Category: WFP Blog Posts Spring 2018

Good design principles I generally associate with organization and functionality. Park especially accentuates these ideas when he compares prints that successfully reach an audience versus those that don’t. When it comes to good design principles, it’s always important to keep fonts distinguishable. For example, with the title of an article it is most important to keep the text bold and larger than the rest of the print. Without slight differentiation between the two, the reader will lose the point of the article, will get bored reading monotonous text, and will have a hard time navigating the reading. Context is another good design principle to keep readers engaged with the material and not have them be confused or frustrated. When an image is placed in a reading, there subsequently should be text that follows in the form of a caption, or the image should at least be indicated in the text. This was one thing I hadn’t really considered, but I felt like Park brought up a good point about on page 267 when he talks about how watches should be sold. A picture can tell a thousand words, but without giving context for what a picture is about, the persuasiveness of an argument or the validity behind your statements can be lost. The same can be said posting a picture itself. If the image isn’t large enough, bright enough, detailed, or attention grabbing, it can signal a mixed message for what an entire reading will be about.

In the NCDAE’s fact sheet, it stressed the importance about understanding the demographics of your readers. Colorblind people, people with cognitive disabilities, and people with bad vision depend on how practical a design is. Spacing is one of these practical designs, because it is key to keeping a reading accessible. Without spacing between categories or pictures or giving extra “white space”, it can make the text claustrophobic, and make the main points hard to identify. Also having different columns and different font styles could help distinguish important points. In digital texts, I felt that page directors or links were pretty helpful. If not for those with disabilities, I also felt it could be more accessible for people like college students that need to have text short and to the point.

Color conveys so many kinds of emotions. When I think of red I generally associate it with something fierce (why I used to dye my hair this color for five years straight), something strong, aggressive, and a lot of times the bad guy. With the color blue I think of something sad or calming, or the good guy. Green I associate with nature. Therefore I think color for the most part helps with accessible design. The only negative part of color and design is with colorblind people. When the colorblind can’t tell certain colors apart, this is when color would clash with accessible design. At the end of the day when someone is trying to mesh good design and accessibility, I think one really just needs to focus on who their target audience is. If you’re presenting information to a young child, you’ll probably have to incorporate less words, and more color and pictures. But for a college student writing a research paper, color and pictures will be distracting, so text should be focused on for how neat it is in a reading. Once you figure out who your audience is, it should be much easier formatting your design.

Though people may think of writing as plain text, smart design and figure placement are key elements of the text. Well-designed texts in print and digital formats share all the characteristics outlined by Park and many of those addressed in the accessibility factsheet. In general, the writer or creator needs to balance simplicity and comprehensiveness, including all necessary information while presenting in a format that does not deter the reader with too many crammed details.

There are many ways to do this. Arrangement, including positioning of graphics and text, choosing whether to overlay text on other features, and the strategic use of white space should always be considered, since the reader forms their initial opinion partially based on these factors. For example, Park’s example of the car show flyer highlighted the importance of emphasizing the title, consistent graphic size, and removing redundant words such as “to be held at,” slogans, and the excessive use of exclamation marks. These changes would improve design whether this flyer was intended to be used electronically or printed out. The only difference between design in these two formats is the effect of window size for digital media. Websites should be able to accommodate smaller screens such as mobile devices, as well as desktops, so digital texts may want to avoid wide banners whereas physical banners are a great way to draw attention.

Accessible texts feature several elements of “good” design. The accessibility factsheet addressed the importance of structure and clear writing to account for people with cognitive disabilities and people of all literacy levels, but all text should be organized and coherent. Navigability is also important for the convenience of all readers, since taking too long to find information will easily deter readers from being engaged with the work. Prior to reading these two articles, I had never considered forms as a type of writing, but upon seeing Park’s example I also noticed how a simple form on donuts can become much more intuitive, and consequently more accessible.

As the accessibility factsheet states, color should be used to add emphasis or enhance comprehension, but should not be the focus of any piece. Excessive use of color can easily ruin a piece. For example, using bright colors in the design of a somber or dark piece would jeopardize the author’s purpose, and generally using colors that clash can deter any reader before they notice anything else. On the other hand, a good balance of harmonious and complex colors can enhance understanding to make text more accessible and easier to follow.

Regardless of format, accessibility and good design go hand in hand, and generally support one another. As long as both are kept in mind, I think it’s difficult for them to clash, since elements that make a piece more accessible generally makes it more appealing to any audience. Headers or captions for figures or pictures, meant to increase accessibility, will rarely ruin an otherwise good design, just as larger type and white space, which enhance design, actually increases accessibility by making the text easier to read and better organized.

