Especially with the current project we are doing on profiles, this chapter is vitally important for understanding the criteria we should include. Starting on page 324, the book talks about interviewing styles and how everyone has a different one. A quote that stood out to me was, “…before you even get to the interviewing stage, you should research your subject’s background. If possible, try to get a resume or an academic vita if you are interviewing a professor. Check social media and online sites, but don’t rely on the information” (Rich, 324). Especially since most of us are interviewing professors, it is important that we look online for information on their past achievements and education. You shouldn’t always trust the internet though, and should check for factual relevance with your actual source. On page 326, the book outlines some profile planning tips which starts with choosing your subject and conducting background research. This is a really important section and I will be referring back to it when I am conducting my interview with my chosen professor. One of the questions they ask on this page is, “Why is this person newsworthy” (Rich, 326). This is an important question, because you should never waste your time interviewing someone who would have no relevance to today’s news and are not necessarily going to impact the world in any way. I decided to choose my subjects based on the fact that their stories will be valuable to others and the experiences they have gone through are extremely important in my eyes. The last section I think is important enough to talk about was on page 331. This is the page where they start talking about organizing the profile, and explaining what should be included in them. It reads, “There is no one way to organize a profile, other than having a lead, a body, and an ending. Just make sure you have a focus” (Rich, 331). In any type of writing, it is always important to stay focused on your topic, but is especially important in journalism. You do not want to be going on tangents and lose the focus of your readers, especially with your own opinions on the issue. Even though the body of the story can be organized in many different ways, staying focused on your subject will ensure credibility and effective writing techniques.
This chapter helped put into perspective what needs to be done for a successful profile. On page 322, it explains “coaching tips.” Some of these include doing background research to find unusual questions and to check their social media for background information. This helps make the interview engaging, and it helps find something the interviewee enjoys discussing. As the chapter continues on page 325, they explain the “GOAL method” that helps discover turning points and other qualities that the subject of your profile has to offer. This stands for goals (past, current, future), obstacles, achievements, and logistics (background). This method also helps determine the focus of your profile while you conduct the interview. Later on, on page 327, they explain how to set up a profile. Including finding the focus, theme, and background. I thought it was interesting that in the background section, it explained that profiles should not be written in chronological order but where the information fits best. Although it usually makes sense to put the background information in the beginning, that is not the case for profiles. As the chapter continued, they explained what a “micro profile” is. This is a concept that tries to condense your profile into six words that would leave a lasting impression on the reader. This allows the writer to pull the most important facts and create a dominant impression on those who would read the story. It also helps you form your focus that highlights the most important elements to include in your profile before you write the story. Lastly, they talked about organizing profiles. This is incredibly important to know and understand since we will be tackling this challenge soon. It explains how it should have elements of supporting themes, time frames, chronology, point/counterpoint, and sections and how you could implement a Q and A format. Understanding how to use each of the elements in a profile will help make the flow and make it engaging for the reader.
I thought the reading was interesting and helpful with creating a profile. It had helpful tips for how to put it together, some ideas for questions, methods for how to go about digging deeper and questions for the person you’re doing a profile on. Page 322, it explains “coaching tips.” Some of these tips include: background research to find unusual questions and to check their social media for background information. By doing this, it” keep the interview interesting and engaging for all parties involved. On page 326 they ask, “Why is this person newsworthy”. This will help pick the perfect subject which will also help with the research and engaging questions part.
One of the main points in the reading that stood out to me was turning points. “The heart and soul of a profile is making sure the reader understands the twists and turns and intricacies of human life.” So, to make sure you capture human life in an effective way you want to study patterns, decisive moments, and future. In relation to patterns some lives build to a climax. When decisive moments happen the person may choose something different than the originally intended. When interviewing a profile, every one of these profiles has a future. What would happen to this profile if their future doesn’t workout?
Something that I didn’t think about before reading this chapter is getting outside sources for your profile. I originally thought that a profile would only include information about the person you are writing it about. But, if you were able to interview someone who is close to the person you are profiling you will be able to get anecdotes and comments for your profile. This will elevate your profile because it is adding credibility to the person you are profiling. Without this information you would never be able to know if the person is seen as a, for example, hardworking or strong, person if no one is there to attest for that.
