Profiles English 1301

Paint a portrait or tell a story Paint a portrait or tell a story Snapshots (in words) Snapshots (in words) Biographical sketch Biographical sketch Biographies Biographies “About Us” “About Us” “Our Team” “Our Team”

Profiles are written portraits of people, places, events, or other things. Profiles are written portraits of people, places, events, or other things. Celebrities Celebrities Travel destinations Travel destinations Offbeat festivals Offbeat festivals In magazines In magazines Newspapers Newspapers Radio Radio TV TV Used to describe those topics and their significance. Used to describe those topics and their significance.

Profiles Should be entertaining. Should be entertaining. Must convey significance. Must convey significance. Show your audience something or someone that they may not have known existed or may have seen every day but do not know much about. Show your audience something or someone that they may not have known existed or may have seen every day but do not know much about.

Theme Focus on an issue that goes beyond the surface and identify factual details to larger questions. Focus on an issue that goes beyond the surface and identify factual details to larger questions. Examine not only the actual person but also what the person stands for or typifies. Examine not only the actual person but also what the person stands for or typifies. Can involve some sort of tension or important question Can involve some sort of tension or important question Should provoke the audience. Should provoke the audience.

Key Features An interesting subject An interesting subject Provide descriptions that allows the readers to visualize and imagine your subject. Provide descriptions that allows the readers to visualize and imagine your subject. Necessary background Necessary background Describe setting or broader social context in which the subject lives and works, or exists. Describe setting or broader social context in which the subject lives and works, or exists. Reveal a fundamental quality of your subject. Reveal a fundamental quality of your subject. “What larger idea about this person do I want to emerge from the profile?” “What larger idea about this person do I want to emerge from the profile?” Interesting angle Interesting angle Firsthand account Firsthand account Engaging details Engaging details

Choosing a Subject Person, place, or event Person, place, or event A person whose experiences allow you to explore a topic, issue, idea, or theme that is interesting to you and your readers. A person whose experiences allow you to explore a topic, issue, idea, or theme that is interesting to you and your readers. Make sure it is something that arouses your curiosity but something you are not too familiar with. Make sure it is something that arouses your curiosity but something you are not too familiar with. Can blind you to interesting details. Can blind you to interesting details. Make sure it is a subject you can carry out firsthand research. Make sure it is a subject you can carry out firsthand research. Make sure you can interview people. Make sure you can interview people. Make sure that places you need to visit are available. Make sure that places you need to visit are available.

Purpose Why are you writing the profile? Why are you writing the profile? What angle will best achieve your purpose? What angle will best achieve your purpose? Capture something essential (dominant impression) through: Capture something essential (dominant impression) through: Insight Insight Idea Idea Theme Theme Social cause Social cause How can you inform and engage your audience? How can you inform and engage your audience?

Audience Who is your audience? Who is your audience? How familiar are they with your subject? How familiar are they with your subject? What expectations of your profile might they have? What expectations of your profile might they have? What background information or definitions do you need to provide? What background information or definitions do you need to provide? How interested will they be—and how can you get/keep their interest? How interested will they be—and how can you get/keep their interest?

Stance What view of your subject do you expect to present? What view of your subject do you expect to present? Sympathetic Sympathetic Critical Critical Sarcastic Sarcastic Will you strive for a carefully balanced perspective? Will you strive for a carefully balanced perspective?

Design/Organization As a narrative Introduce your subject and your angle. Provide necessary background. Introduce your subject and your angle. Provide necessary background. Tell about various incidents or characteristics (one by one) that bring your subject to life Tell about various incidents or characteristics (one by one) that bring your subject to life Conclude by stating your overall impression. Conclude by stating your overall impression. Anecdote (Can reveal the person’s character through actions and dialogue.) Anecdote (Can reveal the person’s character through actions and dialogue.) Quote Quote Summary comment Summary comment Other Other

As a description Introduce your subject and your angle providing necessary background information. Introduce your subject and your angle providing necessary background information. Present details that create some dominant impression of your subject. Present details that create some dominant impression of your subject. Sensory details Sensory details Examples Examples Dialogue Dialogue Anecdotes Anecdotes Other Other State your overall impression. State your overall impression. Anecdote Anecdote Quote Quote Finish a description (that you began earlier in your paper) Finish a description (that you began earlier in your paper)

Think about… People who have influenced you People who have influenced you Historical figures Historical figures People you have met at work or while volunteering People you have met at work or while volunteering People you know through social and cultural groups People you know through social and cultural groups People who are doing things that you would like to be doing one day People who are doing things that you would like to be doing one day People whose lifestyles are different or unusual People whose lifestyles are different or unusual People who have done something wrong People who have done something wrong A group of people rather than an individual A group of people rather than an individual

Today’s Assignment Page 73. Prudencia 1, 2, 3, 4 Page 73. Prudencia 1, 2, 3, 4 Page 75. The Near Fame Experience 1, 2, 3 Page 75. The Near Fame Experience 1, 2, 3 Page 76. “Talk About This” 1, 2, 3 Page 76. “Talk About This” 1, 2, 3 Page 77. “Try This Out” 1, 3 Page 77. “Try This Out” 1, 3