When it comes to finding a balance between “good” design and accessibility, you will usually have to allow for a bit of give-and-take.  Good design is important; it can, in some cases, actually determine the accessibility of a text.  But it’s also important to remember that what may be accessible for one person might not be accessible for another person.  Different audiences require different design elements for the texts they are reading to be accessible—and your audience should always be your first priority.

The first step when creating any kind of document for the public is to determine who your audience is.  Who are you trying to reach?  If the members of your audience are neither visually nor audibly impaired, you can likely safely abide by the design rules that Roger Parker lays out in Chapter 14 of Looking Good in Print for print documents, with a few changes to digital texts.  Parker says that “your design must ‘bend’ to connect [three or more predefined points], and that’s backward” (279).  He believes, instead, that your design should be your first priority, and your textual elements should instead rise to meet a predetermined design.  I have to disagree with this point—to an extent.  As I said before, good design is important for making texts accessible, but you need to have the contents of your document (text, images, etc.) ready to go before you can incorporate them into a design plan.  These can all be revised if it turns out that they do not have elements consistent with the design plan that has been set forth, but knowing what you want to include in your document should come before the design itself.

In Chapter 14 of Looking Good in Print, Parker discusses the importance of design in documents such as flyers and business cards.  He makes some excellent points regarding the designs which work better for print documents.  The flyer example on pages 272 and 273, for instance, rightfully emphasizes the importance of including only the information absolutely necessary on a flyer, as well as making sure that no single image overpowers another on the page unless there is a significant reason for it.  As he says on the redesign page, “Deleting all but the most relevant text—what, where, when—increases the flyer’s readability” (273).  This rule-of-thumb is transferrable to digital texts as well.  Digital texts, however, in some ways provide room for more design elements, such as color.  Color doesn’t always transfer well into print texts, so you have to be careful about the colors you include in print documents, should you decide to do so.  Not all printers print color the same way; so, a color you might intend via your designing software might appear differently (different tones, shades, etc.), depending on the abilities of your printer.  In digital texts, though, color is likely to appear much more vibrantly on a screen than it would on a piece of paper.  Your document will appear just as it has been intended to.  Deciding whether you want your flyer to exist in print or digitally will be a determining factor in if you use color and how much.

Texts that need to be made more accessible for any purpose (auditory impairment, visual impairment, etc.) need to put their focus into both the content and design of the document.  For someone who needs a text to be made accessible to them in a specific way, usual modes of design may no longer be applicable.  Take sarcasm, for example.  A deaf person will rely entirely on what they can see on the page when reading a document.  Sarcasm may not transfer over as well in their own understanding of the text.  For the text to say something sarcastically and then turn around and say the complete opposite, or to use a picture that doesn’t align with what has just been said could be very confusing to someone who has to base all of the knowledge they are gathering on exactly what they can see on the page.  Without a proper transcription of exactly what is on the page, exactly where the sarcasm is being placed, texts will not be fully accessible to someone who is deaf.  The same goes for someone who is blind.  If someone is trying to access a document online and is using a screen reader to do so, the screen reader probably won’t be able to pick up any sarcasm that is included in the text.  Even colorblindness can pose a problem when it comes to accessibility.  Color can often be used to convey meaning.  For instance, red and yellow are said to be colors that we associate with hunger.  If a colorblind person is unable to detect red, however, a flyer designed to convince people to come to a new restaurant—with red and yellow coloring placed throughout the document in order to convey hunger—would go unnoticed by the colorblind person, and therefore be completely ineffective.

As I said earlier, when it comes to making documents both accessible and attractive there will usually have to be a bit of give-and-take.  It is entirely possible to find a balance between these two factors, but if your primary focus is on accessibility, you may need to give a lot more than you take.  In other words, accessibility and design can very easily clash, and depending on your goal, accessibility can very easily take precedence over design.  In most cases, I would say that your audience should always be your first thought when forming a new text.  Then you should focus on what you are trying to convey to your audience, and finally try to convey that through your design.  Taking these steps in making texts, either in print or online, is one of a few different ways for you to find the balance between accessibility and design.

Being accessible and having good design without a doubt go hand in hand.  No matter what sort of media you are creating, it is important to consider both the visual appeal of your piece as well as making sure that it is easy to read, understand, and use.  No “good” design should limit the accessibility of a piece, nor should it be assumed that an accessible design should be “boring”.