This chapter is full of vital information on how to conduct an interview for a profile piece. I enjoyed how the chapter started by including the story of journalist Alan Richman attempting to interview Robert DeNiro. Richman shared some of his tips to make profile pieces easier. One thing he said that stood out to me was his tip on talking to family or friends of the person. However, you should not ask what they think about them because they will almost always say something positive whether they mean it or not. The journalist should instead try to get facts or anecdotes. The chapter also mentioned how background information is important. It may be annoying to gather the basics but it is necessary to understand the whole person. Another detail that I found interesting was to ask about their future plans. That was something that I did not think about. When I was drafting my questions, I was only thinking about the past and present. Incorporating information on career goals and aspirations could provide valuable insight. This could also be used as a good ending. The chapter also discusses some of the aspects that should be present in a profile piece. This includes theme, focus, background, age, physical description, visuals, and other points of views. Profile pieces are an important part of journalism. It is crucial for journalists to report on the whole person, and provide all the information that is required for readers to get a full sense of the person. I found this chapter to be very helpful and interesting. I can use this information to help me form my profile piece. There are lots of aspects that I need to include and I can use this chapter to help me.
I paid attention a lot to the turning points section on writing profiles. I think highlighting this turning point in a person’s life for their profile is important because not only can it be interesting and dramatic, but it shows where the significance in this person’s life is, essentially why should we read and care about them. There are three turning points the chapter talks about. The first one patterns. This can look like a buildup of events that lead to a predictable climax such as a lawyer becoming a judge. This can be helpful to see the process and the hard work it takes to get to that place. Perhaps less relatable because not everyone will become a lawyer, but an impressive look at a unique individual in society. The second is a decisive moment. This can be similar to patterns where a person’s life is going in one predictable pattern, but they take a slightly different route along the way that can maybe be unpredictable. This turning point can be more sudden and interesting and show how some people end up discovering passions. An example of this can be a law school student wanting to become defense but ends up prosecutor. Or a more extreme example an accountant becoming the head of a river-rafting company. The last angle for a turning point could probably be applied to any profile and is an important question to ask, which is future. What does the subject see for themselves? What lies ahead and what are we going to do? I also liked in this chapter the goal method to determine how these turning points and other qualities of the profile are going to work. First you look at the logistics and the background of the subject. Then their goals, whether past, present, or future. Then any obstacles, and potential achievements of the individual. This method seems really helpful in crafting a profile and getting a well-rounded account of what it takes to be the person the profile is based on.
One key takeaway from the reading that resonated with me was the idea of turning points. To capture the details of human existence, it’s important to look at patterns, monumental moments, and the future. Regarding patterns, some lives gradually reach a peak. When key moments come, individuals might make choices that differ from their choice of path. When doing a profile interview, it’s imperative to remember that every person has a future. Before reading this chapter, I hadn’t considered the importance of outside sources for a profile. I initially assumed that profiles were centered around the person being written about. However, incorporating insights from people who know the subject of your profile well can add depth to the story. By interviewing those close to the person, you can string together personal stories and perspectives that strengthen your profile. This inclusion in turn strengthens the profile’s credibility, offering a more complete understanding of the subject. Without these outside opinions, it would be difficult to confirm that your personal opinion on the subject is a widespread and there for credible opinion.
This chapter does a good job giving guidance and ideas for our Profile Project. Highlighting things like background research, as its an essential step to a profile. Before talking to your subject, doing background research will give you a head start and help shape the questions you may ask your person. Things to search for when doing background research could include accolades, and education. Another important tip was the GOAL method. This method means figuring out your subjects Goals, Obstacles, Achievements, and Logistics. By finding these four key ideas, you can shape turning points in your profile. Another way to add depth to your article is to add outside sources or viewpoints of your subject. Another good idea is searching for storys about your subject from friends or family is a great way to add a unique perspective. The final aspect of the reading I found helpful was to simply ask yourself “Why is my person newsworthy?”. This is a simple way to get your brain thinking in the right direction to write about your subject.
