RHET 1311.

08/10

Creating Profiles

WILLIAMS 1

Project II Creating Profiles

Draft 1 Due: March 1, 2013 Draft 2 Due: March 8, 2013 Final Due: March 15, 2013

What is a profile essay? Imagine if someone wrote down a list of facts about you such as your birthday, your parents names, where you grew up, and your hobbies. Now, imagine if someone went into your bathroom, took all of your items, and put them on display. Which one is more interesting? Which is a more accurate reflection of you? A profile is a portrait in words. Profiles say things about people that cannot be shared merely through a collection of facts. Profiles are not simply biographies, they are crafts of people, places, and events meshed into one masterful craft of a moment. A profile should help someone understand the significance of the subject from your perspective, with your interpretation, and through your ideas. A good profile should show the reader who the person is or what the event is about and not simply tell it. For example, instead of saying, Tony was a very nervous person who couldnt sit still, you might try, Tony sat next to me tapping his finger on the edge of the table; he shook his leg so violently that I thought my cell phone was vibratinghe did not like interviews. How is this relevant to my life? Writing profiles can help you introduce a subject or tell a story. What will I need to know to complete this assignment? Chapter 6 and Chapter 11 Read the hand-out on writing profiles How to conduct primary and secondary research How to record/notate an interview and record/notate observations

RHET 1311.08/10

Creating Profiles

WILLIAMS 2

This assignment will help me understand the following WPA outcomes:

Rhetorical Knowledge Use conventions of format and structure appropriate to the rhetorical situation Adopt appropriate voice, tone, and level of formality Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing Use writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating Understand a writing assignment as a series of tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing appropriate primary and secondary sources Understand the relationships among language, knowledge, and power Processes Understand writing as an open process that permits writers to use later invention and rethinking to revise their work Learn to critique my own and others' works Learn to balance the advantages of relying on others with the responsibility of doing my part Knowledge of Conventions Practice appropriate means of documenting my work Control such surface features as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling Composing in Electronic Environments Use electronic environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts Locate, evaluate, organize, and use research material collected from electronic sources, including scholarly library databases; other official databases (e.g., federal government databases); and informal electronic networks and internet sources

Instructions: For your first assignment, you will create a profile of a person or place. You will focus on one specific event, interest, or hobby of the person or place to inform your readers. The Rhetorical Situation UALR Information Technology Services has been trying to come up with ways to make the UALR website a more personalized experience for the students by featuring stories of local people and places on the home page. Each week of the semester, a new profile will be shown to expose the UALR community to the hidden treasures of Little Rock. They have asked you, as an intern of UALR Information Technology Services, to create the first profile. They would like you to use the formatting of an online magazine for an edgier design.

RHET 1311.08/10

Creating Profiles

WILLIAMS 3

Components of the rhetorical situation to consider:

Subject: Occasion: Audience: Purpose: Speaker:

Requirements:

whichever subject you choose a feature on the UALR website for one week during the semester anyone who views the UALR website including all current and prospective students, workers, and faculty of UALR as well as competitive institutional sites, and the provost to inform your audience of local people and places of Little Rock You, as a UALR Information Technology Services writer

Between 900 1,100 words long Includes 1-3 images with captions. Images must be relevant to the subject Follows convention of a magazine profile (i.e. columns) Includes a works cited page You must submit a first, second, and final draft. You are required to have at least one (1) conference with an UWC intern for this project.

Part One (Collecting Materials) 1. Write a list of four people or places that you are interested in learning more information about. You may not choose a family member. 2. Choose, from your list, one person or place that you would like to write about. 3. Make a list of everything you know about the person or place and things you would like to know. Use this list to angle your profile. For example, if you chose to write about your grandfather, you may list that he loves to play chess. Your profile would be about your grandfather playing chess and you may research background information on the origin of chess or rules of the game for your sources. 4. Begin researching information on your subject or place. a. If you have chosen a person, you will need to find information about the life event or hobby that you will focus on for your profile and research it. Research your subject enough to create interview questions that will evoke open-ended responses and hold meaningful conversations with your interviewee. b. If you have chosen a place, remember that brochures are also considered sources but you should have at least one scholarly source. 5. Observations and Interviews a. If you have chosen a place, you should make plans as soon as possible to conduct a field observation of the location. You will need to construct an observation

