A process essay is mainly a paper containing practical advice and instructions. In this assignment, you tell the reader about how to do something or how something has been done. For example, how to cook a certain dish or how particular goods are being manufactured at the factory. A good essay will guide the reader step by step through all points, without focusing on one thing or hurrying, because the reader can be a novice in this matter. Even though the details are important, if you include too much information, your reader may get tired before you finish reading the essay, so you only need to include the most important information. In order to write a good, useful, and easy-to-understand essay, read the recommendations below.
Determine who is going to read your process essay and how much these people know about the matter you are going to describe. Before you start writing, think about what readers expect to find in each part of your essay. This will help decide what you need to indicate first of all when writing an appeal to readers.
Make a list of necessary things you will need to complete the assignment. What will your readers need to accomplish this task? Do they need anything at all? If necessary, make a complete list of all the materials and tools that will be used in the task. Describing how to accomplish the task and noticing that you have missed something, go back to the top of the list and indicate this thing.
Make a plan for the task, highlighting each main point. You may need to do this yourself to know exactly what will happen and then describe your step-by-step actions. It’s easy to overlook a couple of points if you just scrolled them in your head. However, if it seems to you that you can imagine all this in your head in detail, that’s enough.
If possible, note how much time you spend on the task. If this is not possible, make an approximate calculation to know how long the process lasts. Many people will want to know how long it takes to complete something to decide whether it’s worth it or not.
There are many interesting topics that can be used to write this type of an essay. Here are a few:
Consider writing the introduction creatively to attract the attention of the reader. Do not immediately move to the process itself – let your readers slowly get involved in the process, after reading a brief but pleasant introduction. This is a good start to let them know what they are going to do and help them decide if they really want to do it.
Let the reader know the basics of this process. Let them know how long it will take them to complete the task – 30 minutes or a week. Include also a list of things and tools they will need to complete this assignment. Do not forget about little things.
Introduce your reader to the next section, smoothly moving from one point to another. The transitional sentence should encourage the reader to read further and give a signal to action. The reader will then know exactly where the introduction ended and when it is necessary to start a task.
Use the plan you compiled to structure this section. Be careful not to miss any of the points. The main part should contain enough points to describe the whole process to the reader. The number of points that you need to use depends on the process itself.
Divide the main part into paragraphs. Group points according to the principle of content or timeframe. Thanks to this distinction, the reader will know exactly what to expect from each section, and they will not have to wander unnecessarily in all sections. If this idea does not suit you, try grouping the points in chronological order.
Go from point to point so that you get a whole process, not a list. Go from one point to another without simply listing them. In addition, when reading each point, use transitional words. Moving on, you can move from one thing to another using such words as “now,” “after,” and “then.”
Go into details because the reader may never have done anything like this before. Additional details will help your reader integrate into the process. When everything becomes crystal clear, readers will know exactly what to do. Make sure that you do not deviate from the topic. Go straight to the course so that the reader does everything according to the plan.
For example, you can simply tell your reader, “Boil the water to make macaroni.” However, a person who does not cook often does not know at what stage it is necessary to throw pasta into the water. Therefore, each point should contain a more detailed description. Instead of the phrase “boil water” you can write the following:
Mention what happens as a result and what to do about it. By the time they finish, your readers must necessarily have an opinion about the result of the process. Help them visualize the final product and give them ideas about it. The fact that they completed the task does not mean that they know what to do with the final product.