What is a process word in an essay

On this page you find a list of process words that are often used. This list is in part based on Jordan (1999). The process words are given in alphabetical order. Probably the most common process words are: discuss, describe, explain, compare, evaluate, and criticize.

Account for asks for an explanation. Even though it looks similar to give an account of, this process word is rather different. You should give a description with details. The description should clarify the concept, and don’t forget to give reasons.

Analyze calls for an outline of the components. Take the issue, and break it down (divide) into the parts that make up the issue. Your task is not only to describe the different parts of the issue, but also to show (examine) how they relate to each other.

Argue is about making a case. You’re often asked to argue for or against something. In order to make a good case, your answer will need to include convincing evidence. Your argument will be more convincing if it’s logically structured. Even though the question often asks for a one-sided case, don’t forget the arguments against: even if it’s to dismiss them. If you don’t agree with the proposition, this is fine: what counts is the case you present.

Assess asks you to make a judgement of the value or importance of something. Your answer should focus on both sides of the coin, weighing up the positive and negative aspects. It’s often necessary to spend much time on the areas that are disputed. In order to provide a credible answer, back up your answer with references and good examples. Even though you may have a good example from your own experience, it’s usually better to choose a more authoritative source.

Calculate asks you to estimate the extent of something. You should take great care to define the key dimensions and determine how they are measured. Weigh up different reasons carefully. In the social sciences, the estimate itself is often secondary to how you evaluate the key dimensions.

Characterize is mostly another word for describe. You’re looking for the key dimensions (characteristics) of a concept. Often it’s necessary to compare to other concepts to make clear the limit.

Classify is very similar to analyze. The key difference is possibly that this process word explicitly asks you to come up with some sort of classification: a way to divide. You probably want to spend a bit more time on the boundaries, on how the identified dimensions are different.

Comment is similar to the content words analyze and assess. It’s indeed often considered a combination of the two. Be careful not merely to summarize the issue, but include some form of evaluation. This process word asks you to explain the importance of something. Your ability to describe an issue is usually only appreciated in conjunction with a critical argument.

Compare always involves two or more issues. Focus on what characterizes the issues, and your answer will include both the similarities and differences. This content word often occurs in conjunction with contrast. Technically, compare is about similarities, but for a balanced answer you’ll need to include the differences, too. Your conclusion may include a statement of which of the issues or options discussed you consider preferable.

Consider asks you to think carefully about something. This process word is sometimes followed by an example or case study, but also a theoretical perspective. Take great care to include these aspects, because you’ll be (partly) marked on how well you apply whatever the question is to this particular example or theory.

Contrast is like a twin to compare. Two or more issues or options are involved, and your answer should focus on the differences. Technically, contrast does not ask you to include similarities, but a balanced answer will include these, too. Your conclusion may include a statement of which of the issues or options discussed you consider preferable.

Criticize asks for a careful judgement of a statement or point of view. You’re often asked to make statements about the value or truth of a statement. Make sure you point out faults. It’s important to state by which criteria of evaluation your answer is guided. Your illustrations should not be of general nature, but specific. If the illustrative examples are not general in nature, too, then say so. Your answer will judge the merit of the views included in the statement. Often you can—and should—link to underlying theories and approaches. These should be included in the evaluation, too. Your answer also needs to discuss the nature and quality of evidence you cited for and against the different views. Always back up your argument with evidence and reasoning.

Deduce asks you to reach a conclusion based on something. Make clear how you reach this conclusion.

Define may look innocent, but the devil is often in the detail. Similar to analyze, you’re after the components of an issue of concept. You don’t want just any definition, but one that discusses the different meanings of a concept, the different ways it can be interpreted. Often, you can link the answer to how different schools of thought use a term. In this case your task is to tease out the different understandings and state the different meanings. Your answer necessarily includes an appreciation of the different components, but you should also pay attention to the differences to other concepts: how is it distinct from something else. Precision is important in your answer, and your answer should always go beyond common-sense interpretations. Sometimes you’re asked to write for a specific audience, such as a student encyclopaedia, and you should bear this in mind.

Demonstrate asks you to show something as clearly as you can. You’ll need to use an example (illustration) to this extent. Make sure the illustration is relevant and state clearly how it is relevant.

Describe is one of the most straight-forward tasks. You’re asked to outline the main aspects of an issue or point of view. Say what something is like. Sometimes the order of events is important. Your answer should always include illustrative examples to bring the argument alive. The structure of the answer is important: don’t jump around, picking up bits and pieces on the way. Instead, plan a logical and coherent way in order to cover all the main aspects. This process word often occurs together with others, such as in describe and criticize.

Determine asks you to find out something, maybe to calculate or estimate something. You should always describe how you arrive at the answer, including an appreciation of how not to proceed. Be open about the shortcomings or potential dangers of your approach.

Differentiate between something and something else is a combination of describe and define. You’re asked to focus on the differences. Often it’ll be necessary to discuss the similarities, too.

Discuss. It’s very common to be given a quote or provocative statement, followed by just this word: discuss. Your answer should include an outline of the problems and then evaluate the different arguments or points of view. Weigh up the points for and against. It’s important to illustrate your argument, and refer to established work. Very often your own opinion is asked, usually in form of an evaluation of the different points of view. Look out for key debates that are involved. The statements that come with this process word are often deliberately provocative.

Distinguish between is just another process word for differentiate between.

Elaborate asks for a discussion in great detail. Always give reasons and include illustrations. Think carefully about which aspects of a theory or concept are worth exploring in great detail. In this sense, this question often asks you to—implicitly—determine the key components of something. Avoid repetitions of the same point.

