Profile Assignment
Profiles describe a person or group from a particular angle. They describe the person as
something and try to convince the reader of the validity of that perspective. For instance,
a writer might profile Quarterback Drew Brees, a graduate of Purdue University, as a
successful student and focus on his academic record and strong work ethic; the writer
probably would not emphasize Brees’ role as a spokesperson for Purdue Employee
Federal Credit Union, since that aspect of his life does not directly relate to his academic
performance.
Assignment
For this assignment, choose a person (or a small group of people) at Purdue and write a
profile about that person1 or persons. Here are some possibilities possible subjects:
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Choose someone whose profile will illustrate a larger social or campus issue.
Choose an administrator, teacher, student, or staff member whom you believe
people need to learn more about. You’ll need to think about what this person’s
life has to offer to your audience.
Follow Mike Rose’s example in “I Just Wanna Be Average,” and compose a
series of personality sketches from interviews with Purdue people that illustrates
some larger point about university life.
Research
Regardless of whom you choose to profile, you should research the subject thoroughly.
If you have done a complete job researching the person, you might not use all the
information you find, but you will have a better understanding of the person.
Your primary research should be an interview or an observation. These research
techniques allow you to add more personal and original elements to your profile. You
may also need to complete some archival research (library or web-based research) in
order to better understand the person, the person’s career, or the person’s interests.
Helpful Hints
Here are a few things to keep in mind about profiles as you begin to write:
 A profile creates a picture through selective use of detail. Every anecdote, quote,
and descriptive detail must contribute in a meaningful way toward your dominant
impression of the person.
 A profile often uses present tense to create a sense of immediacy and intimacy
for the readers. By helping them feel like they are a part of the people and events
you are describing, you will create a more powerful relationship between the
audience and your profile subject.
 A more sophisticated profile often illuminates larger social issues and cultural
patterns in more concrete and personal ways. While focusing on a particular
person and his/her experiences, a writer can draw attention to the larger social
implications of that person’s life. Every person’s story is embedded in a larger
1
You can also write about a Purdue place, but give it life and personality.
English 106 0101
Shirley K Rose
Summer 2003
social context and is connected to the beliefs and experiences of others. Your
purpose could be to draw a larger meaning out of a particular profile.
Publication Venue
It is important that you to begin to understand how necessary it is to have a specific
audience when writing. Being able to make writing choices always depends on knowing
whom you’re writing for and why you’re writing. For this assignment, I want you to
choose a publication venue for your profile and write for that venue. This venue
needs to be appropriate for the person you’re profiling and the reasons you’re profiling
him/her. For example, you could profile a faculty fellow and try to publish it in your
residence hall newsletter (after studying the conventions of the newsletter’s profiles and
their publication guidelines). Attach a description of your publication venue to each draft
of your profile.
Length
The length of your paper will vary depending on your publication venue, but for most
venues, your paper should be at least three pages long (double–spaced)—about 750
words. Please use a 12–point font. You may include a graphic that visually highlights
some aspect of your profile, if graphics are appropriate for your publication venue. If
your visual element helps to present important details and convey the dominant
impression, the text itself might be as short as 500 words.
Criteria
I will consider the following criteria as I read your paper:
 The profile should create a dominant impression of the person through selective
use of detail, and every detail should contribute to that dominant impression in a
meaningful way.
 The profile should address the intended audience and be appropriate for the
publication venue.
 The organization should be easy to follow and contribute to creating the dominant
impression. The introduction should catch the reader’s attention, and the
conclusion should provide closure for the profile.
 The profile should effectively incorporate research from a first-hand observation
or an interview you conducted. If you use archival (library) sources, the material
from these sources should not dominate the paper; they simply should contribute
details to the dominant impression.
 Overall, the profile should be free of errors.
Due Dates
Bring one electronic copy of your rough draft to class on Thursday, June 26 so that you
can participate in the peer review workshop. When you submit your final draft on
Monday, June 30, attach your rough draft(s) and other materials you used while writing
your paper. Also remember to attach a description of your publication venue (name,
organization or company sponsoring the publication, intended audience, size of
circulation, frequency of publication if a periodical) to all drafts.
I encourage you to visit the Writing Lab (Heav 226) at any stage of the writing process.
If you have any questions or concerns about the profile assignment, please contact me.
English 106 0101
Shirley K Rose
Summer 2003