Overall this chapter was a very interesting chapter that delved into different aspects of interviews and how to create that type of profile. especially in the sense of how there are many different aspects of a profile and how to go about putting those aspects together. It was very interesting to read the aspects about how you should interview for a profile, especially in the sense of talking about researching the subject before interviewing them. making sure to research online news articles but also friends and family. Also the breakdown of how to interview somebody and the suggested questions to help open up and properly put forth the best material given by the person was very interesting. I also like the breakdown of how to profile and how to write the profile itself. In a new writing style it’s always very difficult to have a structure that you can follow, especially where there are so many different types of structures for writing. It is nice to have some idea and some siblings of what the profile could look like in a traditional sense as well as having the different pieces of knowledge to properly flush out the profile itself.
Chapter 17 of the textbook was very informative as to how to go about writing a profile piece. Something I found really interesting was the GOAL method. By asking questions about your subjects goals, obstacles, achievements, and logistics/background you can find a lot of good information. I think by using this method as a starting point in our own profiles can be really helpful as we navigate what our angle is going to be. I also found the section on basic elements of profiles to be helpful. It talks about how the major elements are the focus, theme, and background. The focus is the main idea of the profile and why the person being talked about is newsworthy. Similar to your focus, your theme should be your angle or a recurring idea throughout the story. Finally, the background of your subject is a crucial component to include. It should go wherever it is the most interesting or needed which is typically the beginning of your profile.
In Chapter 17 of Writing and Reporting News by Carole Rich, there are a few key things that really help with writing news stories. First, the chapter talks about how important it is to be clear and accurate when writing. Journalists should make sure the information is easy to understand and correct. It’s all about getting the message across without confusing the reader. The chapter also explains how to structure a news story. It recommends using the “inverted pyramid” style, where you put the most important information at the top, followed by less important details. This way, even if readers don’t finish the whole story, they still get the key points. Rich also mentions how important it is for journalists to be fair and unbiased. They should present the facts without taking sides, so readers can make up their own minds. Another big point is using quotes and giving credit to sources. Including quotes from people in the story helps make it more interesting and believable. It’s also important to say where the information came from so that readers trust the story. In conclusion, Chapter 17 teaches how to write clear, fair, and well-structured news stories while making sure to give proper credit to sources. These are all important skills for any journalist to have.
11 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 16”
Especially with the current project we are doing on profiles, this chapter is vitally important for understanding the criteria we should include. Starting on page 324, the book talks about interviewing styles and how everyone has a different one. A quote that stood out to me was, “…before you even get to the interviewing stage, you should research your subject’s background. If possible, try to get a resume or an academic vita if you are interviewing a professor. Check social media and online sites, but don’t rely on the information” (Rich, 324). Especially since most of us are interviewing professors, it is important that we look online for information on their past achievements and education. You shouldn’t always trust the internet though, and should check for factual relevance with your actual source. On page 326, the book outlines some profile planning tips which starts with choosing your subject and conducting background research. This is a really important section and I will be referring back to it when I am conducting my interview with my chosen professor. One of the questions they ask on this page is, “Why is this person newsworthy” (Rich, 326). This is an important question, because you should never waste your time interviewing someone who would have no relevance to today’s news and are not necessarily going to impact the world in any way. I decided to choose my subjects based on the fact that their stories will be valuable to others and the experiences they have gone through are extremely important in my eyes. The last section I think is important enough to talk about was on page 331. This is the page where they start talking about organizing the profile, and explaining what should be included in them. It reads, “There is no one way to organize a profile, other than having a lead, a body, and an ending. Just make sure you have a focus” (Rich, 331). In any type of writing, it is always important to stay focused on your topic, but is especially important in journalism. You do not want to be going on tangents and lose the focus of your readers, especially with your own opinions on the issue. Even though the body of the story can be organized in many different ways, staying focused on your subject will ensure credibility and effective writing techniques.