Elucidate is very similar to explain. You’re asked to make clear something. This often involves a clear line of argument, and usually a number of illustrations to bring the argument alive.

Enumerate in principle asks you to put a number to something. In practice you’re normally asked to name and list different aspects, giving an explanation. You should always try to estimate the extent of something, having outlined how you reach this estimate.

Estimate is a close relative to calculate, but you’re also asked to judge and predict. State clearly how you reached your conclusion or estimate.

Evaluate is similar to discuss, but it asks you to focus more on the value or importance of a certain argument or point of view. You should weigh up the different aspects, illustrate the argument, and refer to established works. You’ll usually be able to make a statement of the worth of something. Also see the box on persuasiveness on page 22.

Examine is a process word that asks you to have a close look at something. Consider the different components and parts. Often you can examine an issue using different theoretical perspectives. Always make explicit which perspectives you use.

Explain asks you to focus on how things work. Rather than focusing on things as they are, this process word asks you to focus on how things got there. So you’ll always need to give reasons. The answer will include some describing and analyzing. It’s important to make explicit the workings and mechanisms.

Express is just another word to say describe.

To what extent is similar to assess or criticize. You’re asked to explore a statement or view. Look out for theoretical and practical limits to the statement, but also include evidence in favour. The typical conclusion highlights the limits of the proposition, but will neither be total acceptance nor total dismissal. Watch out for changes over time and across space: Is the proposition also applicable in other cultures? Was the proposition also applicable in the past?

Identify is a process word that allows you a great deal of liberty. You’re expected to choose the examples, features, or arguments for a proposition that you regard the most important ones. It’s usually a good idea to point out and list the features first. The choice of these key aspects, however, is often secondary to your answer. Instead, you should focus your attention to the criteria of evaluation: why a feature is central. You should defend and justify your choice of picks.

Illustrate is similar to explain, but the person writing the question appears to be very keen on illustrative examples. Make sure you have a relevant example, and include enough details to make clear the relevance. Sometimes, you may illustrate the argument with statistics. What is important is that the examples support the argument, and you therefore demonstrate how exactly the examples are relevant. Sometimes a question will ask you explicitly about a figure or diagram to explain or clarify. Take care to follow such instructions carefully. Where nothing is stated, assume that you should include concrete examples.

Indicate asks you to show and explain. Usually you’re expected to use a good illustration. Make sure you demonstrate how the example is relevant to the question.

Infer is a process word that asks you to conclude based on facts or a clear line of reasoning. It’s important that you state clearly how you reached the conclusion, not just what your conclusion is.

Interpret asks for a clarification and explanation. Rather than just describing, you should also give your judgement. An interpretation often highlights how an issue or point of view relates to others, or outlines the different meanings and interpretations there are to it. Usually you’re expected to give your own judgement as part of an evaluation of the different aspects.

Justify on the surface asks for a defence of a particular statement, theory, or point of view. You should cite evidence and give examples that support the case. However, for a balanced answer, it’ll be necessary to look at the arguments against. The justification thus is a form of evaluation. Your conclusion may be that the statement can’t be justified (in the light of certain evidence), or outline limits.

List probably looks as innocent as describe, and is in fact closely related. You’re asked to classify or catalogue something. Make sure you include how you decided to classify, what criteria you used to put the list in sequence. This process word may mean that you have to list the key components of a concept.

Mention asks you to describe something briefly. This process word usually is used together with others, but do make sure you don’t skip this part of the question.

Name is another word for identify.

Outline asks you to indicate what the main characteristics or features of a topic or point of view are. Sometimes you’ll need to indicate the key events in a sequence. It’s very important to follow a clear and logically coherent structure. Your answer may focus on how the different features relate to each other, rather than just describing them.

Prove is a rare process word in the social sciences. You should try to demonstrate that something is true and certain. On the one hand you should provide convincing examples and evidence that something is the case. On the other hand, you should also demonstrate that the opposite is not the case either. Your conclusion may well be that it’s impossible to prove something, but make sure your answer is relevant to the question, not just a philosophical treatment of whether we can prove things.

Quantify is another word for enumerate.

Relate is similar to giving an account of. You’re usually particularly asked to relate one thing to another, demonstrating how they link.

Review is very similar to assess. The key difference is that you’re asked to write about a topic or area rather than a specific case or statement. The answer will thus include a selection of everything about a topic. Usually it’s a bad idea trying to include all the different angles and all the different authors. Instead, you should try to organize your answer, such as into schools of thought, or key proponents. Leaving out less relevant contributions is often the key to a successful answer. Take care not merely to describe who said what, but also to assess the merit of their argument.

Show asks you to indicate something. Make sure you use appropriate evidence and examples to back up your claims. Make clear what something means.

Speculate is similar to prove, but different in that you’re not asked to come up with a definite answer. The very word used indicates that there will be many different explanations, and you’ll have to evaluate the different possibilities. You’re thus asked to form an opinion. Very often this process word is given where you don’t have complete knowledge of the circumstances. You should suggest the most likely case.

State asks you to express something carefully. Make sure you cover the different components and be clear. Often you’re asked to illustrate something, or demonstrate how two different things link.

Suggest is somewhat similar to speculate. You should mention the different possibilities, and choose the most likely one. Make sure you include in the essay the criteria how you evaluate the different possibilities: how you can say that one is the most likely possibility.

