Individual Empathy Paper
September 2, 2013
Individual Empathy Paper Assignment
Venue: Out of Town News
Research Methods: Direct Observation and Direct Interaction
Technique: Similar to the one described in Observation: Absorbing Context and Human Behaviors (from Readings for Class 1).
Objective Observation: Out of Town News is located in the middle of Harvard Square at a busy intersection of streets and sidewalks. The newsstand is surrounded by many different people, most of whom are walking: Harvard students; T passengers entering and exiting the station located several meters from the venue; patrons of the Starbucks, Pinkberry, bank, or one of the other stores in the immediate vicinity; people waiting to cross at the large intersection; homeless people; cab drivers talking to one another as they wait for passengers; and tourists, often with cameras, who have come to visit Harvard University and Harvard Square. Out of Town News has many newspapers and magazines displayed in racks outside the venue, some in English and some in other languages.
Develop a Hypothesis: My hypothesis is that the venue serves a broad range of people who are interested in non-local newspapers and magazines, in local newspapers and magazines, or in picking up a beverage or other sundries. My hypothesis is based on the following observations: there are many newspapers and magazines in several different languages on display outside the venue; the name of the venue, Out of Town News, indicates that it specializes in non-local newspapers; and patrons leaving the venue usually carry a newspaper or magazine, or occasionally a small sundry item like a beverage or pack of gum.
Articulate Insight: After observing the outside of the venue and its surroundings, I entered Out of Town News in order to interact directly with its proprietors and patrons and to find out more about the venue. The observations and insights I gathered supported my initial hypothesis, stated above. Inside the
Individual Empathy Paper Assignment
Venue: Out of Town News
Research Methods: Direct Observation and Direct Interaction
Technique: Similar to the one described in Observation: Absorbing Context and Human Behaviors (from Readings for Class 1).
Objective Observation: Out of Town News is located in the middle of Harvard Square at a busy intersection of streets and sidewalks. The newsstand is surrounded by many different people, most of whom are walking: Harvard students; T passengers entering and exiting the station located several meters from the venue; patrons of the Starbucks, Pinkberry, bank, or one of the other stores in the immediate vicinity; people waiting to cross at the large intersection; homeless people; cab drivers talking to one another as they wait for passengers; and tourists, often with cameras, who have come to visit Harvard University and Harvard Square. Out of Town News has many newspapers and magazines displayed in racks outside the venue, some in English and some in other languages.
Develop a Hypothesis: My hypothesis is that the venue serves a broad range of people who are interested in non-local newspapers and magazines, in local newspapers and magazines, or in picking up a beverage or other sundries. My hypothesis is based on the following observations: there are many newspapers and magazines in several different languages on display outside the venue; the name of the venue, Out of Town News, indicates that it specializes in non-local newspapers; and patrons leaving the venue usually carry a newspaper or magazine, or occasionally a small sundry item like a beverage or pack of gum.
Articulate Insight: After observing the outside of the venue and its surroundings, I entered Out of Town News in order to interact directly with its proprietors and patrons and to find out more about the venue. The observations and insights I gathered supported my initial hypothesis, stated above. Inside the