In general, I believe that print and digital texts both follow the same basic principles when it comes to design.  Concepts such as choosing the right fonts, drawing the viewer’s eye to the most important part of the page, and increasing readability can be applied to any print or digital document.  However, there are a few differences between these types of media.  Digital documents are usually more flexible than print documents because they have the ability to direct people to new places in the document through hyperlinks, and to include videos or interactive features.  Print documents have a greater challenge when it comes to grabbing the reader’s attention while maintaining clarity.  Print documents do not have the benefit of being interactive.

For both digital and print media, accessibility and design are tremendously important.  A bland, unappealing document will never be read even if great efforts were made it make it accessible because it will never catch the reader’s attention.  On the other hand, just making a document stand out will not keep the reader’s attention if the document is unorganized and hard to follow.  Therefore, when designing documents it is important to meet both of these criteria.

One design aspect that can be very important is color.  Color can be used in a way that it adds to the piece, but it can certainly also detract from it.  When used correctly, color can cause some parts of the document to “pop”, and draw the reader to those sections.  Color can also be used to portray the mood of the piece, or different sections of the document.  However, color should not be added only for the sake of adding color.  Every addition of color should have a specific purpose.  Otherwise, the document can become cluttered and difficult to follow.

So how do you actually go about balancing accessibility and good design?  I believe that finding this balance is not something you can usually do on the first try.  As was evident in the piece by Park, sometimes it takes many re-writes of a document to get it to look and read exactly the way you want it to.  I am sure that with experience the process becomes quicker, but I still doubt even the most experienced people can design an optimal document on the very first try.  One thing that could help with this is laying out ideas on a piece of paper before actually starting any writing.  Having an idea of the overall look and feel of what you want your document to be before you go into the details can be very helpful.  Afterwards, it never hurts to have other people read it over and give constructive feedback.  Eventually, the whole piece will come together.

As I sit here trying to compare design principles for print and digital texts, my mind is taken back to week four. The words neophilia (a curiosity about new things) and neophobia (a fear of anything too new) echo through my brain. Whether dealing with print or digital texts, I think one of the most important goals of writing is striking the right balance between neophilia and neophobia. Don’t let the design of your writing bore your reader to death, but don’t scare them with something they have never seen before.

The article written by Park discussing good vs. bad moves to make when working with written print brought up a lot of interesting points that I never really thought of before. When comparing different pieces of print work, It is easy for me to decide which piece has better design principles, but it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what those principles are. The principles Park brought up are definitely something I will be referring back to when working on my campaign pieces.

Moving to the discussion digital texts, I was surprised by how similar the “good” design principle for digital and print texts were. One point that both articles reiterated was being as clear cut and to the point as possible with your writing. The ultimate goal for any medium of writing is for your reader to fully understand what you are trying to say. With print texts that includes making sure your titles and logos are catchy and intriguing, yet easily understood. It also involves only including relevant information in what you’re trying to get across to your reader, and not bogging them down with unimportant information. With digital print it includes again using simple language, but also organizing content under true headings and using illustrations to supplement text.

No matter what your medium is, you want to intrigue your reader. The two main ways to do this are presentation and content. Let’s be honest, no one really wants to read an entire page full of writing that has absolutely no white space. Presentation is key. Think about what is appealing to the eye. Include pictures to break up the text or links to more information. This is going to be key for me as I take on the task of creating a brochure and flyer for my campaign. I have already touched on content but the main takeaway I got from the articles is to get to the point with your readers, and like we discussed a few weeks ago in class, always have your reader’s education level and understanding in mind.

To give an example of effective presentation and content, for some reason my mind goes to Buzzfeed. Whether you’re a fan of Buzzfeed or not, I think Buzzfeed really does a good job of being accessible and intriguing to their audience. Their articles often include videos, graphics, and hyperlinks but do so without overwhelming the reader.

Going on to discuss color, I love incorporating color into writing because it allows for personal creative expression. This is where I am taken over by neophilia. When it comes to color harmony, I am always the type to deviate from the norms. With creativity comes experimentation. Try it and see what works and what doesn’t. What one person considers to be visually pleasing isn’t always going to be what someone else considers to be visually pleasing. The right color, and the right amount of color can really add a lot to writing, whether it be print or digital. I think it is important to remember that the reader will always be initially drawn to the color on the page, so make sure you use it to make a lasting impression.

All of these components must be considered when dealing with the accessibility of your text. Accessible print texts may maximize white space or use color to divert the eye to a certain part of the text while accessible digital prints may include hyperlinks to provide the reader with more information. All in all, always keep your reader in mind. What will be most appealing and accessible to them? What will they be drawn in to read?

