English essay
Essay 1: Profile (DUE DATE: End of Week 3)
ASSIGNMENT
Review the guidelines below and write a 3-4 page profile essay that is also a minimum of 1,000 words:
Similar to Brian Cable and John Edge, write about a unique and interesting local business (that's not on the "banned list"). The subject of the profile should be a small, family-owned or independent business that provides a service many/most people would be unfamiliar with (like the mortuary Cable profiles) or a place that serves, produces, or sells something unusual (like the Farm Fresh Food Supplier Edge profiles).
To be successful, you really want to profile a mom and pop store. (Links to an external site.)
Don't forget to also carefully review the "banned list" at the bottom of the page before you start searching for a business to profile.
EXAMPLES OF ACCEPTABLE BUSINESSES TO PROFILE
There are many possibilities. Here are just a few examples to give you an idea:
· Surf board maker
· Catering business
· Novelty gift store
· Pawn shop
· Chainsaw dealer
· Book store
· Psychic or tarot card reader
· Cabinet maker
· Boat builder
· Talent agency
· Ornamental iron manufacturer
· Shoe repair store
· Aquarium supplier
· Comic book store
· Custom picture framing shop
· Screen (T-shirt) printer
· Scrap metal recycler
· Fly-fishing shop
· Record store
· Thrift store
· Antique store
· Wig store
· Sign maker
· Trophy maker/shop
If none of these appeal to you, that's fine! This is just a list of examples .
You can try browsing Yelp (Links to an external site.) to find a business that fits the assignment criteria.
You could also search the business directory of your local Chamber of Commerce (Links to an external site.) .
HOW TO WRITE A PROFILE
Remember to review the four basic features of a profile essay: (1) detailed information about the subject, (2) a clear, logical organization, (3) the writer’s role, and (4) a perspective on the subject.
To review these features, refer to the SMG page 61-63 (Chapter 3: Part 1).
Other Tips (to avoid the common traps on the Profile essay):
· IMPLIED THESIS: Your profile won't have an explicit thesis statement since you're not evaluating the business; you're profiling it (i.e. you're just providing information about it). So make sure your essay has an implied thesis. An implied thesis will state the overall “vibe” or “impression” (AKA the “dominant impression”) that the essay will be showing and telling the reader in the body paragraphs.
· USE PAST TENSE: You're profile should be written in past tense . You write the profile after you've gathered your information about the business and made some notes about it, so you're writing about what you've already experienced. Pay attention that you don't accidentally flip-flop from past tense to present tense in the essay.
· TOPIC SENTENCES: The biggest problem students have with this essay having poor topic sentences. Make sure that each paragraph is focused on a topic sentence (a clear, logical organization). When writing or revising, look at the "main words" in each topic sentence. Make sure all the sentences in a paragraph are focused the subject/topic/idea/location mentioned in the topic sentence. Often, a little revision is needed.
· VIVID DESCRIPTION: Remember, vivid description is what makes profiles enjoyable to read, so make sure to include as much sensory description (what you see, hear, smell, touch, etc.) as possible (detailed information).
· BACKGROUND INFO: Successful profiles will provide some behind-the-scenes info about the business (something that a regular customer just walking in wouldn't immediately know). Make sure your profile has that background or behind-the-scenes info. Often times, this type of information can be obtained by asking an owner or employee 2 or 3 very simple and short "interview" questions.
· USING 1ST PERSON PRONOUNS: Remember that you're expected to offer your thoughts, insights, and comments about the business (perspective on the subject). That means you'll be using 1st person pronouns (e.g. "I noticed this..."; "It made me think about..."; "It was different than I imagined because..."; "I asked her about..." and so on).
· AVOID FOCUSING ON SELF: Just because you're using 1st person pronouns, do not make the profile about you! Remember, you're profiling the business and what the business does, not telling a story about what you're doing. Remember that your mission is to gather information about the business and offer your insights and perspective about the business, not how you woke up late that day, not the drive there, not how long it took to find parking, not how you decided to go shopping while you were there, etc.
