Some profile writers do field research, observing and interviewing over an extended period of time. As an immersive journalist, Thompson spent more than two months as a member of one crew. To give readers a sense of the chronology of events, he uses time markers (such as calendar and clock time, transitions like next, and prepositional phrases such as on my first day). These cues are especially useful because Thompson’s narrative does not always follow a straightforward chronology.