Tell me About Yourself: Profiles

Abhishek
Balakrishnan

Srinand Paruthiyil

Anishka Marwah

Arman Islam

Examples of Profiles

Behind: Annabelle

Why Write a Profile? What is it?

Someone or something is of interest
Newsworthy to many people
Not talked about before

Captures a glimpse into the world of the subject observed

by the writer

Why Write a Profile? What is it?

Try to capture the personality and mood of someone or
something
Expand on what is commonly thought about a person
Provides intimacy and immediacy
(Trimbur 202-203)

Different Goals
The beauty of profiles lies in the
many different ways you can slant
them (Whitman, 10)

Different Goals

To Sell

To Invite
Familiarity

To Classify
To Promote

(Jesse 14)

To Expose

Common points found in

Writing Structure
1.An Introduction
2.Topics discussed in introduction

3.A journey describing how the subject arrived at that

point
4.The extrapolation of the subjects experience to the
wider world
5.Future directions

Context is key
Historical Context is important

Look for writing written by the subject

Ask questions that cover many bases, like

What makes the subject laugh?

What motivates the subject?

Location context
Was the person in an urban/rural area?

Anecdotes
Anecdotes can provide this origin story
Opportunity for intimacy
Provides a human look at a magnanimous figure

Compare and contrast

Technical: http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/bla0int-1
Human: http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/bla0int-3

Conventions
Logical sequence of events to explain a situation, event,
or overall life of an individual
Pictures of the person or event are important to have

Many different stories create one overall picture

(Hambouz Putting Personality on Paper)

Conventions
Quotations, opinions, and physical descriptions
Can merge the identity of individuals and organizations
Anecdotes

(Hambouz Putting Personality on Paper)

Common Visual patterns in

profiles
Close cropping and framing
of pictures
Direct gaze from subject

(Jesse 50-52)

Subgenres
Subgenres of Profile include:
Interviews
Narrative essays
Biographies
Obituary

Interviews
Surrounding are observed to
gain insight into the subject.
Choose a perspective:
Literal
Hybrid

Narrative

(How to write an interview article

10/20/2015)

Literal:

Interviews
Think about a goal
What the writer wants to expose about this topic? What is
interesting?
What background information is pertinent to accomplishing the goal

Questions
Dont ask yes or no questions
Ask questions that reveal something not commonly known
(How to write an interview article 10/20/2015)

Narrative essays
To articulate personal experience to inform and entertain
others.
provide human interest
curiosity
closer to the storyteller
link the readers in the event
(Writing the Essay 21 Oct. 2015)

Characteristics of Good
Narratives:
Recreate the event
Dont talk about it
Author's point of view
Descriptive
Presents important changes, contrasts, or conflicts and
(Writing
the Essay
21 Oct.
creates
tension
and2015)
lasting impression.

We are all Friends Here

Talk to person next to you for like five minutes then write
like a short paragraph about one of their embarrassing
moments.(Nothing crazy, just a little silly)

Biographies
Stories of an individual's life and
a medium to find meanings in them.
Gain information into the life of
the subject:
Interviews
Visiting Significant sites
What inspired and influenced the
subject
Chronological life pattern

(CNN
Determine
a thesis statement
10/20/2015)
and a purpose

Obituary
The report of a recent death along with an account of the
persons life.

Informs the general public about a death

Includes how the person died
Details about what the deceased has left behind

Insight into the life of the individual who has passed away
What has made his or her life notable
(Obituaries)

What we get From Steve Jobs's

Obituary
Died on October 5th at age 56
Achievements
Founder and chief executive of Apple
Behind animation success of Pixar

Early Life
Born in 1955
Syrian
father and American mother
(Steve
Jobs, The
Telgraph)

Activities
Interview with Katniss Everdeen
Obituary of Voldemort
Biography of Batman

Citations
Barnhart, Bill. "Defining Patterns For Profiles." IRE
Journal 22.9 (1999): 4. Academic Search Premier. Web. 20
Oct. 2015.
Garcia, Christopher Balajadia. "Profiling WritingKnowledge: Exploring Peer Review Feedback Beyond Revising
and Editing." Order No. 3604279 Indiana University of
Pennsylvania, 2013. Ann Arbor: ProQuest. Web. 20 Oct.
2015.

Jessee, Amy, "Strategic Stories: An Analysis of the Profile

Genre" (2009). All Theses. Paper 550

Citations
"Journalism Education: How To Write A Profile Story."
Journalism Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.

Trimbur, John. Call to Write: Brief Sixth Edition. Place of

Publication Not Identified: Addison-Wesley, 2014. Print.
Hambouz, Annissa, and Holly Ojalvo. "Putting Personality on
Paper: Writing About People Using Times Models." The
Learning Network Putting Personality on Paper Writing
About People Using Times Models Comments. The New York
Times, 27 Jan. 2011. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.

Citations
"Rolling Stone Steve Jobs - Google Search." Rolling Stone
Steve Jobs - Google Search. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.

"How To Write An Interview Article." CommunicationABC.

Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
"Steve Jobs Interview: One-on-one in 1995." Computerworld.
Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
"STEVE JOBS' SPEECH." EssayHelporg. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct.
2015.

Citations
"Steve Jobs Biography - Google Search." Steve Jobs
Biography - Google Search. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
"The Best Tidbits from the Steve Jobs Bio - CNN.com." CNN.
Cable News Network. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
"Steve Jobs." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Web. 21
Oct. 2015.
"Writing the Essay." Writing the Essay. N.p., n.d. Web. 21
Oct. 2015.

"Obituaries." - Suggestions for Writing an Obituary. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.