Profile Essay

  1. Choose a subject and interview them according to the Profile Interview Guidelines.
  2. Find two additional sources according to the Profile Interview Guidelines.
  3. Submit rough and final drafts of your essay according to the Requirements below and submit them by the due dates listed in the Course Schedule.

Resources

Essay Requirements

  1. Provide 4 or more full pages of essay content plus a MLA Citation.
    • Essays shorter than 4 full pages cannot earn a grade higher than C even if they are perfect in every other way.
  2. Include information, observations, and quotes from your interview.
  3. Include information from two or more sources according to the Profile Interview Guidelines.
  4. Include a thesis that presents your overall impression of who the subject is as a unique individual. 
  5. Describe who the subject is as a unique individual. Include what the subject
    • looks like.
      • Examples:
        • physical appearance, clothing, gestures, facial expressions
    • sounds like
      • Examples:
        • How does the subject's voice sound?
        • Does the subject pause before answering questions?
        • Does the subject talk so quickly their words run together? 
    • acts, reacts, or interacts
      • Examples:
        • Does the subject fidget or sit still?
        • Does the subject slouch or sit up straight?
        • Is the subject graceful or clumsy?
        • Does the subject smile at everyone who walks by or stay focused on the interview, ignoring all distractions?
        • Does the subject joke with a cashier at the coffee shop or just recite their order?
  6. Apply what you have learned about using description, detail, and Show, Don't Tell.
  7. Organize your essay based on your thesis.
    • Use the MEAL Plan for body paragraphs.
    •  Don't describe the process of choosing the subject or conducting the interview. Just present what you learned from the interview and sources.
    • Don't include the interview questions or use question-and-answer organization for the essay. Use the MEAL Plan to create paragraphs with one main idea each that tell readers about the subject.
  8. Introduce quotes and paraphrases with attribution phrases.
  9.  Include in-text citations for the interview and sources in correct MLA Citation style.
  10.  Create a works cited page in correct MLA style.
  11. Write in first- or third-person point of view. Don't use any second-person point of view.
  12.  Use the Formatting and Editing Checklist Template to format, edit, and proofread your essay.

Optional but recommended: Meet with a Writing Center and Tutoring Resources tutor at any stage of the pre-writing, drafting, revising, or editing process. This could count for the Writing Tutorial 1 assignment if you submit according to the instructions provided in the link.