The Structure of a Process Analysis Essay
The process analysis essay opens with a discussion of the process and a thesis statement that states the goal of the process.
The organization of a process analysis essay typically follows chronological order.
The steps of the process are conveyed in the order in which they usually occur.
Body paragraphs will be constructed based on these steps. If a particular step is complicated and needs a lot of explaining, then it will likely take up a paragraph on its own. But if a series of simple steps is easier to understand, then the steps can be grouped into a single paragraph.
The time transition phrases covered in the Narration and Illustration sections are also helpful in organizing process analysis essays. Words such as first, second, third, next, and finally are helpful cues to orient reader and organize the content of essay.
Your essay will have an Introduction Paragraph that opens with a discussion of the process and ends with your thesis statement, which states a goal of the process. So you’ll need to ask yourself what is the goal of the Writing Process? What are the benefits to a writer of following the Writing Process? The answer to those questions will become your Thesis Statement. Review the tips from this week’s module on how to write an engaging opener.
Also, you’ll need enough body paragraphs to explain the steps of the writing process. How many body paragraphs should that be? You have to decide how complicated the steps are. Some of them may need their own paragraph, and some can be combined into one paragraph (as long as you have an appropriate topic sentence for that paragraph so you don’t violate Paragraph Unity). As a guideline, I’d suggest that you have no less than four (4) body paragraphs and no more than seven (7) body paragraphs.
You’ll need a conclusion paragraph to wrap things up and restate the goals and benefits of the Writing Process.
You definitely want to follow the Writing Process when you plan this Process Analysis Essay. Among other things, that means
- reading the Week 3 canvas module thoroughly and identifying the steps of the Writing Process in a way that makes sense to you so you can explain it to others
- thinking about what you want to say in each of the paragraphs
- making an outline or other map
- writing a really terrible first draft, and then
- revising and editing.
While you’d normally want to avoid using second person pronouns (you) in college writing, the process analysis essay can be friendly to the use of these pronouns, as long as you don’t overdo it.
You’ll want to be sure you use MLA format, and that you carefully edit your essay for spelling, punctuation and typos.
Topic: Single mom student.
