ENGLISH 1301

Essay #2: Profile

FORMAT + LENGTH: Essay must be submitted in MLA format and follow all points listed in the MLA Format Information document. The minimum length requirement is 2 ½ PAGES (maximum 4).

Do NOT use any source information in this essay; the ideas must be your own. If you do include source information without providing in-text citations and works cited page entries, you will be given a ZERO on the essay; so it’s best to avoid them altogether for now and just write about your own thoughts. (We’ll start working with sources soon.)

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS:

Select an unusual subject – a person, place, or thing – to profile. You will need to share first-hand knowledge of the subject, so it needs to be one you can easily visit and observe.

If you are not profiling a person, you can speak with other people involved with the subject to offer readers a close-up view of it from a perspective besides your own; however, you cannot do any research or use quotations from anyone else because you cannot use sources in this essay. All of the information in the essay must come directly from you. It’s okay to say something like, The people I work with often feel XX or hold the opinion of XX OR My sister disagrees with me about XX; but it’s not okay to use exact words or information that is not “common knowledge” since quotations and source facts must be documented to avoid plagiarism, which we can’t do in this essay because NO sources are allowed. If you are profiling a person, you can use direct quotations from that person without documenting them; just be sure to use quotation marks around any direct quotes.

Be sure the essay has a specific angle that answers the “so what” question and reveals to your readers why the subject is worth recognizing and reading about.

Your introduction must include a specific thesis written as the last sentence of your first paragraph. The thesis should show the angle and purpose of your profile. Remember that readers need to have the answer to the “so what” question after reading your essay; you don’t necessarily have to state that explicitly, but there should be a point made overall that readers can learn from.

The body of your essay should include description and narration. Organize your paragraphs so your work will be clear and cohesive. Use textbook Chapter 19 “Profiles” pp. 239-245 along with other relevant chapters assigned in the Course Schedule and/or mentioned in the book to help guide your work.

The conclusion should reiterate the main points of the essay without using repetitive words and phrases and without introducing new concepts. Strong conclusions help tie your points and examples together. Be sure to proofread your work carefully and revise the essay so that the language is concise and meaningful.

Possible Topics:

· You could pick a person who is part of a larger group you could profile (such as a group of student workers, supermarket cashiers, cowboys, skateboarders, single moms, professors, etc.) and write a profile about the person as a member of the larger group they belong to.

· You could choose a popular product and write a profile that explains the cultural significance or influence the product has.

· You could consider a person who has a job that does not get much public notice yet is crucial to helping a community or an institution function well (such as an administrator or an assistant at school or a telephone repair worker) and write a profile on a day in the life of this worker that reveals how important the job is.

· Read through the example essays and chapters in the textbook for more ideas and possibilities. Feel free to email me if you have questions about whether your topic will work!

Off-limits Topics:

· Your mom. Or any parent in which the main point of your essay is something like “My mom is great because she works really hard and has sacrificed to make me everything I am today.” I am ALL for showing your mom love and appreciation; but your essay should go beyond the typical, beyond explaining that you love your family and why, so that readers can get something more from reading it.

· Your favorite teacher. Also go beyond “My 5th grade English teacher told me I was good at writing, and she was nice and smelled good, so she inspired me to be a better student.” See reasons above.

Note that your essay does not have to be positive; you can profile a person, place, or thing that you dislike or feel is more harmful or negative than beneficial or positive. What matters more is that your profile should be interesting and unique and should reflect your critical thinking skills as a college-level, academic writer.