Process essay writing sounds more complicated than it actually is. To put it plainly, it is a How to do something, type of essay. It informs the reader on how to complete a certain task. It can be about how to manufacture something, grow some plants, make some cocktails, and so on. A well-written essay will lead the reader through every step of the process and all the way to completing it. Most of the time it is written to inform people completely inexperienced or new to the described process. Process essay writing follows the same traditional essay structure: Introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Introduction
The introduction is way shorter than the body of the essay and doesn’t go into details. The goal is to create interest and provide some background information about the process. The goal is to provide some insights into what follows and what benefit it brings to the reader.
Body Paragraphs
This is the part where you elaborate on every step of the process, with all the necessary details that need to be served to the reader. There is no limit to how many paragraphs can be created and how long they can be. However, it is important that they be concise and easy to comprehend. That way, the reader can easily follow the steps and learn from them.
Conclusion
The conclusion needs to be as short as possible, summarize the idea of the given guide, contain the results of the process, and restate the main thesis.
Prewriting
So yes, the structure is pretty much the same as with any other essay. However, there’s where most similarities come to a stop. Before you start typing, you need to ask yourself a few key questions. The answers will determine the direction of your process essay. Those questions are:
Is the targeted audience educated enough on the topic you are elaborating on?
Do you need to start with the basics, or are they partly familiar with some aspects?
What’s the level of the language you should use? Will they be familiar with the terminology, or you need to explain that as well.
Also, you need to make a list of all the materials and equipment that are part of the process. Sometimes it is needed to dedicate one or more paragraphs just explaining how they work and why those specific materials are used.
Create An Outline
A short outline and notes are a must for process essay writing. That way, you make sure that you don’t miss a step or a detail important to the procedure. To that end, don’t rely on your memory but on your written notes and the outline.
In Conclusion
Writing a process essay is more of a technical assignment than anything else. Not much creativity is needed. The explanations need to be clear, each step to be logical, and all that to flow naturally. There is no need for spectacular claims or conclusions. What matters is to explain how the task is done, how the process will go, and what to expect afterward.