43 Practice: Observing Characteristics of a Profile; Filling out an Empathy Map

PURPOSE of a Profile:

In writing a profile, you practice the field research methods of observing, interviewing, and notetaking, commonly used by investigative reporters, social scientists, and naturalists.

CHARACTERISTICS of a Profile:

• Are based on a writer’s newly acquired observations.
• Take readers behind the scenes of familiar places or introduce readers to unusual places and people.
• Provide information while at the same time arousing readers’ curiosity.
• Present scenes and people vividly and concretely through description, action, and dialogue.
• Create a dominant impression of the subject.

PROFESSIONAL EXAMPLES: 

The New York Times does a really nice job with profiles as does Soft White Underbelly and the Werner Herzog’s documentary. These are all professionally written or directed profiles. For articles, read the first 5 paragraphs or so and then skim the rest. For the documentary interviews, watch at least the first 3 minutes. While we will watch a short piece of Martin’s story (Herzog’s documentary) to practice filling out empathy maps, I encourage you to access all of these OR look up ones on your own as you draft your profiles. The more profiles you read (and watch), the more you will understand the flow and how to begin setting up a profile based on your group’s designed questionnaire + your interview of this person that sounds like a story rather than a Q & A. I think the one thing to really notice is how the interviewee takes center stage and very rarely does the voice of the interviewer come in:

• Atypical TikTok Star – Maria IzquierdoLinks to an external site. – (mental health group should read this one)
• Sex Ed Advocate in Australia – Chanel CantosLinks to an external site. or Sex Trafficking SurvivorLinks to an external site.– (sex trafficking group should read this one)
• Crystal Meth Addicted ER NurseLinks to an external site. – (addiction group should watch this one)
• I’m Old, Not an Idiot – Carlos San Juan de LaordLinks to an external site. – (tech addiction group should read this one)
• Tiny Homes for the Homeless – Khaleel SeivwrightLinks to an external site. – (homelessness group should read this one)
• A Letter from Martin from Werner Herzog documentary From One Second to the NextLinks to an external site. (watch from minute 6:49 to minute 15:00) or watch Our Sister Debbie that follows this one [whole documentary is compelling] – (texting & driving group should watch this one)

EMPATHY MAP:

Draw an empathy map and as you watch (or read) one of the sample profiles, fill out the 4 quadrants please. Which of the following did you observe as we watched that short segment?

While this is one that targets a consumer, you can still get an idea of “says”, “thinks”, “does”, “feels”: