Most process analysis essays fall into two categories.

Some essays contain elements of both types of process analysis. In writing about how a car alarm system works, for example, you might find it necessary to explain how to activate and deactivate the system as well as how it works.

A process analysis essay should include everything your reader needs to know to understand or perform the process. This usually means providing

A process analysis usually contains a clear thesis that identifies the process to be discussed and suggests why the process is important or useful to the reader.

The steps or events in a process analysis are usually organized in chronological order — that is, the order in which the steps are normally completed. For essays that explain lengthy processes, the steps may be grouped into categories or divided into substeps, with headings such as Preparing for the Interview, During the Interview, and After the Interview. Transitions, such as Before you are called for an interview or Once the interview is over, are often used to make the order of steps and substeps clear.

Sometimes the steps of a process do not have to occur in any particular order. For example, in an essay on how to resolve a dispute between two coworkers, the order of the recommended actions may depend on the nature of the dispute. In this situation, some logical progression of recommended actions should be used, such as starting with informal or simple steps and progressing to more formal or complex ones.

In some process analysis essays, readers may need additional information to understand the process. For example, in an essay explaining how scuba diving works to readers who are unfamiliar with the topic, you might need to define unfamiliar terms, such as oxygen toxicity or decompression sickness; you might need to provide background information about risks of injury or a history of the sport; and you would need to describe equipment such as dive masks, buoyancy compensators, and dive gauges. In a how-to essay, you might also need to explain where to obtain the equipment or training. (For more on defining terms, see Chapter 18.)

In deciding what to include in a process analysis essay, be careful not to overwhelm your readers with too many details. An explanation of how to perform CPR written by and for physicians could be highly technical, but the same description should be much simpler when written for volunteers in the local ambulance corps.

For a process involving many complex steps or highly specialized equipment, consider including a drawing or diagram to help your readers visualize the steps they need to follow or understand. For example, in an essay explaining how to detect a wiring problem in an electric stove, you might include a diagram of the stove’s circuitry.

To keep your writing lively and interesting when explaining technical or scientific processes, use sensory details and figures of speech. Rather than giving dry technical details, try using descriptive language.

A how-to essay should anticipate potential trouble spots or areas of confusion and offer advice on how to avoid or resolve problems. It should also warn readers of any difficult, complicated, or critical steps, encouraging them to pay special attention or take extra care. For instance, in a how-to essay on hanging wallpaper, you would warn readers about the difficulties of handling sheets of wallpaper and suggest folding the sheets to make them easier to work with.

The following readings demonstrate the techniques for writing effective process analyses as discussed above. The first reading is annotated to point out how Susan Silk and Barry Goldman use these techniques to help readers avoid saying the wrong thing to a suffering friend or relative. As you read the second essay, try to identify for yourself how the writer uses the techniques of process analysis to help readers understand how to transform a “shitty first draft” into a compelling piece of writing.