L. Rowe, Crisis and Hostage Negotiation. Military Psychology: Clinical and Operational Applications, 2nd ed., ed. by Carrie Kennedy and Eric A . Zillmer. Guilford Press, 2012) Historical Style Matching Recently the style matching among historical figures has been examined using archival records. One case involves the poetry of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning, a 19th century English couple who met and eventually married in the middle of their writing careers. By tracking their poetry, a sense of their oscillations in their relationship emerged.(James W. Pennnebaker, Frederica Facchin, and Davide Margola, What Our Words Say About Us: The Effects of Writing and Language. Close Relationships and Community Psychology: An International Perspective, ed. by Vittorio Cigoli and Marialuisa Gennari. FrancoAngeli, 2010) Linguistic Style Matching in Fiction People dont talk the same way unless they are joined together in some common purpose, have common lives, goals, desires. The great mistake of so many prose writers in their transcription of speech is to record its syntactical eccentricities and habits carelessly; e.g., theyll have an uneducated laborer speak the same way as an uneducated thug. Or, a cop will speak the same way as those he bullies and arrests. The mark of brilliance and honesty in speech transcription resides in the differentiation of language patterns.(Gilbert Sorrentino, Hubert Selby. Something Said: Essays by Gilbert Sorrentino. North Point, 1984)