Summarize is about the identification of the key points and aspects of an issue or topic. Details can often be omitted, as can be illustrations. However, depending on the tasks, illustrations may be necessary: try to identify the key examples. This process word often occurs together with others, such as analyze. It’s often easier to first summarize and then move to the second task, but make sure the different parts of the answer link.

Trace asks you to provide a narrative that outlines the progress or sequence of an issue or certain events. Often, a chronological order is the easiest form of structure. Sometimes you’ll be asked to write from a particular point of view. Usually, however, you can include the different points of views. The same sequence of events may be interpreted or experienced in different ways by the different participants.

Verify asks you to make sure that something is the case. You’re looking for evidence and examples for and against the case. Evaluate the evidence and provide a judgment whether the statement is true or accurate.

Process essay explains how to do something. This is a kind of tutorial that describes a process step by step. 

For example, you need to cook a pie or draw a picture. In this case, you will need to follow step-by-step instructions. Each preceding step influences each subsequent one.

As we have vast experience in writing this type of papers, we would like to share several tips with you so you don’t have to wonder who can help to write essay for me. It’s important to make a good paper to understand the details of this procedure better. Let’s follow the tips from professionals at our trustworthy essay writing service and get to know how to write a process essay with us! 

What is a Process Essay?

In order to understand how to write it, firstly you need to learn what it is. Therefore, let’s start with the definition. This paper explains the process of making something. The numerical order is used when writing a process essay. This type is written in a descriptive manner. It has qualities of technical documents. Words, such as “later”, “next”, “finally”, “eventually” are often used to describe the process. 

The following features characterize a process paper: 

  • The chronological order of described events
  • Description of repeated steps to follow 
  • Fixed order
  • Clarity of narration 
  • The presence of transition words.

Process Essay

Process Essay Outline 

The structure of this paper is similar to any other assignment, meaning that it comprises of introduction, main paragraphs and conclusion. You need to create an outline to ease the procedure of writing process essay. Use bullet points not to forget the essential ideas you would like to deliver. 

For instance, if you’re creating a process essay about making excellent sushi, in your outline you may state the following: “Add fish”. Further, you could add the following description: “Add salmon, shrimps or eel”. The more details you add to it, the better. 

Introduction of Process Essay

So, how to write a process essay? The introduction is the first part of the text exposed to readers. Therefore, it should grab their attention from the first lines. A colorful description can help to fulfill this task. This method is inherent to creative essays also, so if you’ve written this type before, it’ll be a big plus for you.

For example, if you are describing a receipt of sushi, you may wish to start with the following words: “Japanese sushi is a well-known dish which is loved all over the world for many years.” By keeping a lively and vibrant language, you can stimulate people to continue reading. 

Further, you need to let readers know how much time they should to cook sushi because we are living in a world where every single minute is precious. They will be thankful to you if you help save their time. It is essential to provide people who read with the exact time estimate from the beginning to the end. Let them know the materials or tools that help reduce the amount of time spent on cooking sushi. You may share advice related to preparations and making a list of all ingredients to shorten the cooking time. 

For example, you may write in your process paper: “Making sushi takes 30 minutes of preparation time and 10 minutes of cooking.”

The next action is to write a thesis statement. It is one sentence that describes the research problem to be considered in the paper. It can be the last sentence of the introduction.  

For example, a great thesis may sound like: “This assignment explores how to create sushi at home quickly by preparing necessary ingredients in advance.”

Body Paragraphs of Process Essay 

Before starting to compose the main part of your process essay, consult your outline. Follow your outline closely and create appropriate headlines to divide your paper into smaller pieces. Pay attention to clarity and order of paragraphs. Be careful with items that contain many steps. Use different words to maintain flow. Make clear transitions and acknowledge previous steps regarding particular items. 

The process essay outline may look as follows

  • Make a list of ingredients 
  • Cook rice 
  • Prepare fish and cheese
  • Prepare ginger 
  • Prepare soy sauce
  • Prepare tools to make sushi (sushi rug)
  • Make this sushi 
  • Cut sushi
  • Serve sushi

As a rule, this paper has three or more paragraphs in the body section. You need to use enough details when writing a process essay, but don’t overload it with unnecessary details not to confuse your readers. Your paper must be clear and coherent to deliver core ideas without excessive details. 

By adding transition words, you can encourage people to read. You should use the words “then”, “next” and “now” to add coherence. Use of these words gives you an opportunity to make your paper more cohesive. 

For example, if you don’t know how to start a phrase in process essay, use “next” to switch from one step to another: “Next, prepare your fish.”

Further, using first-person pronouns like “I”, “me”, “mine”, “we”, “us” or “ours” is not a good idea. It would be better to narrate from the second or third person (“it”, “they”) to make your readers trust your instructions more. For instance, it is better to write as follows: “This paper describes…” rather than “I shall describe”.

You should mention any cautionary notes if any to warn your readers about actions they should skip. You can discuss these actions either in the main text or in the conclusion part of your essay. This is important if your task can cause harm. 

For example, caution a reader if the food may be spoiled: “Make sure salmon is of good quality because raw fish is used in sushi”.

You should also mention when writing process essay what people need to do with the final product. By describing what this product looks like you will give the idea of what readers should expect from it. You may also specify how to use the product because potential users do not necessarily know how to do it. 

If you’re explaining how to make tasty sushi, you could write the following: “Now you need to serve the table to eat sushi. Propose plates of sushi, soya sauce, and ginger to your friends or family members.”

The Conclusion of Process Essay

In conclusion, you can restate the importance of the topic discussed. Try to end your paper positively Remind people why they spent a lot of time to complete this task. Praise your readers and encourage them to follow your directions. 