This chapter helped put into perspective what needs to be done for a successful profile. On page 322, it explains “coaching tips.” Some of these include doing background research to find unusual questions and to check their social media for background information. This helps make the interview engaging, and it helps find something the interviewee enjoys discussing. As the chapter continues on page 325, they explain the “GOAL method” that helps discover turning points and other qualities that the subject of your profile has to offer. This stands for goals (past, current, future), obstacles, achievements, and logistics (background). This method also helps determine the focus of your profile while you conduct the interview. Later on, on page 327, they explain how to set up a profile. Including finding the focus, theme, and background. I thought it was interesting that in the background section, it explained that profiles should not be written in chronological order but where the information fits best. Although it usually makes sense to put the background information in the beginning, that is not the case for profiles. As the chapter continued, they explained what a “micro profile” is. This is a concept that tries to condense your profile into six words that would leave a lasting impression on the reader. This allows the writer to pull the most important facts and create a dominant impression on those who would read the story. It also helps you form your focus that highlights the most important elements to include in your profile before you write the story. Lastly, they talked about organizing profiles. This is incredibly important to know and understand since we will be tackling this challenge soon. It explains how it should have elements of supporting themes, time frames, chronology, point/counterpoint, and sections and how you could implement a Q and A format. Understanding how to use each of the elements in a profile will help make the flow and make it engaging for the reader.
I thought the reading was interesting and helpful with creating a profile. It had helpful tips for how to put it together, some ideas for questions, methods for how to go about digging deeper and questions for the person you’re doing a profile on. Page 322, it explains “coaching tips.” Some of these tips include: background research to find unusual questions and to check their social media for background information. By doing this, it” keep the interview interesting and engaging for all parties involved. On page 326 they ask, “Why is this person newsworthy”. This will help pick the perfect subject which will also help with the research and engaging questions part.
One of the main points in the reading that stood out to me was turning points. “The heart and soul of a profile is making sure the reader understands the twists and turns and intricacies of human life.” So, to make sure you capture human life in an effective way you want to study patterns, decisive moments, and future. In relation to patterns some lives build to a climax. When decisive moments happen the person may choose something different than the originally intended. When interviewing a profile, every one of these profiles has a future. What would happen to this profile if their future doesn’t workout?
Something that I didn’t think about before reading this chapter is getting outside sources for your profile. I originally thought that a profile would only include information about the person you are writing it about. But, if you were able to interview someone who is close to the person you are profiling you will be able to get anecdotes and comments for your profile. This will elevate your profile because it is adding credibility to the person you are profiling. Without this information you would never be able to know if the person is seen as a, for example, hardworking or strong, person if no one is there to attest for that.
This chapter is full of vital information on how to conduct an interview for a profile piece. I enjoyed how the chapter started by including the story of journalist Alan Richman attempting to interview Robert DeNiro. Richman shared some of his tips to make profile pieces easier. One thing he said that stood out to me was his tip on talking to family or friends of the person. However, you should not ask what they think about them because they will almost always say something positive whether they mean it or not. The journalist should instead try to get facts or anecdotes. The chapter also mentioned how background information is important. It may be annoying to gather the basics but it is necessary to understand the whole person. Another detail that I found interesting was to ask about their future plans. That was something that I did not think about. When I was drafting my questions, I was only thinking about the past and present. Incorporating information on career goals and aspirations could provide valuable insight. This could also be used as a good ending. The chapter also discusses some of the aspects that should be present in a profile piece. This includes theme, focus, background, age, physical description, visuals, and other points of views. Profile pieces are an important part of journalism. It is crucial for journalists to report on the whole person, and provide all the information that is required for readers to get a full sense of the person. I found this chapter to be very helpful and interesting. I can use this information to help me form my profile piece. There are lots of aspects that I need to include and I can use this chapter to help me.
I paid attention a lot to the turning points section on writing profiles. I think highlighting this turning point in a person’s life for their profile is important because not only can it be interesting and dramatic, but it shows where the significance in this person’s life is, essentially why should we read and care about them. There are three turning points the chapter talks about. The first one patterns. This can look like a buildup of events that lead to a predictable climax such as a lawyer becoming a judge. This can be helpful to see the process and the hard work it takes to get to that place. Perhaps less relatable because not everyone will become a lawyer, but an impressive look at a unique individual in society. The second is a decisive moment. This can be similar to patterns where a person’s life is going in one predictable pattern, but they take a slightly different route along the way that can maybe be unpredictable. This turning point can be more sudden and interesting and show how some people end up discovering passions. An example of this can be a law school student wanting to become defense but ends up prosecutor. Or a more extreme example an accountant becoming the head of a river-rafting company. The last angle for a turning point could probably be applied to any profile and is an important question to ask, which is future. What does the subject see for themselves? What lies ahead and what are we going to do? I also liked in this chapter the goal method to determine how these turning points and other qualities of the profile are going to work. First you look at the logistics and the background of the subject. Then their goals, whether past, present, or future. Then any obstacles, and potential achievements of the individual. This method seems really helpful in crafting a profile and getting a well-rounded account of what it takes to be the person the profile is based on.
