For the third essay, you will be asked to write a profile. The essay should be formatted according to MLA style and be about 2-3 double-spaced pages in length (700-1000 words). A profile essay is a written portrait that can focus on people, places, events, or other things. However, for this essay you will choose one place in the El Paso, TX border area to be the subject of your profile essay.
The purpose of a profile is to present a subject, in this case a place, in an “entertaining way that conveys its significance, showing us something or someone that we may not have known existed or that we see every day but don’t know much about”(Bullock and Goggin 153). Therefore, you must choose an interesting subject, provide any necessary background information or context, develop an interesting angle, and include engaging details. A profile does not tell us about a place; it shows us something interesting about the subject. The place you choose can be any place as long as it holds some significance to the border area.
The list above is meant to help you come up with a topic; you can choose a place from the list or select a topic of your own. However, I suggest selecting a place you are familiar with since you will have to describe it in great sensory detail.
Furthermore, your profile should be a firsthand account which means you need to spend time observing your subject. Therefore, I encourage you to pick a place you are familiar with and a place you can visit and observe more in depth. Please make sure that you do research to ensure that the place is open to the public.
Please keep laws and safety in mind at all times.
If you do not live in the area or cannot attend the place in person, then conduct internet research and examine online photographs to provide a description of the place.
A minimum of one outside source is required for this essay. The source should be cited in the text and in a Works Cited page using MLA style. It is your responsibility to ensure that the source is credible and relevant to your topic.