RHET 1311.08/10

Creating Profiles

WILLIAMS 4

plan to be submitted no later than February 22nd. You must submit your plan before you visit your location. Be sure to take photos of your location. b. If you have chosen a person, begin developing a list of 7-10 questions you would like to ask your subject. These questions may be submitted no later than February 22nd and must be approved before you visit your location. i. Once you have developed interview questions, schedule an interview as soon as possible. ii. IMPORTANT: Inform your subject that you will be taking photographs when you schedule the interview. iii. During the interview, be sure to refocus the conversation on the topic and try to notate the persons behaviorisms as they speak. iv. Remember to take pictures that capture the essence of your subject (not only posed shots, ONE face shot is acceptable). v. If you are having trouble scheduling an interview, consult me to choose another subject. vi. FAILING TO SET-UP AN INTERVIEW IN TIME WILL NOT BE AN EXCUSE FOR NOT SUBMITTING A FIRST DRAFT. Part Two (Organizing Materials) 6. Once you have completed your interview or observations, and research. Check your information for holes. a. You may find interview responses that are vague or unclear and you may need to re-contact the interviewee for clarity (be mindful of their time and only recontact is vital). You may also notice something they said during the interview that may put a new face on your profile or information that you may want to further research. b. You may find that you want to take more observation notes to see if you can detect more patterns or routines of your location. 7. Search for patterns in your interview responses or observations, and research to develop a theme for your profile. 8. Begin to organize your research according to your theme. Remember that the theme should be an accurate depiction of the personality of your person or the environment (vibe) of your location. 9. Develop your draft, keep yourself out of the story, and create a MLA works cited page 10. After you have developed a draft, if you have not already done so, find or take some images of your subject that follow your theme. *Remember, struggles and epiphanies along the way make excellent process journals.

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Creating Profiles

WILLIAMS 5

Resources: PURDUE OWL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ Purdue Owl is an online database that provides resources for citation, grammar, and any basic information you need for writing. Purdue Owl is similar to an online writing center. Library & Collections research database: This can be accessed from the UALR website homepage. If you select Library & Collections then Articles & Databases, you will be able to choose an area and research the area for scholarly sources. You will be probed for you UALR Net ID and password when accessing away from campus.

Important Policies: 15 points will be deducted from drafts not submitted on draft day 25 points will be deducted from final e-portfolio grade if a first draft is not submitted prior to second draft day 25 points will be deducted from final e-portfolio grade if a second draft is not submitted prior to final draft day Public Nature of this Classroom Academic Honesty

Process Journal Grading Rubric:

Process journals must be completed for full credit. Posted on day of final draft by 11:59pm via BB = 10 points from process journal and eligibility for full 25 points of e-portfolio reflection Posted after due date (late) but before Friday at 11:59pm via BB = -10 points from process journal + eligibility for full 25 points of e-portfolio reflection Posted after Friday by 11:59pm via BB = -10 points from process journal and -15 points from e-portfolio reflection No posting for project = -10 from process journal and -25 points from e-portfolio reflection

RHET 1311.08/10

Creating Profiles

WILLIAMS 6

DEADLINES:

DATE Wednesday, February 13, 2013 Friday, February 15, 2013 Monday, February 18, 2013

Wednesday February 20, 2013

Friday, February 22, 2013

Monday, February 25, 2013 Wednesday, February 27, 2013 Friday, March 1, 2013 Monday, March 4, 2013 Wednesday, March 6, 2013 Friday, March 8, 2013 Monday, March 11, 2013 Wednesday, March 13, 2013 Friday, March 15, 2013

DUE Profile Assigned. HMWK: Read handout on profiles. Bring in one example of a profile. Decide on your subject. Create Rubric. HMWK: Read Ch. 6 ACTIVITY: Library Tour. HMWK: Find 2 sources & fill out source check sheet. DUE: Source check sheet HMWK: Create 7-10 thorough interview questions for your subject or an observation plan. DUE: Interview questions or Observation notes. Bring 3 copies. ACTIVITY: Mock Interview day HMWK: Read Ch. 11 HMWK: Work on integrating your information. DUE: Draft 1, Completed Interview Questions, Observation Notes HMWK: Revise draft Technology Day Due: Draft 2, Upload to BB by 11:59PM ACTIVITY: Peer- Review Day Conference Day Conference Day DUE: Final Draft via BB by 11:59PM, Copies of peer revisions documents and plans to implement changes, Copy of draft with signed UWC intern initials. ACTIVITY: Bring 1 final draft copy for project questions HMWK: Upload project questions by 11:59PM