One key takeaway from the reading that resonated with me was the idea of turning points. To capture the details of human existence, it’s important to look at patterns, monumental moments, and the future. Regarding patterns, some lives gradually reach a peak. When key moments come, individuals might make choices that differ from their choice of path. When doing a profile interview, it’s imperative to remember that every person has a future. Before reading this chapter, I hadn’t considered the importance of outside sources for a profile. I initially assumed that profiles were centered around the person being written about. However, incorporating insights from people who know the subject of your profile well can add depth to the story. By interviewing those close to the person, you can string together personal stories and perspectives that strengthen your profile. This inclusion in turn strengthens the profile’s credibility, offering a more complete understanding of the subject. Without these outside opinions, it would be difficult to confirm that your personal opinion on the subject is a widespread and there for credible opinion.
This chapter does a good job giving guidance and ideas for our Profile Project. Highlighting things like background research, as its an essential step to a profile. Before talking to your subject, doing background research will give you a head start and help shape the questions you may ask your person. Things to search for when doing background research could include accolades, and education. Another important tip was the GOAL method. This method means figuring out your subjects Goals, Obstacles, Achievements, and Logistics. By finding these four key ideas, you can shape turning points in your profile. Another way to add depth to your article is to add outside sources or viewpoints of your subject. Another good idea is searching for storys about your subject from friends or family is a great way to add a unique perspective. The final aspect of the reading I found helpful was to simply ask yourself “Why is my person newsworthy?”. This is a simple way to get your brain thinking in the right direction to write about your subject.
Overall this chapter was a very interesting chapter that delved into different aspects of interviews and how to create that type of profile. especially in the sense of how there are many different aspects of a profile and how to go about putting those aspects together. It was very interesting to read the aspects about how you should interview for a profile, especially in the sense of talking about researching the subject before interviewing them. making sure to research online news articles but also friends and family. Also the breakdown of how to interview somebody and the suggested questions to help open up and properly put forth the best material given by the person was very interesting. I also like the breakdown of how to profile and how to write the profile itself. In a new writing style it’s always very difficult to have a structure that you can follow, especially where there are so many different types of structures for writing. It is nice to have some idea and some siblings of what the profile could look like in a traditional sense as well as having the different pieces of knowledge to properly flush out the profile itself.
Chapter 17 of the textbook was very informative as to how to go about writing a profile piece. Something I found really interesting was the GOAL method. By asking questions about your subjects goals, obstacles, achievements, and logistics/background you can find a lot of good information. I think by using this method as a starting point in our own profiles can be really helpful as we navigate what our angle is going to be. I also found the section on basic elements of profiles to be helpful. It talks about how the major elements are the focus, theme, and background. The focus is the main idea of the profile and why the person being talked about is newsworthy. Similar to your focus, your theme should be your angle or a recurring idea throughout the story. Finally, the background of your subject is a crucial component to include. It should go wherever it is the most interesting or needed which is typically the beginning of your profile.
In Chapter 17 of Writing and Reporting News by Carole Rich, there are a few key things that really help with writing news stories. First, the chapter talks about how important it is to be clear and accurate when writing. Journalists should make sure the information is easy to understand and correct. It’s all about getting the message across without confusing the reader. The chapter also explains how to structure a news story. It recommends using the “inverted pyramid” style, where you put the most important information at the top, followed by less important details. This way, even if readers don’t finish the whole story, they still get the key points. Rich also mentions how important it is for journalists to be fair and unbiased. They should present the facts without taking sides, so readers can make up their own minds. Another big point is using quotes and giving credit to sources. Including quotes from people in the story helps make it more interesting and believable. It’s also important to say where the information came from so that readers trust the story. In conclusion, Chapter 17 teaches how to write clear, fair, and well-structured news stories while making sure to give proper credit to sources. These are all important skills for any journalist to have.