Explaining a Process

Explaining a process is usually used when you describe how to do or make something, for example, how to bake a cake or change a bicycle tire. It can also be used to explain how something happens, for example, how people in your area prepare for a wedding.

Getting Started

• First, you must decide how much you are planning to write.
• Complicated processes or events requre long explanations.
• You should choose a topic that fits the length of composition you plan to write. For example, you would need a book-length composition to explain how to craft a violin. However, you could explain how to change a violin's strings in a page or two.

Making Notes

Before you begin to write, make a list of the important parts of the process. Consider the following areas:

• What tools, supplies, or materials do you use to complete the process?
• Be sure to define any special vocabulary your reader needs to know.
• Where does the process usually take place?
• How long does it take to complete the process?
• What kind of examples or comparisons can you use to explain what you are doing clearly?

Organizing Your Notes

• Group the parts of the process that should be together.
• Organize the points chronologically (in order of time).

Writing Your Explanation

• Begin with a good topic sentence or sentences which state clearly what you will be explaining. For example: Christmas is one of the most important celebrations of the year for my family, and so our preparations are spread out over the month or so before Christmas.
• Continue writing in chronological order.
• Use transitional expressions to smooth the flow of your writing and show connections between the parts of you explanation.
• Keep asking yourself if you have included all the important details.

Revising Your Writing

After you finish your first draft, go back, reread what you have written, and ask yourself the following questions:

• Have I started with a clear statement that tells what this composition is about?
• Have I defined the terms my readers will need to understand the process?
• Have I used paragraphs for the major points?
• Have I used chronological order to make it easy for my reader to follow the process?
• Have I used transitions to show how ideas and steps are related?
• Have I used examples to explain my process?
• Have I used a variety of sentences?