An example of a proper conclusion can be: “We finished! A delicious and quick meal that is good for the whole family is ready to be served now. Next time, do experiments with different filling for sushi.” In this way, you will encourage your readers to track your upcoming publications. 

Final Steps

After finishing, you need to edit and proofread the text:

  • First, read your text and evaluate whether it is easy to understand. It is better to read it aloud because you can hear stylistic and grammar mistakes. 
  • Picture each detail of your text in mind, check all phrases for coherence and feel confident that your descriptions match images. Also, ensure all paragraphs are placed in the right order. 
  • Do not rely on online spell-checkers too much when checking mistakes and typos because they don’t take into account the context of your assignment. 
  • Check if your instructions are clear and detailed enough so readers can understand them. 
  • Give your text to a friend for reading and ask him if he understood instructions. If possible, choose someone from your target audience. 

How to Write a Process Essay: Composing Tips

The procedure of creating this paper reminds of creating a manual. Its objective is to explain the process of doing something in details to someone who had never done this before. These tips will help you while writing: 

  • Choosing topics for process essay – 50% of the success of your future paper depends on the choice of topic.
  • Gather as much information as possible about the issue of your research, study your subject well.
  • Research your topic thoroughly before starting to write and take notes.
  • Make a coherent essay featuring precise and relevant comments to enhance its quality.
  • Assume that your readers are not aware of the topic under discussion and explain all details of the procedure.
  • Observe flow and maintain logical order when you want to tell about the next step.
  • It’s crucial to explain each step of the action you’re describing because everyone needs to know the reasons behind each action. 
  • Use specific words when switching to another activity (furthermore, then, before, that, etc.)
  • If you use terms that don’t belong to common knowledge, you need to explain their meaning.
  • Using imperative sentences is not a cool idea because in this case, your work will remind a manual rather than an essay.

When you finished this paper, check phrases for consistency and run your paper through an online plagiarism checker.

Advantages of Writing Process Essays

Each type helps develop certain skills. For example, a comparison paper helps improve different skills and find similarities and differences between two events or actions. Process essay helps expand the following abilities: 

Analytical – when composing a process paper, you need to switch logically and represent events in order. Aiming to write this essay, you need to be able to think analytically. Also, you need to keep the interest of everyone and describe the action in dynamics. One of the benefits is that you can transfer these analytical skills into other areas of your life. For example, you can use your skills at work when performing complicated tasks. 

Information prioritization – when you are writing a paper, use precise phrases because vague expressions reduce the paper quality. On the stage of research you have to analyze a great number of resources and choose several of them that add value to your work. You need to include only valuable information and exclude unnecessary information. 

Complying with instructions – when you’re trying to do something in compliance with guidelines, you’re learning to follow the procedure of smooth transition to another step. Gradually you learn how to reach a goal. This skill can be used in each aspect of your life as well. 

Keeping an eye for details – details are very important when you’re writing a process essay. Just try to scrutinize each word and phrase to present value for your readers. This is particularly important when you need to complete this paper because your readers will follow you little by little. Attention to details is essential in any workplace. 

Conclusion of the Article

We hope that our article was useful for you and you can start right now. If you think you’re not creative enough to start independently or maybe you don’t have enough experience, you can always apply for our service to buy nothing day essay examples or just order the best process essay using our writing agency. 

In our agency, we provide reliable service at a reasonable price, so you can easily pay for essays online. Our support team is available 24/7, and our professional writers are capable of writing high quality essays online on time. Each of them is the author of a big number of academic papers. Besides, we offer a money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the quality of the final work. Also, a free review of your article review paper is available if you have any suggestions regarding the improvement of the work. Therefore, don’t hesitate to apply for the professional help and save your time. Use our agency to get better results and to be the best students in your school!

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Good day, students! I’m Dr. Mart (Ph.D.). I like when everything is logic, thus, the papers I make are always well-structured and without any redundant information. I’m eager to write some difficult documents which require strong analysis and advanced calculations. It’s extremely interesting for me to imitate styles of writing, and my customers say I do it really well. I also like modern literature. One of my favourite authors, Fredrick Backman, wrote once: Never trust people who do not have something in their lives that they love beyond all reason. And I have writing that makes me feel alive and important.

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18 June, 2020

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How to Write a Process Essay?

What is a “process essay”? What makes it different from dozens of other papers you create on a daily basis? What are its main components and what the main goal of this type of writing you need to bear in mind? If you’re looking for answers to these questions, you’re in luck! You can get them all from our academic guide on how to write a process essay.

Process Essay

What is a “process essay”? What makes it different from dozens of other papers you create on a daily basis? What are its main components and what the main goal of this type of writing you need to bear in mind? If you’re looking for answers to these questions, you’re in luck! You can get them all from our academic guide on how to write a process essay.

Composing a process essay can be rather complicated especially if you are not familiar with this type of writing and do not know what pitfalls and specifications to pay attention to.

That is why our custom essay writing service has created this guide to help you tackle this task. We will answer all these questions in our article below and even provide you with great process essay examples and topics you can write on to stand out. So, if that sounds like something you need right now, read on: we are here to help and equip you with knowledge!

But first things first. Since it is impossible to create an excellent process essay without crystal clear understanding of the term, we will start with the definition. So, let’s dive in!

What is a process essay?

A process essay is commonly written either to explain how something works or to guide a reader through the process of completing a particular task, states the process essay definition.

Process essays also go under the “How-to articles” title and aim to teach the target audience how to achieve certain goals or complete specific assignments.

