Writing a Process Essay

A process essay is a form of writing which explains how to do something. Some of the most common process essays are recipes that demonstrate how food should be prepared. In this type of paper, the reader should be able to follow the sequence and successfully achieve what you are explaining.

A process essay serves to:

• Explain how something is done. It gives a sequence which should be followed to achieve a particular goal.
• Explain how something works. It tells someone how something is done, for example explaining how to plant a garden.

This article gives tips to help the student on how to write a process essay.

Topic Choice

Choosing the topic for a perfect writing requires a lot of thought. It should be something you regularly do, or have had an experience with it/ this is because the reader should achieve the same results as you after following all the steps.

Be specific about your topic. Decide whether you want to tell your readers how to do something or explain them how something works. In case you are stuck in choosing a good process essay topics for your task, there are some topics you can choose from:

• How to write a CV;
• How to grow a kitchen garden;
• How to cook a Spanish omelet;
• How to start a business;
• Preparing dinner for the in-laws;
• What to do when on a blind date;
• The process of saddling a horse;
• Steps to follow when operating a manual generator;
• The negotiation process;
• The grieving process;
• What to do to avoid procrastinating;
• Designing a tuxedo;
• Creating a design from scratch;
• The process of making a cocktail;
• How to tie a shoe;
• How to raise a healthy dog;
• How to file tax returns;
• The sedimentation process;
• How to organize a baby shower;
• How to pack light for the holidays.

Common Structure

Keep in mind that there are different outlines for a process essay as every process is different. For this reason, thesis may differ from time to time and may not always look alike. The example below does not have a conclusion as it doesn’t need one.

Outline example:

How to cook homemade dry cured bacon

Ingredients:

• Pork belly cut
• 500g of plain salt
• 100g of brown sugar
• Handful of juniper berries
• A spring of fresh rosemary
• Handful of black peppercorns
• Four bay leaves
• Zest of an orange

Process:

1. Grind the pepper and juniper berries
2. Combine all the dry ingredients apart from the orange zest
3. Zest the orange onto the belly
4. Rub into the meat and refrigerate for 24 hours
5. Remove from fridge and flip the belly over
6. Bacon can be cured anything from 3 days to a week. The longer it stays the saltier it becomes and lasts longer
7. When finished, take it out and wash all the cure mixture. Pat it dry. Rinse all over with white vinegar to prevent mold from growing
8. Wrap in cotton and keep it in the fridge. Remember to change the cloth weekly
9. Serve on a sandwich and takeout

How to start a process essay

• The first step to writing a good process essay introduction when making an article on a process is to figure out what you want to write about. Having some previous knowledge on the topic ensures you to become more competent and research widely.
• Have a global structure- this helps you have a coherent sentence and flow of ideas. The process essay draft tells you whether your content will be enough and lets you know if you have the know-how on how to go about the topic.
• As people often want to know the origin of something, the introduction for a process essay should begin by giving a little background information about what you are writing. It helps the reader develop a sense of purpose for the article.
• The first step in a perfect essay writing is to ensure you have all the facts right. Tell the reader what the process is about beforehand. Next, let the reader know what they need to have before beginning the process. Have a checklist of all items needed by listing them.
• Give the time frame approximated. This is to help the reader be aware how long the task will take and manage their time well.

Tips on writing the body (length, paragraphs, and transitions)

1. Have knowledge and understanding of your topic. Do not write a subjects which will have no content. Show that you understand all specifics of what you are doing. The reader does not want to try something, then end up with negative results. Ensure that all the facts are accurate.
2. Write in a sequence. The purpose of the essay is to give guidelines to follow. Ensure that you mark the steps in order. Do not mislead the reader by skipping processes. Explain every step clearly. Remember, every step will vary from the previous one in that some will be lengthier than others. Do not forget to account for the purpose of every action. The aim of this is to make the reader feel that they are learning. Do not make assumptions that they know why.
3. When writing the body, you can use a diagrammatic representation of how it should look like and diagrams make it easier to understand and for the reader to see that they are using it right. The diagrams should be broken down as the steps go.
4. If there are different methods of doing something, mention that to the reader and advice on why you chose the particular process. Give the reader a reason to believe that your process is the best by listing some advantages.

How to conclude a process essay

Like all other essays, conclusion is underrated. After the reader has followed the steps as directed by you, the result should be as stated. Focus on the main result of the process. Explain what the main results should be. If possible, insert a picture of the final result and explain to the reader what they can do with it. This makes the reader feel motivated like they have completed a challenge.
Make your steps easy to follow. The reader should understand the process without struggling. This is achieved by using very simple language and short sentences. In conclusion, you might explain to the reader some of the challenges they might experience which will make them not get the desired outcome.

Finalizing the task

• The final step in writing the conclusion for a process essay is proofreading. Proofread to correct spelling, punctuations, and other grammatical errors. Ensure the steps are well sequenced and there is no missing step.
• Check out for plagiarism. This is especially for processes that have been copied from the internet. There is various process writing help sites for when you get confused which give different tips for an assignment writing.
• Ensure that the process essay outlining followed as required.

After following this tips in the handbook, your article is now ready for submission and presentation. Be prepared for criticism from your audience.