Understand the assignment

In your essay, you will describe a process. Many processes have a sequence of chronological actions or steps (e.g., how to prepare for a job interview) that are typically done in a specific order. Some processes do not have a specific sequence of actions that must be followed (e.g., how to live a happy life). These processes may be more like a list of advice. Either type of process can be used.

In more academic process essays that require research, a scientific process is usually explained (e.g., the Water Cycle). You should write about a topic you know about because you will NOT be including research in your essay.

Brainstorm to find a topic

Think of processes you know about. You can start by having a discussion about the question “What can you teach someone to do?” or “How does _____ happen?” You can also use an idea map like the one below to help you.

Choose a focus

If the process you chose is complex, you may need to combine steps or focus on one specific part of the process.

Outline

A process essay follows typical essay organization with an introduction paragraph, body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph.

Introduction

Your introduction should describe in general terms the process you will describe in your essay. At the end of your introduction paragraph, write your thesis. The thesis may state the purpose of your process, give the result of your process, or even list the steps.

Writing an effective essay is simple if you follow the right steps.

In order to find the perfect apartment, you should consider the location, decide on your price range, and compare the different features that apartments have to offer.

Here are some phrases that are useful for writing a process thesis:

In order to pass the TOEFL...

When upgrading your phone, you should...

Making a budget is easy if you follow three simple steps.Body

Your body paragraphs should describe the steps of your process. You will typically need a body paragraph for each step in your process. However, it is okay to group steps together into a more general step. For example, the writing process has many small steps (brainstorming, choosing a topic, brainstorming about your topic, making an outline, drafting, etc.) that can be divided into three general steps: prewriting, writing, and revising. You can group steps together if needed.

Conclusion

Your conclusion paragraph should start by restating your thesis. You should talk about the result of your process and end with a closing statement that in some way makes a prediction, suggestion, opinion, or asks a question. Many process essays will end by suggesting that readers try the process for themselves.

Exercises