So, look at it like this. In case of “How to quit smoking” process essay, your primary goal is to provide several helpful ways of quitting this habit. These might be evidence-based recommendations if you have experience in this area, or simply common sense ideas you found while conducting your research.

Now that you realize what you will be working with, let’s look into different types of process essays and practical ways to compose them. Our essay writing guide will walk you through the process essay writing step by step.

Types of process essays

There are two main types of such papers: the ones that explain how something works, and those that show you how to complete a particular task.

Types of process essays

1. How to do something.

Though it sounds quite self-explanatory, we’d like to emphasize the importance of clear instructions in case you are writing a process essay.

Your readers must be able to follow your guidance and complete each step successfully. So, split the process into small steps, keep it short and to the point at each stage of crafting a process essay.

For instance, in a “How to quit smoking” process essay, you can split the whole process into seven steps:

  • Choose a date for a quit day;
  • Imagine life without cigarettes and expect it;
  • Have one last cigarette as a “Goodbye!”;
  • Be among people to support you;
  • Keep your goal in perspective not to give up;
  • Don’t fall for substitutes;
  • Be accountable.

2. How something works.

By contrast, this is an informative type of writing that aims to achieve one goal – explain the principle of work behind some process. Unlike the mentioned above type, this process essay type does not encourage a reader to take an action and do something step by step.

However, you must make sure that by the end of your essay, the audience will know for sure how something functions.

As an example of this type of a process essay, let’s see how an earthquake happens.

  1. First, the energy within the earth core builds up due to various moves in the earth crust;
  2. The energy level grows up and causes tension in the tectonic plates;
  3. After some time, the pressure radiates outwards by moving the plates from each other;
  4. The seismic waves shake the earth as they get from the core of the earth to the surface;
  5. That is when the earthquake takes place.

Before we go any further, let’s look at another example. In case of “How to prepare for a vacation” process essay, your task is to compose a few steps that your readers can take when getting ready for their vacation. In other words, you are describing how to do something.

Meanwhile, “What happens to your brain when you sleep” process essay is merely an explanation of the principle. In it, you are not encouraging readers to take any actions whatsoever. So, here is the fundamental difference.

How to write a process essay?

How to write an excellent process essay

Getting started with process essay writing

When developing a process essay outline, take some time to answer the following questions:

  1. Who is your target audience?
    How deep is their knowledge of the subject? The complexity of your essay depends on their skills level. Thus, for instance, when explaining to your peers how to stretch a dollar to see the world, you can use basic terminology and examples they can relate to. However, your vocabulary should be way more sophisticated if you are writing a process essay on how to improve the overall quality of higher education in your state to the City Council.
  2. How can you divide the process into small steps?
    You do not want to bore your audience to death with unnecessary details in a process essay. Yet, you cannot afford to skip valuable steps if they are crucial to the overall understanding of the subject of your process essay. So, try to find the golden cut and figure out the most suitable amount of steps.
  3. What sources will you use for the task?
    It goes without saying that you can only use reliable sources to support your argument in a process essay. These sources should be all mentioned in the end of your essay. And remember about proper in-text citation styles. Read the materials carefully and take only the information that will add value to your essay and helps make it shine.

How to write a process essay outline

Finally, let’s look into the process essay structure. Needless to say that you must start with something that will grab readers’ attention, or in other words, “a hook.”

It is true for any essay, and process essay writing is not an exception.

The structure of your essay regardless of the process essay topics should consist of:

  • A powerful introduction.
  • Main body paragraphs.
  • An interesting conclusion.

Related Post: Essay outline | Research Paper outline

Sounds simple, yet there are several things you should not forget about process essay writing.

How to write an introduction to a process essay

Once you compose a hook, mention why you believe that readers should use your approach to solve a problem even though there are dozens of other ones. We know two effective ways to achieve this in your process essay:

  1. Show how much time this task will take. People don’t have all the time in the world to tackle just this one task. So, you’ll really help them by stating how much time completing something using your approach will take and underline that with your approach described in a process essay it will take less time than if they opt for a different one.“Writing can be tough, especially if you always felt that it is not exactly your suit. However, Michael D. Pollock, a credible expert in this area, has recently presented 10 effective tips that will help you learn writing fast and make you able to craft a 1000-word article in 30 minutes. So, keep reading to find out how you can write this fast too.”
  2. Introduce your audience to the historical background of the approach (if any) you’re using in a process essay. Let them see the roots of your solution. Here is what a good introduction of a process essay should look like:“Giving a speech with lots of eyes concentrated on you is not an easy task. No wonder so many students dread this task. However, speech can be a powerful tool, and we can teach you how to give them right. Steve Jobs is known as one of the best public speakers of our time. People were sitting on the edge of their seats when he spoke. And we’ll teach you how to grab attention like he did using just five simple tricks he applied.”

At last, compose an engaging thesis of a process essay. Many students consider it a scary part. But it all goes down to this.

Your thesis statement should reason why your way is the best and why readers looking for answers should search no more and give your solution a chance.

It’s easier than you think. Here is a good thesis statement example:

“With more than 580 million tons of household waste produced all over the world, Every tiny effort you make to become eco-friendly counts. And if you don’t want to spend extra money on sustainable products but want to save the environment, use our guide on ten simple eco-friendly steps you can do daily without even noticing it!”

This is what a thesis statement for a process essay on how to be eco-friendly would look like. Yours can be different, but you get the idea!

