The practice profile is a standardized, systematic, cost-effective tool for summarizing the components and requirements of a program in a manner that permits comparison with other programs or selection of discrete components from various programs. It provides a component checklist, a precise list of implementation requirements, and a system for assessing practice characteristics such as complexity, purpose, and prescriptiveness. These three parts--component checklist, implementation requirements, and practice characteristics--are described in detail, with illustrative tables. Information is also provided on how to collect data for practice profiles and on various ways in which they have been used. The final section provides a seven-step procedure for constructing a practice profile: (1) orientation to practice, (2) interviewing the developer, (3) interviewing users, (4) observing users, (5) developing a preliminary checklist of components, (6) verifying checklist with the developer, and (7) pilot testing and revision. Implementation requirements include training, startup costs, equipment needs, personnel needs, and logistics, while practice characteristics include purpose, concreteness of benefits, pedagogical approach, precision of definition, prescriptiveness, and complexity. (TE)