8.Process-Analysis

ProcessAnalysis:Writingaboutdoing“Writingandrewritingareaconstantsearchforwhatitisoneissaying.--JohnUpdikeProcessAnalysisDefinedIfyouneedtoexplainhowtodosomethingorhowsomethingis(was)done/works,youwillwriteapaperofprocessanalysis.Youwillbreakdownyourtopicintostages,explainingeachsothatyourreadercanduplicateorunderstandtheprocess.TwoTypesDirectiveprocessanalysis:Howtodosomething,directions,“Readme,andyoucanbakeapie(tuneupaguitar).”WhattodointhefutureInformativeprocessanalysis:Howsomethingis(was)donebygivingdata(information).Whathasoccurredorwhatisoccurring.TipsforclarityUsepreciselanguageinsteadofvaguephrases.Thephrase“Takethebackstairsnearthewaterfountainandwalkuptwoflights”ismoreprecisethan“Goupthestairs.”Includeallimportantdetails.Ifyouareexplaininghowtowallpaperaroom,besuretoincludeinstructionsonhowtoestimatehowmuchwallpapertobuy.Ifyouareexplaininghowelectricityworks,youmayneedtodefinetermssuchascircuitandelectron.Useconcisewording.Includeonlytheinformationthereaderneedstoknowtocompletetheprocess.Presentallthestepsintheprocessinthecorrect(chronological/logical)order.Givebriefreasonsforelementsorstepsoftheprocesswherenecessary.Givingsuchreasonscanoftenclarifytheprocess.Whenyouarefinished,readtheessayasthoughyouaresomeonewhoisunfamiliarwiththeprocess,orhaveafriendorclassmatereadtheessay.SuggestedtopicsforwritingprocessanalysisHowsomenaturalphenomenonhappened:atyphoon,thunderstorm,landslide,etc.Howtoendarelationshipwithouthurtingfeelings.Howtocooka______.Howtoreducepeerrivalry.Howtodealgracefullywithajerk,bore,bigot,sexistHowtoteachaseniorcitizentosurftheweb.Howtodriveyourparents,sibling,roommate,teachercrazy.