How to plan main body paragraphs

  • Dedicate one body paragraph to one point you want to bring to light.
  • Provide enough details on each step including the ultimate goal of this step and reasons why this method was chosen for its achievement.
  • Keep it short and to the point.

How to write a conclusion

Now is that time you reminded the readers about the purpose of a process essay, reasons why you chose this particular approach, and briefly mentioned steps needed to accomplish the task.

Besides, you can call your audience to action but only in case you are writing an essay that shows how to do something. Otherwise, it will be inapplicable.

Finally, help them set their expectations right: what results can they count on in the end? How long will it take them to achieve those results after reading your process essay and applying its tips?

How to use transition words in a process essay

Transition words can help you create a seamless reading experience. You can take readers smoothly from one step to another. And what is more you can help them immerse into the process!

Therefore, begin each new paragraph with a transition word, add one in between examples you provide, and summarize your instructions with them, too.

List of transition words for a process essay

Think of transition words as of bridges that connect paragraphs and sentences. They make smooth communication between the two possible. And with them in your process essay, no reader feels irritated or frustrated with your writing style, as they have to stumble upon every other sentence in your piece.

Good process essay topics

It is not enough to just know the theory to create a good process essay. One should also come up with a topic that will be both interesting and useful to his readers. Here’s a list of our suggestions on process essay ideas:

  • How to choose a perfect future career.
  • How to survive college and stay sane.
  • How to eat healthy on campus.
  • How to balance your social and academic life.
  • How to pay out a student loan while still at college.
  • How to improve your public speaking skills.
  • How to see the world with only $100 in your pocket.
  • How to learn a foreign language.
  • How to renovate your apartment and not go bankrupt.
  • How to start your own business.
  • How to prepare for your first interview.
  • How to get volunteers to help you clean the neighborhood.
  • How to write a life list.
  • How to set boundaries in the relationship.
  • How to study overseas for free.

Related Posts: Argumentative essay topics | Compare&Contrast essay topics

Wrapping up, we would like to introduce you to a couple of vital recommendations on process essay writing:

  1. Your process essay subject cannot be too broad or too narrow. Look out for the golden cut!
  2. Introduce your readers to possible complications of the process. After all, forewarned is forearmed.
  3. Create a short vocabulary your audience can use in case they are not familiar with the terminology essential to the general understanding of the process essay in question.
  4. Develop a list of resources your readers will need as they deal with certain tasks. This way you will have them prepared to put your recommendations to action right away.
  5. Always write a process essay using Active Voice!

Tips on writing a process essay

Need help with your process essay writing? Handmadewriting is here for you to help. Drop us a line to get our professional essay writers to develop an excellent piece for you!

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We all love watching YouTube tutorials. From videos showing you how to turn an old t-shirt into a ball gown to videos showing you how to bathe your cat with sparkly water, there are tutorials on almost every subject you can think of. Well, in just the same way you have video tutorials, you can also find essay tutorials online.
A process essay is basically an essay tutorial. It teaches you how to do something. If you’ve never written a process essay before or you’re trying to figure out how to write a process essay, then this article is for you. Here, you’d learn everything you need to know about process essays, from the basic tips to the standard structure for this type of essay.
Let’s get down to brass tacks, shall we?

What Is a Process Essay?

Here’s a solid fact: you’ve definitely watched one or two tutorials before. Whether it’s a tutorial on knitting a sweater or it’s a fun video explaining how to build a cat tower from home, there are tons of how-to videos out there. In simple terms, a process essay is a how-to essay. It shows or informs the reader how something can be done. It outlines each step to be taken in achieving a particular goal. The goal could be anything – from building an object from scratch to cooking a particular meal.

The typical process essay has the following features:

  • A chronological order of events: You have to describe each event in the way they happened or are meant to happen. For instance, if you’re drafting an essay on how to bake a red velvet cake, don’t start by telling your readers how to take out the cake from the oven. Start from the very first step: getting the ingredients ready.
  • A clear description of steps to follow: Describe each step clearly. If you’re vague in your description, you might end up misleading your readers. Be very clear and specific when describing the steps to follow.
  • The use of transition words: When it comes to writing a process essay, you don’t want to sound like you’re rushing through many sentences or ideas at the same time. Use transition words to link different ideas together.
  • Clarity of narration: Your narration should be clear and coherent. Your readers must be able to comprehend what you’re saying or showing them.

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Types of Process Essays

There are two main types of process essays: directional and informational. Just before you start writing any process analysis essay, you have to decide which style you’d prefer to employ. Here’s a quick breakdown of what each process essay type looks like:

Directional process essays

This type of essay shows the reader how to perform a process or do something step-by-step. For instance, you could write a process essay on baking a cake or creating a DIY crop top from an old t-shirt.

Informational process essays

On the other hand, informational process essays tell the readers how to do something without actually giving the step-by-step directions to do it. A perfect example of this type of essay is a paper on how photosynthesis occurs or how excretion works.

The major difference between directional and informational essays is that while the former shows the process, the latter only tells.

Process Essay Outline

Just like any other paper or piece of writing, the typical process essay outline is structured in three parts: an introduction, body and the conclusion. But what exactly should these sections contain? It’s one thing to understand the format for writing a process essay but it’s another to know what information goes in each part.

Not sure how to frame your essay? Here’s what your introduction, body and conclusion should like:

Introduction

The introduction is just like a bait for your readers. It has to hook them and lure them into reading the entire essay. So, how do you achieve this? The trick to keeping your audience hooked is by opening with a colourful description or line.

