Eng 100BC FA14

Quiz #3
Process Writing
Prewriting & Planning
Writing Process
What is process?
Set of direction for how to do something
Recipe in a cookbook
Directions on how to install a CD changer in
your car
Description of how something happens or is
done
Textbook discussion of how the body converts
food into energy and fat
Online explanation of why earthquakes occur
Writing Process
How do you choose a process subject?
Choose a subject that can be adequately
described or analyzed in the space available
Three decades of revision...not three decades
of every change during that time
Identify the audience
Consider audiences knowledge dont bore
your reader but dont overwhelm with
unfamiliar terms and concepts
Writing
How do you structure a process essay?
Fundamental structure is chronological order
Make a list of various steps in the process
Once list seems complete, arrange items in
order performed or in which they occur
Check to make sure nothing is omitted or
misplaced
Practice the process in order to ensure nothing
is missing
Converting into paragraph form
Carefully explain technical terms
Use many transitional phrases
First, second, third, while this is being done, next,
begin, finally
Revising
How do you revise a process essay?
Key element in process is clarity
How-to-do-it essay is successful if reader can
reproduce the process you describe without
error and with same result
Here-is-how-it-works essay does not intend
for reader to reproduce the process
Revising
How do you revise a process essay?
Choose an interesting & manageable subject
Look critically at essay as a whole
Ask the following questions:
Is the subject too simple? Is it too complicated?
Does your draft have three very short body paragraphs
or twelve long ones?
Define imagined reader
Consider prior knowledge of audience
Define technical words and concepts
Assess purpose of essay
To inform
Giving directions to duplicate a process
Describing a process to increase reader understanding
Revising
How do you revise a process essay?
Check for logical organization
Use transitions
Paragraphs
parallelism
Revising
How do you revise a process essay?
Write an appropriate introduction & conclusion
Introduction
Identifies subject
Catches readers attention by persuading reader to
read essay
What is important or interesting about this process?
How will your readers benefit from reading this essay or
from knowing this process?
Conclusions
Do not simply summarize steps or stages in process
Repetition is boring and unnecessary
Use these questions
What is important about this knowledge?
Why is this knowledge useful?
What can be learned through studying this process?
Process Prewriting
In groups
Given a box of items
Use whatever items you want to create an
original game
Write down the steps taken to create the
game
Here-is-how-it-works essay
Prompt #1 Explain how the group created a
new game
Write down how to play the game
How-to-do-it essay
Prompt #2 How to play a new game
Process Plan
Title
I. Introduction
A. Engage reader
1.
2.
B. Background Information
1.
2.
C. Relevance & Thesis
statement
1.
2.
II. Body: Steps in the Process
A. Step 1
1. substep 1
2. substep 2
B. Step 2, etc
1.
2.
IV. Conclusion
A. link back to
introduction
1.
2.
B. summarize
importance of process,
refer back to thesis
1.
2.
C. lasting impression,
final point
1.
2.
For next Wednesday...
Read chapter on cause & effect writing
Read parallelism and misplaced &
dangling modifiers in glossary
View PowerPoint on numbers,
parallelism, misplaced & dangling
modifiers