The goal of this examination is primarily to investigate the text and what is said about the characters in the Johannine text itself.  Commentaries and journal articles were used only as secondary sources to verify information and to discover new things that may have been overlooked.

The pages containing the detailed characterization studies are arranged with five main sections:

1. General Information
2. The Narrator's Portrayal of the Character
3. The Actions and Speech of the Character
4. The Reactions of Other Characters to the Character Being Examined
5. The Movement of the Character within the Gospel as a Whole

1. General Information
This section, in table format, summarizes the basic information of the character, including:

Location and Number of Appearances
Titles Given
Gender
Age
Marital Status
Occupation
Place of Residence
Relatives

No estimations are given if the information is not provided in the text. However, if the text furnishes hints, these clues are given. For example, the author does not reveal the age of the Man Born Blind but notes that he is a man "of age" (9:21,23).

2. The Narrator's Portrayal of the Character
This section gives a brief analysis of the data provided by the narrator alone. In addition to this, an analysis of what the narrator does not say about this character may also be included.

3. The Actions and Speech of the Character
This section analyzes the characters’ self-revelations through what they do or say. This may also include the character's speaking tones or reactions.

4. The Reactions of Other Characters to the Character Being Examined
This section is a brief analysis of what other characters do or say in reaction to the character being examined. It investigates the information revealed by other characters regarding the character in question.

5. The Movement of the Character within the Gospel as a Whole
This section gives an overview of how the character is seen within the Gospel. It examines how the character promotes elements of the narrative such as theme, mood, and plot. This section may also contain conclusions regarding the character.