For instance, if you’re writing an essay on how to make blueberry pancakes, you may want to start your paper with this opening line:

For many American households, pancakes are the main components of a perfect breakfast. In fact, not many people can go a full year without having pancakes for breakfast or lunch”.

With an interesting opener like this, you can get readers interested in reading subsequent sentences and paragraphs.

Under the introduction, you could also let your readers know about any vital information that may be relevant to them. For instance, you may say:

Pancakes typically take about ten minutes to prepare but if you’re using instant batter, it may consume less time”.

After this, you would need to write your thesis statement. This isn’t complicated as it basically describes the research problem that your paper will be handling. For instance, you may say:

This paper gives a quick guide into making healthy pancakes at home in about five minutes”.

Body

The body of the essay is where the party actually takes place. This is where you have to explore what your paper is all about. However, just before you start drafting the body of your essay, it is important to draft an outline first and consult it. Ensure that you divide your paper into smaller pieces to make it comprehensible and coherent to readers.

The body of the essay typically has three or more paragraphs to enable the writer do justice to the topic.

If you feel like there’s any cautionary notes that your readers should know about, now is probably the best time to talk about it. Don’t wait till the very end to let your readers know that blueberry pancakes can be harmful for people who are allergic to berries.

Conclusion

The conclusion is basically where you say your goodbye to your readers. Here, you have to remind your readers why the topic is important enough for them to read an entire essay about it.  You may also need to encourage your readers to try new things or look forward to your next publication. An example of a good conclusion:

Congratulations! You’ve managed to whip up perfect blueberry pancakes. To get an even tastier result, try this recipe with strawberries next time”.

If you still find writing such an essay too difficult, you can write to our support team “write my essay online“, and we will solve this problem for you.

How to Use Transition Words in a Process Essay

Transition words to process essays are like cheese to almost every pastry on earth. They make everything better and add coherence to your essay. Not sure what transition words are? Let’s backtrack a little and cover base grounds first.

Transition words are words that help to link phrases and sentences. In this case, they help to link process essay ideas. Have you ever had a friend who constantly talked in a rush and whose sentences were always jumbled up? Sounds annoying and confusing, doesn’t it? Well, that’s how essays without transition words look like.

Here’s one fact about writing essays that many writers seem to have missed: you may be flowing from one idea to the other and then suddenly get stuck because you don’t know how to start the next phrase. When this happens, transition words can always come to the rescue.

Some popular examples of transition words include: “next”, “then”, “now”, and so on.

Now that you’ve learned about transition words and what they do, it’s time to learn how to actually use them in process essays.

Here are a few tips to guide you:

Choose the right transition words

There are different types of transition words. So just before you smack a transition word in the middle of a sentence or paragraph, it’s important to  note the different types and ascertain which one works best for the idea you want to pen down.

The different types of transition words include:

  • Additive transitions: This type of transition words helps to add or introduce new information. You could also use them to shed more light on an idea. Examples of additive transitions include: “also”, “alternatively”, “in addition”, etc.
  • Adversative transitions:This type of transition helps to reflect the writer’s conflicts, disagreements, dismissal and emphasis on an idea. Examples of this type of transition words include: “however”, “on the contrary”, “on the other hand”, “conversely”, etc.
  • Sequential transitions: These transitions typically show a chronological sequence in time. Since we’re dealing with process essays, you’d most likely be using this type of transition words frequently. Examples include: “next”, “first”, “finally” and so on.

Decide where to place them

Transition words can be placed anywhere you want them to. For instance, you could place them at the beginning or middle of a sentence. You may also decide to place them at the beginning or middle of a paragraph. It all depends on what you want.

Don’t overuse them

Let’s admit it: it’s quite easy to overuse transition words. You may finish writing an “amazing” essay, only to discover that it is overridden with transition words. To avoid this, it’s important to strike a balance. Add enough transition words to make your paper coherent but not so much for it to become cumbersome to read.

How to Choose a Topic for a Process Essay?

Picking a topic for your essay is just like making pancake batter. It is the first and most important step that needs to be done before you jump to other steps. However, this isn’t exactly an easy step for a lot of people. If you aren’t sure how to choose a topic for your process essay, simply follow these tips:

Ensure that the topic is informative and engaging

This is the primal rule of choosing topics for process essays or any type of essays at all. Your topic has to be centered on an informative area. Do not select a topic that most people would not find informative or engaging. For instance, topics like “how dinosaurs mate” are not just out rightly ridiculous. They’d also not catch the attention of any reader who’s looking out for valuable information.

Consider your audience

Your audience is another essential factor you need to consider. In fact, they determine what your topic should be or revolve around. Ensure that your topic is in line with your audience’s needs and interests. There’s absolutely no sense in writing an essay for 7th graders on how to repair a leaky fuel pump. They’d definitely not find it interesting.

When choosing a topic, remember you’re not trying to impress your tutors. Your audience should be the main focus.

Apply a little humor

A little humor never hurt anyone. In process essays, you can take a small step away from conventional topics and add a little spice to your essay. For instance, instead of titling your essay ‘how to make blueberry pancakes”, you could say “how to make blueberry pancakes without burning your house down”.

Sounds so much better, doesn’t it?