Design is a subtle art which shapes a good majority of the things we see in a day. Everything from my planner to the white board in the front of the room I’m in was designed to enact a certain purpose. When you restrict your sample from things we see to things from which we gain information, the impact of design becomes even more profound. The effects of design may include what site you choose to get your news from, who you’re willing to follow on social media, and which companies get your business.

The realm in which people have needed to apply design has changed over the years. As computers have become people’s main source of information, design has evolved to incorporate rules and techniques to adjust to this change however many principles remain the same, such as the importance of white space. In a magazine or a letter head, print sources, white space should be used to maximize readability or to set focal points. The principle of white space still very much applies for website designs or articles which are found online. The same is true for typography and font size. Differences (or similarities) in these characteristics of text can be used to either create contrast or unification among bodies of text in a page or paper. Overall, a sort of MAYA like concept applies to design in that a designer wants their page to seem interesting and unique through the use of contrast and variation but also comfortable and manageable through organizational techniques such as headings and predictable reading patterns. This concept applies fundamentally to both print and digital sources. However, in addition to this, new techniques have also evolved within digital sources to accommodate the new style of presentation and the complications which may come with it including people who view web pages with a small screen or have certain features disabled due to poor bandwidth. Furthermore, the greater quantity of information that can be included presents a challenge for organization which can be solved through things such as headings and tables of contents.

I believe that “good” design is design with successful attention to accessibility and a design which decreases accessibility significantly is inherently bad. A designer should seek to find the happy medium where design maximizes interest without detracting from the accessibility for readers, especially with special cases in mind such as those reading on small screens or with other limitations. Furthermore, special care can be taken to account those cases in instances and reinstate accessibility where design may initially detract from accessibility.

Color as well should serve to improve accessibility not detract from it. Color which decreases accessibility such as overly bright colors or colors which create readability problems (as is often the problem in presentations where students use backgrounds to improve interest without considering the effects on the readability of the text) is poorly used color. Color should be used to create interest and possibly convey information or emotion only in instances where it does not detract from accessibility. Creating interest or inspiring emotion with color is useless if the reader cannot access the information being conveyed.

In conclusion, good design inherently takes accessibility into account since the purpose of design is to maximize the impact of a document or web page. Incorporation of other elements such as color or variety in other visual elements must be done in a way which predicts and tries to remedy the possible detraction from accessibility which may result.

Park (2006) discusses writing through print texts, while the accessibility factsheet primarily focuses on writing for digital texts. Both of the articles attempt to convey a way of writing that stands out to the reader, and delivers the point in an efficient and effective manner. While both of the authors are writing for audiences on different platforms, there are still a wide rang of commonalities between the two.

Parker makes a point in his article, that, “most good design tips are not document specific”. When it comes to “good” design principles, both of the articles discuss the importance of a design matching the tone of the work being produced. This is crucial for both digital and print text, because if the image doesn’t match, it is not going to aid the reader in uncovering the message. Images serve as reiterations, or visuals per say, of what the written letters say on the pages. This is the same idea as the accessibility article’s suggestion to provide, “appropriate alternative text”. Whether the reader is looking at the picture or reading the writing, the two should coincide. Furthermore, the Park article discusses proper headings, as does the accessibility article. This is important because the heading is the first thing the reader will be drawn to, whether the work is digital or print. It is important to use headings that draw the right message to the reader because this may very well dictate whether they decide to keep reading.

There are also several commonalities between accessible texts and “good” design, regardless if the media is print or digital. Accessibility is a matter of reaching the proper audience in a way that they can easily interpret the message of the work. “Good” design covers the same idea; if the design is properly constructed then it will reenforce the message of the piece and reach the reader. While in accessible texts, this may mean providing hyper links, in a print work, this means verbally giving credit to sources. Accessibility and “good” design fall under the same category because they both work towards delivering information in a way that the reader finds effective. The two cannot be accomplished without the use of one another. The accessibility article discusses the difficulty of linking text to images that serve as the main argument in a work. This can be accomplished properly through the use of “good” design.

