Patterns For College Writing Chapter 9
What is a process
a process essay explains how to do something or how something occurs.
it presents a sequence of steps and shows how those steps lead to a particular result.
process presents events in chronological order
process essays always present a particular series of events in a particular order that is, in the exact order of performance
Understanding Instructions
purpose of instructions is to enable the readers to perform a process
instructions use present tense and, like commands, and the imperative mood
Understanding Process Explanations
the purpose of process of explanation is not to enable readers to perform a process but to help them understand how it is done
a process explanation may use the first or third person ,or the past or present
the second person is not used
Using Process
College writing frequently calls for instructions or process explanations
parts of or entire essays can be devoted to process
Planning a Process Essay
as the essay is planned remember that the primary goal is to explain the process accurately
common and rare occurrences need to be distinguished between
double check the information
accommodate the audience
remember to keep the readers' needs in mind
explain reasons for particular steps when necessary
remove ambiguities and digressions
don't omit articles
Developing a Thesis Statement
both instructions and process explanations can be written either to persuade or simply to present information
it should take a strong stance in the thesis statement
Using Transitions
use transitional words and phrases to make sure each step, each, stage, and each paragraph lead logically to the next.
transitions help to establish sequential and chronological relaitonships so that readers can follow the process
Structuring a Process Essay
a process essay generally consists of
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
it identifies the process
indicates why and under what circumstances it is preformed
each paragraph identifies a different aspect of the process
each aspect may group several steps
the steps are presented in chronological order
this is not always required
the conclusion usually review the major steps
Revising a Process Essay
checklist
Does your assignment call for a set of instructions or a process explanation?
Is your essay’s style appropriate for the kind of process essay you are writing
Does your essay have a clearly stated thesis that identifies the process and perhaps tells why it is performed?
Have you included all necessary steps?
Are the steps prese
Do transitions clearly indicate where one step ends and the next begins?
Have you included all necessary reminders and cautions?
Editing a Process Essay
check for consistent verb
tenses
persons
voices
moods
checklist
Have you used commas correctly in a series of three or more steps, including a comma before the and?
Have you used parallel structure for items in a series?
Have you avoided unnecessary shifts in tense?
Have you avoided unnecessary shifts in person?
Have you avoided unnecessary shifts in voice?
Have you avoided unnecessary shifts in mood?