Process Essay Topics

  • Process Costing And Homogeneous Processing
  • The Dynamics Of Board Processes Board Processes Commerce
  • Cognitive Processes
  • Recruitment Process
  • Consumer Adoption Process
  • The Recycling Process
  • Globalization Process

Funny Process Essay Topics

  • Induction Process Of Food Manufacturing
  • Team Processes: How It Works
  • Experiencing The Teaching- Learning Process
  • The Event Process Chain Diagram
  • Steps In A Research Process
  • Idea Generation Process- Entrepreneurship

Process Essay Topics For College

  • Disease Process Pneumonia
  • Performance Evaluation Process
  • Growth And Development Processes
  • The Social Process Triangle
  • Information System In Business Processes
  • Salmon Processing Facility: Nasal Trondheim
  • Collaborative Process In Safe Schools

Informative Process Analysis Essay Topics

  • Information Technology: The Decision-Making Process
  • The Process Of Brainwashing (Mind Control)
  • The Accounting Standard Setting Process Accounting
  • Exploring The Four Stages Of The Audit Process
  • Woman Participation In Political Process
  • Analysis Of Consumer Decision Making Process
  • Analysis Of The Stakeholder Management Process

This essay post was provided by the expert writer of Write My Essay Today. They can write an original sample for you too. Simply submit your write my essay request, and you’ll be in contact shortly.

More Topic Ideas

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Funny Process Essay Topics

Funny Process Essay Topics

Process Essay Topics For College

Process Essay Topics For College

Informative Process Analysis Essay Topics

Informative Process Analysis Essay Topics

Process Essay Topics

Process Essay Topics

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Process Essay Examples

When it comes to writing any type of essay, checking out samples is just like turning on a flashlight in a really dark cave. It helps to guide you on what steps to take next. If you still aren’t sure how to start or structure your process essay, you could get clarity by reading a process essay example. Here are some samples of well-written process essays: https://www.examples.com/education/examples-of-process-essay.html

More Essay Examples

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examples of process essay topics

example of process essay about exercises importance

process analysis essay example on recess time

process analysis essay sample on family

process essay example on communication

process essay example on high school sports

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Process Essay Writing Tips

So it’s time to get down to the main event: writing your process essay. Just as Dumbledore gave Harry Potter an invisibility cloak to help him on his journey, here are a few tips to help you write the perfect process essay:

Make each process as simple as possible

When it comes to writing a process essay, remember you’re writing for people who probably don’t know much about the subject matter. As such, you have to make it as simple as possible. If an action or step is too complicated, break it down into smaller parts. Ensure that each action is as simplified as possible. For instance, if you’re writing an essay on “how to make sushi”, don’t just say something like “prepare soy sauce”. Instead, show your readers how to make soy sauce.

Don’t make it too long

Remember: you’re writing a process essay, not a novel or a book report. Typical process essays aren’t too long. Your readers may get tired or bored if they have to read pages upon pages on how to carry out a process. The human brain can’t soak in that much information at once.

Make sure your process essay is detailed yet not overly long.

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Find and describe an unexpected approach to things

Life is too conventional for you to remain conventional. When you choose an essay topic, chances are someone else has already written about it before. So, try to introduce a twist that your audience hasn’t thought of before. For instance, instead of writing an essay on a conventional topic like “how to bake a cake”, add a twist by writing something like: “how to bake a cake with just two ingredients”.

Voila! You’ve grabbed the attention of your readers.

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So you’ve learned everything you need to know about writing a process essay: from process essay definition to the tips you need for writing the perfect essay. However, if you still aren’t sure about your essay writing abilities, you can use our renowned essay writing service, just chat us “do my essay online“. This way, you can end up with a professionally written paper without having to stress about it.

References

  • Process Essay
  • The Process Essay. Third Lecture
  • Process Essay Model
  • Research Process Essay
  • The Process Essay

Your ability to write essays will dramatically affect your performance at university level. You need to be able to write an essay well. Good essay writing is not a skill you are born with, but it is a skill you can learn.

Understanding essay questions

Identify key words & process words

The ‘key words’ in an essay question allow you to identify what you are supposed to write about. Use the strategies below to break questions down in to manageable chunks.

Introductory question or statement

Example 1

Full question: “What is meant by shock advertising? Evaluate the arguments for and against the use of shock advertising by marketers.”
Extract the basic question:
“Evaluate the arguments for and against the use of shock advertising by marketers.”
Remaining words introduce the topic and give focus. They are not key to the question.

Example 2 

Full question: “Popular magazines for men and women are selfish, superficial and obsessed with sex. Discuss, making reference to at least one magazine.”
Extract the basic question:
“Discuss, making reference to at least one magazine.”
The process word ‘discuss’ refers back to the topic in the initial statement.
The initial statement is vital to understanding the question in this case.
Possible actions: Take out the introductory/initial question or statement to see what effect it has on your question.
If the question feels like it has missing information, look for what is missing in the initial statement.

Example 3 — Identify the meaning words

Question: «What is meant by shock advertising? Evaluate the arguments for and against the use of shock advertising by marketers
Analysis: The initial question is struck out because it is not vital to understanding the essay question.
Green indicates the process word (in this case Evaluate). This tells you how to approach the paper.
The words in blue carry all the meaning. Work out their significance. Use your knowledge of the subject to help you do that.

Remember:

‘Arguments’ carries the same meaning as ‘for and against’ so it doesn’t add anything further to the question.

The concept of ‘use’ is implied by the topic ‘shock advertising’. Check whether you need to distinguish ‘use’ from ‘concept’, as this could be a key word as well.

Understanding process words

The process word tells you what structure your essay will take: linear, two sided, argumentative?

Remember to:

  • Pick out the verb in the question – the word that tells you what to do in the paper
  • Understand what that word means (download our list of process words below)
  • Structure your essay around that word

Go to chapter on ‘Structuring your essay’ to help you structure your essay based on the process word.

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