How to write a profile essay
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Deniz Akcaoglu - January 25, 2023
A profile essay is a writing assignment that allows you to do what journalists do: focus your writing on a single person, location, or object.
When you need to write one of these types of essays, it’s important to keep the essay’s main objective in mind. This objective is to be enlightening.
Step 1: Before writing
When writing a profile essay, it’s better to read a few sample essays first to familiarize yourself with the general style and essential elements of an academic essay. Profile essays can be found in professional magazines.
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Pay attention to the following
- Tone and style (US or UK English)
- Intriguing details
- The format (outline etc.)
Notice how the essay’s focus is set up early in these examples. By the second paragraph of a ten-paragraph essay, you already feel like you know the subject. Now that we have seen enough examples, let’s get to the actual writing process.
Pro tip
Look for celebrity profiles in magazines such as The Washington Post, The New Yorker, or Esquire.Step 2: Choose a topic and gather information
You first need to choose a topic for your profile essay. Then, you need to gather information about the topic.
Choosing the topic
Consider a person, a place, or an object when choosing a topic.
- A popular person or place will usually pique the attention of readers because they are curious about them.
- Your level of curiosity will determine whether your profile piece succeeds or fails. If you’re passionate about your subject, you are likely to show your passion in your writing.
- Remember that ideally, you will need to interview your subject. If your subject is a person, try to choose someone that you can interview. If you are going to write about a place, try to choose one that you can visit.
For this how-to guide, we are going to be writing a profile essay on the former United States President Barack Obama.
Gathering information
First-hand information is often preferable because it contains data that can’t be accessed somewhere else. If you are interviewing someone for information:
- Be sure to ask questions that they can elaborate on
- Avoid yes-or-no questions that do not need in-depth detail.
- Use online interviews, books, memoirs, and websites to find specific details about the person, place, or object.
Step 3: Write an introduction
An introduction should pique the reader’s interest. To pique their curiosity, you may ask thought-provoking questions or use unknown facts.
One of the most common characteristics of profile essays is their focus on presenting comprehensive details about the subject (Avoiding general descriptions). Therefore, in the introduction of a profile essay:
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If you are writing about a person:
- You can start with that person’s appearance.
- Then mention the details such as name, age, race, weight, height, skin tone, and so on are crucial.
- As part of providing a strong profile, you can add which university this specific person attended.
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If you are writing about a city:
- The etymology of the city name, a description of the area, nearby locations, geographical coordinates, population, history, and so on should all be included.
Add your thesis statement to the last sentence of your introduction to explain what topics the essay will explore.
Important
It makes no difference whether you like or hate the subject. Set aside the preconceived notions and feelings since they might be blocking valuable information.Profile essay introduction example
On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, making him the first African American to hold the position. Introducing the person: Portrays the occupation and the function of the person. Also shows what makes him special by stating that he was the first African American President. Barack Obama was raised in both Hawaii and Jakarta, Indonesia. His mother was from Kansas, while his father was from Kenya, Africa. Barack earned his bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in New York in 1983. He quickly realized that he wanted to be a lawyer and enrolled in Harvard Law School. He began studying law after graduating in 1991. Background: Personal background that familiarizes the subject to the reader. These are essential for a profile essay. After a while, he decided to enter politics. He won the 2008 presidential race after three years in the United States Senate. He was well-known and well-liked around the country for being an outstanding communicator. Detailed information: A description of the subject that functions as a visualization for the reader. This comment sets the tone for the rest of the essay. His skills as a communicator are one of the first things one realizes about him, resulting in him being dubbed as “The Great Communicator”, particularly because of three moments where he proved his skill greatly. Thesis statement: Now we know what aspect of the subject this essay will emphasize on.
Step 4: Write the body paragraphs
It’s time to compose the body paragraphs now that you’ve finished your introduction. It’s important to:
- Include sensory information such as sight, sound, and touch. When writing about an event, include information about the atmosphere and the moods of the attendees.
- Include interview questions and facts that readers may be interested in learning more about.
- Connect the details in the paragraph to the thesis statement.
- Make your profile essay as detailed as possible, making your reader feel as if they are there with you.
Profile essay body example
Obama’s ability to communicate his thoughts in a manner that his intended audience would understand is part of what makes him a great communicator. Topic sentence: Presents the issues that will be talked about in the paragraph. He used this ability a lot during his days in the office. This was a reason why he was seen as an approachable president by many; he knew that the people had to understand him before supporting him. Description: Further description of the subject’s personality and public persona. These details make the readers more familiar with the subject. In order to achieve this, he tended to compare his time in the White House to celebrities. He allegedly responded to a reporter’s question by saying, “I’m so overexposed, I’m making Paris Hilton look like a recluse!” Quotation: Direct quotation from the subject. Sections like this are essential in a profile essay because they function as first-hand information; one of the ways you can make the reader feel like they are there with you. Moments like this one made Obama a president that many people liked and felt close to, which results from being a great communicator. Concluding sentence: Finishing sentence for the paragraph which ties with the thesis statement.
Reminder
Your profile essay should include several body paragraphs in order to be as informative as possible.Step 5: Write a conclusion
Now it’s time to write our conclusion. Use the conclusion to:
- Restate your thesis statement
- Summarize all of the details provided in the profile essay in a concise way.
- Include a hook at the end to keep your readers intrigued about the subject.
Profile essay conclusion example
After all, Obama earned the love and appreciation of many people by being a great communicator. Restatement: Reaffirming the thesis statement. Shows that the essay has covered the suggested claim in the introduction. People loved to see him because he did not intimidate them. He was a sympathetic, charismatic, and tall man who crafted his words accordingly to people around him. Visual description: Visual description of the subject which makes the reader feel closer to it. He related what he wanted to talk about to familiar subjects to the public, such as celebrities and pop stars. He was humble and compassionate in his acknowledgement of others’ efforts, which made him a more approachable person in the public eye. He also talked openly and passionately about the issues that his big project, “Obamacare”, would solve. This open communication with the public made him gain trust from the people. Summary: A Concise summary of the points made in the body paragraphs. Therefore, although various comments can be made about Obama’s legacy as a president, one thing everyone can agree on is that he had advanced communication skills that improved his place as a leader. Concluding sentence: Memorable ending sentence that makes the reader think.
Step 6: Things to consider
- While a profile essay adopts a professional tone that is anticipated in the academic community, it is more adaptable than various types of essays.
- While the use of the second person pronoun is not approved, the first person pronoun might be appropriate under certain circumstances.
- When writing your essay, it’s important to remember that your whole essay should be framed by your viewpoint on the events. Try to be fair, but recognize that you have to be subjective.
- You must make a point and offer evidence to support it, just as you do in other essays.
- You should avoid writing an interview transcript and submitting it as an essay. Also, avoid plagiarism and cite your sources (in APA or MLA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of a profile essay?
A profile essay aims to provide a thorough description or analysis of a person, location, or event. The essay should include an in-depth examination of the subject's history, personality, and deeds. It should also give insight into the subject's relevance or influence.
Who should be the subject of the profile essay?
A person, location, or event might be the subject of a profile essay. An actual person, such as a prominent personality or a fictitious character, can be used. It can also refer to a location, such as a city or a monument, or an event, such as a concert or sporting event. The most critical factor is that the topic is intriguing and has a tale to tell.
How do I choose a specific topic or angle for the profile essay?
Consider the following factors when selecting a topic or viewpoint for a profile essay:
- What piques your interest in the subject?
- What distinguishing attributes or characteristics does the topic have?
- What is the subject's importance to a bigger audience?
- What story or message do you wish to communicate about the topic?
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