Process Essay

A process is a series of events or steps, one taking place after the other. If these events and steps are explained one by one in an order, you have to write a process essay. In a process essay, the purpose of the writer is to describe how to do something or how something works; that is, he or she has to write the process step by step- for example, how to make chocolate at home, how to learn a foreign language, etc. Moreover, it is essential that all the steps in the process should be explained clearly. The order most commonly used in a process essay is chronological order. However, for some topics, order of importance is required.

e.g.

how to make chocolate at home - chronological   order

how to learn a foreign language - order of importance

The layout of a process essay is as follows:

 

 

How to write a process essay

 

While writing a process essay,

the first thing the writer should do is to determine what

the process is.

Then,

make a list of the tools/ equipment / ingredients which are necessary (if there are any) and the steps as a simple outline.

e.g.

 

Outline

Topic: How to cook pasta with tomato sauce

Ingredients: onion /garlic     / tomato / tomato purée /

olive oil / water /pepper / salt / cheese

Steps:

cooking pasta

preparing the sauce

serving the pasta

 

 

 

 

 

After	that, use	this      outline	to         construct         your
essay.	However,	while   you	are          writing the

process, if      there       is         more      than     one      step, try           to

organize the ideas into three paragraph groups.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As has been mentioned in the introduction to an essay structure, this kind of essay has usually an introduction paragraph,  three body paragraphs  and  a  conclusion paragraph.

The Introduction Paragraph

 

In the introduction paragraph, you should state why the process is important to the reader, why the reader should be interested in this process or give background information; that is, it is written only to give an overview to the reader about the topic of your essay and establish its purpose. It contains NO steps. It prepares the reader for the topic of the essay. When the introductory paragraph ends, the reader should clearly know what the process is. They should not guess what you‟re going to talk about.

 

 

The thesis statement of a process  essay

 

In the thesis statement the topic states which process you will be explaining and the controlling idea expresses either the number of steps in the process or an attitude, opinion, or judgment about the process. Your thesis statement patterns might look like the following ones:

 

 

 

1.         It          is         (not	difficult,	easy,	fun,	possible)
to……………if	you	have	the	right

materials/ingredients/ equipment.

 

§It     is            easy to wash a  car if you       have         the        right

equipment.

§It     is            fun      to         cook    pizza    if            you       have         the        right

ingredients.

It is (not difficult, easy, fun, possible) to……………….if (when) you follow my advice/ these steps/ these instructions.

§It  is  not difficult to improve your speaking skills if

you follow these  instructions.

§It     is            simple to get over disappointment when      you follow  my advice.

§It is possible to set up your computer if you  follow

these steps.

 

There are (three, four, several, some, etc.)    main / important / major / crucial    steps      involved     in…………………….(Ving.)

 

§There     are   some   important     steps   involved in making

chocolate at home.

§There     are   some    crucial     steps   involved in taking  a  good

photograph.

The following sentence types are also possible thesis

statements.

 

- How to cook pasta has   three   steps, namely cooking

pasta, preparing the sauce and serving the pasta.

- By following these practical steps, you can move into

a new home.

According to fashion designers, there are three stages

of looking fashionable on a limited budget.

Writing a research paper requires three well- developed stages.

The Body Paragraphs

In each body paragraph of a process  essay,  you should state one major stage of the process. These paragraphs must focus on one main step or a group of homogenous steps. They all start with a topic sentence and then relevant details are added. Furthermore, the body paragraphs must be written in the order in which the main points are listed in the thesis sentence if it includes predictors. For sample, if your  thesis statement is “The main steps of quitting smoking are believing in yourself, getting help  and  finding  a hobby”, the order of the body paragraphs should be as illustrated in the outline below:

 

 

Thesis statement

 

 

 

 

 

The main steps of quitting smoking are believing in yourself, getting help and finding a  hobby.

Introduction

§Thesis statement: The main steps of quitting smoking are believing in yourself, getting help and finding a hobby.

1st Body paragraph

§Believing in yourself

 

2nd Body paragraph

§Getting help

 

3rd Body paragraph

§Finding a hobby

 

 

While describing the steps in a chronological order, some important transition words must be used. The transition words show that one step has been completed and a new one begins. Look at the transition words which can be used in a process essay.

To begin a process	At first,   Initially,   The first step is that/ The first step is
To continue a process	After that, / Later, / Then, / Moreover, Afterwards, Also, / Meanwhile, / In addition,   Furthermore,   The next step is that/ The next step is
To end a process	Eventually, / Finally, / In the end,

 

 

 

 

e.g

 

§The                first      step      of           this       process             is            to gather all the

necessary equipment.

 

§The first      step      is            that      you         should gather  all        the necessary  equipment.

The Conclusion Paragraph

 

In the conclusion paragraph, review the major stages briefly. You might summarize the results of the process, or explain its significance and also make a final comment. As in the introduction paragraph, do not talk about each step one by one. Your reader ought to feel that he has learned something about the process and he should have a good idea about the topic in general.

Things to keep  in mind while  writing a    PROCESS

essay

 

An       introduction     paragraph        which  grabs    the

reader‟s attention

An appropriate thesis statement

Three   body    paragraphs     and      suitable            topic

sentences for each one

Using suitable transitions or signal words

A  conclusion               paragraph       which summarizes t