Writing Academic Essays: Tips and Support: Informative Process Analysis

Please see your syllabus for due dates for this essay. All essays will be turned in to the dropbox.

INFORMATIVE Process Analysis Essay.

Process analysis =  sequence of related events to explain how things work/ how things happen.

Directive process analysis =  how to do something step-by-step; directions for completing work (to make something). Examples: recipes, model kits, sewing patterns, etc.

***Informative process analysis*** = how something works. Examples: how to make a relationship that lasts; how to lose a guy in 10 days; how to be happy in life. Textbook example = how a zamboni works.

Topics: Should be something you know and do not have to research. A good way to find topics are to look at your hobbies, interests, and strengths. For example, you may wish to talk about how an oven works; how an internet search engine or face recognition works; or how a 2-year old child works!

Be sure you present the information chronologically (in time order). There are also many other ideas to think about before you start writing:

• What is your purpose?
  • Are you trying to persuade? Inform? (Yes, definitely.)
  • Entertain? You may do more than one of these, by the way, but as per the title of the assignment, you MUST inform!
• What is your tone?
  • your tone should always be professional - it should not read like a text message, email, or letter to friend.
• Point of view: should be third person. Instead of "I think" or "I do this" type statements, make it about the person completing the action.
  • For example, "Kids usually," "Fishermen often," or "Parents must.

The following information is true for all writing, but here it is again so you can refresh your memory.

Your introduction should:

• grab the reader's attention using some interesting facts or statistics or tell a story.
• include your thesis at the end of the first paragraph.

Your thesis:

• should introduce the process you will be explaining.
• will explain why the information given in your paper is important to know and understand.

Your conclusion should:

• restate the thesis, but not word-for-word.
• circle back to your introduction. In other words, if you told a story, finish that story here. If you cited a statistic, give another similar statistic here that makes better sense with the new information from the paper that has been given.
• it should not introduce any new ideas.