Let us get serious with medium initials

By Jim Harmon

It is the curse of historians and researchers: the centuries -old practice of using initials and not the full name.

The system was used by journalists and writers by the middle of the 20th century – in the 1960s also by radio messages such as J. Paul Huddleston in KHJ, Los Angeles.

Today, researchers and authors usually use complete names (first and last and medium initials). So when I write historical pieces, I have to make considerable research to find out the complete names of many Missoulians such as lawyer PZ Prince or Ms. Aw Smith (1899).

Some say it just reflected the times. In 1899, for example, the use of initials would have been regarded as “proper, formal and professional” thing. The use of first names was only viewed among friends and family.

Researchers who look back on the use of initials over time cannot nail a certain person or culture that is responsible for this literary trend.

They suspect how I come from a feeling of formality and seriousness. Poet, writer and authors held a “sacred and sacred status” than today. Think of JP Morgan (banker), F. Scott Fitzgerald (writer), TS Eliot (poet), toilet Fields (actor), PT Barnum (circus owner) or BB King (musician).

Bruce Feiler from the New York Times wrote a piece entitled “You fall like medium initials”, in which he was looking for the reason for the decline to “use with several metrics: statistics, anecdotal evidence and scientific studies”.

Feiler’s results support my claim to land a better job with a better nickname. He wrote: “The middle initial adds a little authority and gravitas reviews of intellectual performance.” If you are a 25-year-old reporter for global economy and hope to be taken seriously (using your full name or your initials) is very welcome. “

In May 2014, the European Journal of Social Psychology published a research article at the University of South Hampton in England in the effects of second names. It was with the title “Initials of the second name increased the reviews of intellectual performance.” In other words, the use of medium initials you look smarter!

The pupils were asked to “evaluate how well an excerpt was written, the name of the author was not an average initial, an initial, two or three.”

“There was a significant jump of the perceived quality between the zero initials and the presence of one. This trend continued during the seven studies, no matter how much manipulated. “

The researchers came to the conclusion that “authors with medium initials were seen as better writers, and it was expected to be more competent and have a higher level of education.” Add even more initials, say that you are perceived as a higher status and intellect!

Women were able to overcome stereotypes and gender distortions using initials.

Examples: Erika Mitchell James (El James), the author of “Fifty Shades of Gray”; Pamela Lyndon (PL Travers), the author of the Mary Poppins novel; Joanne Rowling (JK Rowling), the author of the Harry Potter Book Series; and Kathryn Dawn Lang (KD Lang), a well -known singer.

I wish I understood how important it is to use the initials in my recent years when I was looking for employment.

If I used a nickname like JD Harmon, I might have had better jobs.

Oh, I could also have added a suffix to improve my professionalism … like “Esquire”.

Too much? Probably.

On the other hand, “JD Harmon” has a certain sound – until my wife hears about it and brings me back to my right place.

Yes, dear, I will never mention it again.