Furthermore, the use of color can be a tricky- yet resourceful tool when creating “good” design that is accessible through digit or print media. The main objective of using color is to make the work pop. However, this is a double sided spear because while it can make the work stand out by attracting the reader’s attention and adding to their experience, it can also be distracting and take away from the general point. The article about color discusses the idea of color harmony in particular. Color harmony is described as, “a pleasing arrangement of parts, whether it be music, poetry, color, or even an ice cream sundae”. Essentially, the point is to add balance and engagement to the reader’s experience. Everything that is added to a work, serves to enhance the argument and solidify what is being said- either through words or images. So by using colors that follow the same tone of the passage or image, the reader’s experience can significantly be changed. Obviously, if there is too much color, or bland color, or color that does not match the overall tone of the work, it will only hurt the reader’s experience and prevent the message from being properly configured.

One manages being accessible and incorporating good design by following the basic principles in all three of the articles. Good “design” and accessibility go hand in hand because they both work to formulate a work that is efficient and effective in getting the right point across while sustaining the reader’s attention throughout. Color is added to this process because it adds an element that images and text can not do all in their own. Color helps the reader’s engagement, and contributes to tying the message together. If a design is structured properly and in an effective format, then it will be more accessible to the reader. If color is used properly, the benefit of the work will only increase.

 

I was immediately sparked by the idea of MAYA when it incorporated the idea of consumerism. In the article it was stated: “Loewy believed that consumers are torn between a curiosity about new things and a fear of anything too new.” I have worked at American Eagle for an extended time and correlated this idea to both my shopping experiences at the store and recollections from other customer experiences. Many of the clothes – shirts, jeans, leggings – are sold to the consumer at seemingly high prices (i.e. 49.95 for a shirt, $59.95 for a jean). Yet, what many consumers neglect to notice is that they are purchasing the same clothing item year after year but with a slight variation in the appearance or texture of a material. For instance, a plaid shirt might have a different color scheme, or a jean may have a different location of a hole. This shows that consumers keep purchasing the same clothes due to reputation and familiarity but try to branch out occasionally in their clothing choice, so as to keep up with the evolutions of fashion choice (i.e. transition from a t-shirt to a crop top). In addition, upon graduation I hope to utilize my engineering degree within a manufacturing environment. When I think of the term ‘manufacturing’ I correlate the word to automation, assembly lines, and factories. But what really stands out are assembly lines – where products are made in bulk to be sold to a consumer with little or no variation. A specific example is a motor company, Chevrolet, which produces cars in mass. There may be slight variation in the color or interior design of a car, but over the years these cars continue to have the same working mechanisms – an engine, steering wheel, seat belts, etc. These functions of a car continue to remain the same, as producers feel they are the most reliable and safe for a consumer market. Loewy’s statement, “One should design for the advantage of the largest mass of people,” is clearly articulated and represented in this fashion.

Another idea in the article that touched home was the popularity of individual’s names. For instance, my name is a spin-off of a widely used four-letter identifier – Eryn. Is the pronunciation common? Yes. It is unique? Yes again. When naming me, my parents chose a name that was acceptable to everyday culture yet gave it a unique flare as well. Hence, many people call me “Erin with a y” versus just “Eryn”. Also, I found it interesting that over time names become less popular while others sprout up and become widely used. I think of my grandparents, whom were named Jack, Clement, Esther, and June. On a daily basis, I rarely hear those names in context or used as identifiers for individuals. But, their middle names – Allen and Elizabeth are still used today as middle names for both myself and my brother. Potentially, a middle name could represent one’s lineage and may be less “popular” while an individual’s first name succumbs to the culture and common names that are used today.

Further, MAYA has applications to both public and professional writing. I find it more profound in public writing, where authors write to a specific audience with an intent to appeal and draw the reader in. Many novelists utilize the same plot, where the damsel in distress falls in love with the prince or the hero saves the day and the city is saved. Authors have seen what works well and what the public’s eye is keen to, so when focusing on a plot, they tend to add their flare of drama mixed in with the same general message. This idea has worked though, where audiences flock to movie theatres to see Nicholas Sparks’ new romance or the next Star Wars sequel. Although, I do have a little more difficulty finding the unique aspects in professional writing. I correlate professional writing to resumes, cover letters, and proposals, where many of times it is the same format. It is difficult for a writer to expose him/herself to an employer and convey the best portrait of themselves in such a specific format. Over time this may evolve, and admissions/employers may accept a variety of submissions, but as of now individuals need to stand out by the small amount of ink found on a white page.

