With the growing recognition of the importance of personal narratives as a tool for promoting and analyzing professional development, this study looked at what trends emerged from the personal narratives of female graduate students (most of whom were also teachers) when they were categorized by their rhetorical function and by stereotypical styles of female communication. The study conducted a deconstructive, qualitative study of the writings of five female students of curriculum design at a large urban university. The narratives were analyzed in two ways: an individual analysis of each and then consultation with the authors about the intent of their writing. Results indicated that: (1) four of the five writers discussed the significant importance of either a teacher, student, or colleague; (2) all of the women placed emphasis on the processes, not products, of problem-solving in organizing their teaching; (3) most rejected the opportunity for emotion in organizing their teaching and approached topics logically by manipulating a guiding text, responding to a speaker's works, or rationalizing their own beliefs; and (4) none of the writers engaged in questioning or inquiry as a means of initiating further research. (Contains 18 references.) (JB)