2020-2021 CORONAVIRUS EDITION (WEBSITE OPTION)
For this essay (and this essay only), you will be allowed to do web-based research
Normally, students are required to physically go to a business. However, due to the pandemic, this might be difficult, so you have a couple of options:
OPTION 1: You can visit a local business in person, if you're able to and comfortable doing so. This is the easiest way to do the profile (because it allows you to gather sensory description). Just be smart and wear a mask!
OPTION 2: If you're uncomfortable or unable to visit a business in person, you can profile a business remotely. This could potentially be accomplished by doing the following:
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· Visiting the business's website.
· Visiting the business's social media pages.
· Reading articles about the business in local newspapers and local magazines.
· Calling the business and asking 2 to 3 interview questions.
· If you can speak with the owner and simply say that you're a Saddleback student in an English class writing a profile about a unique and interesting local business, and you picked his or her business, the person is usually pretty stoked and quite happy to answer 2 or 3 questions.
· *Maybe driving to the business and parking in front of it, taking notes about the storefront and what you see in the windows.
If you pick OPTION 2 then you'll need to tell me where information came from in your essay (for example, "according the company's website..."; "The business's Facebook page states..."; "A review in the Orange County Register says..." etc.)
If you pick OPTION 2 you'll also need a works cited page. You'll want to visit the Updated MLA Formatting Rules for 2016 Canvas page in the MLA Formatting module to make correct MLA formatted works cited entries.
REQUIREMENTS/GRADING
MLA FORMATTING REQUIREMENT: Make sure to follow MLA guidelines from the tutorial videos in all aspects of your paper and works cited page.
LENGTH REQUIREMENT: Papers must be at least 1,000 words (not counting works cited) and 3 FULL pages in length or they will be docked severely and cannot receive a grade higher than a “C”.
Papers should be between 3 and 4 pages. You do not need to write more than 4 pages.
DRAFT WORKSHOP REQUIREMENT: Papers lose 1/3 of one letter grade if a student does not participate in the draft workshop. To participate in the draft workshop, students need to do 2 things: (1) upload a draft of their essay that meets the above-mentioned "length requirements" by the due date and (2) read and comment on another student’s essay by the due date.
LATE POLICY: Papers lose 1 full letter grade every 24 hours they are late.
BANNED LIST: WHAT YOU CANNOT PROFILE
NO business you visited before this profile essay was assigned. You cannot profile a place from memory (e.g. a place you visited on vacation).
NO "chain locations" (such as a Starbucks or McDonalds). Find a business that has 4 locations or less, preferably a "mom-and-pop" business that only has 1 location.
NO place where you or a family member is currently employed.
NO place that isn't a business (e.g. a museum, library, school, park, boardwalk, beach, public pool, etc.)
All of these are also banned for various reasons:
· NO stores in a mall (e.g. The Shops at Mission Viejo, Irvine Spectrum, Fashion Island, etc.). All--or almost all--of them are "chain locations" + they also don't really have a storefront, so it's hard to provide description.
· NO gyms or workout facilities (e.g. 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, Equinox, CrossFit gym, cycle studio, boxing gym, MMA gym, Taekwondo dojang, karate dojo, etc.).
· NO yoga studios or Pilates studios.
· NO medical or holistic/alternative medicine offices (e.g hospital, urgent care, doctor's office, dentist, orthodontist, chiropractor, acupuncturist, massage therapist, physical therapist).
· NO mobile-only businesses (e.g. mobile dog groomer, mobile locksmith, mobile car-wash). It's hard to get enough vivid description and details when there's no physical location to profile.
· NO supermarkets. They're too big and 99% of supermarkets are "chain locations."
· NO restaurants (they're not unique and they end up being restaurant reviews).
· NO auto repair/oil change/auto detail shops.
· NO marijuana dispensaries.
· NO car dealerships.
· NO escape rooms.
· NO tattoo studios.
· NO shooting ranges.