From an early age, I recognized that many pieces of pop culture are recycled and revamped stories. Much to my 3rd grade teachers surprise, I wrote a book report about the Lion King and how it is a simplified version of Hamlet. This story very much fits the MAYA- Most Advanced Yet Acceptable -model. The creators took what was a classic storyline, and morphed it with the widely accepted Disney format, to create one of the hallmarks of the Disney franchise. I feel that this model applies to writing as well, especially fiction writing. Characters often find themselves in the same tropes with just minor changes to make them unique; there is a reason that we all know of the “damsel in distress” or the “knight in shining armor.” Repeated stylistic choices and themes are what developed that we know of as genres. We come to expect cyberpunk novels to read differently than romance, and that is because of the repeated style choices. Thompson describes the wave of popularity when it comes to naming of children, but it also occurs with the publication of novels. Twilight for example, which had many of the traditional elements of a romance novel, with a twist of supernatural. After the success of Twilight, it seemed that all young adult content used vampire and/or werewolf elements to boost their readership.
I was really struck by the name example from Thompson’s article. Thompson really didn’t touch on how names can be extended stories of our parents. Many families have traditions to their naming practices. For example, in my family, first born sons take the father’s first name as their middle name; first born girls, have the middle name of Ann. My brother and I have stories behind our first names as well. My brother was named after the John Denver song “Merry Christmas Little Zachary”, and I was named after one of my parents’ favorite cities they had traveled to together. So even though we have fairly popular names, with conventional spellings, my parents sought a way to differentiate us from other children by telling a story.
I would also argue the MAYA model applies to a lot of nonfiction writing. Much like the Spotify example from The Atlantic article, it is beneficial to have support from already existing content. Even if the author is making new claims, they pull from the work of others before them. This is not only used to establish credibility and validity, but also appeals to the “mere-exposure effect.” This may not be as impactful for someone who is reading an article for general interest, however this applies heavily to professionals. Continuing education requires many professionals to stay on top of current research. This familiarizes them with other professionals in the field. So even if there is a new name on the research paper, they may recognize one of the other professionals that is cited within the work. Using medical journals as an example, physicians recognize the names of their colleagues, and the work that they have done in the past. All of the entries usually follow the same format, starting with an abstract and ending with a results/ conclusion section. While we are technically looking at new research, it is delivered to us in a familiar digestible format, and it uses pieces of information that we have already accepted.

This article written by Derek Thompson really made me sit back and think about my own consumer behavior. His explanation of consumers being torn between a curiosity of new things and a fear of anything too new is something I’m sure we all fall victim too. For some reason when I read that description in the article I automatically pictured myself ordering a meal at a restaurant I have never been to. Scared to try something completely new, yet also wanting to branch out at least a little from my food comfort zone, I usually always get something I’m at least familiar with and know I will like.
I think that both writers and readers come across the same problem in their respective writing and reading. Familiarity with a splash of originality. Personally, this is something I have been struggling with when thinking about the writing I will be doing for my campaign later on in this class. Focusing on promoting and bringing attention to mental health on college campuses, I was considering writing a press release and a pamphlet or brochure. The hesitation came when I was thinking about how I would go about making a pamphlet new and appealing. Seeking a challenge and wanting my writing to be attractive and exciting to my ultimate reader, the pamphlet can just be such a boring read. As Thompson said in the article, “But the preference for familiarity has clear limits. People get tired of even their favorite songs and movies.” So where is the line drawn? I would say it is certainly more of a case to case, person to person basis, but think about it. If you’re reading a pamphlet or paper and it starts the exact same way as a hundred other papers you have read, are you really going to be encouraged to continue reading it? The paragraph about naming children helped me with some of my uncertainties. People gravitate towards things that are familiar, but not exactly the same. Maybe a slight but exciting variation is all I need to excite my reader.
It is my belief that the MAYA acronym certainly applies to public and professional writing. I actually don’t think there is a form or style of writing that it doesn’t apply to. In the article Thompson wrote, “This battle between familiarity and discovery affects us on every level, Hekkert says- not just our preferences for pictures and songs, but also our preferences for ideas and even people.” Peoples ideas, beliefs and preferences affect how they write. When dealing with public and professional writing, the writer just has to keep his/her audience in mind. People are going to want to read a style they are familiar with, but also do not want to be bored to death. I think the most important thing is finding the line between just enough variation and scaring your audience with something they have never seen before.
Thompson later goes on in his article to say that pop culture has become an “orgy of familiarity”. If movies are continuously coming out with similar plots and characters, what does that really mean for pop culture as a whole? I think it means, that if somethings not broke, don’t fix it. People aren’t going to wake up one morning and randomly decide that they actually HATE the whole “rags to riches” or “damsel in distress” movie plot. The same can be said about writing. I’m always more comfortable writing and reading styles I am familiar and have experience with.