1. Process Analysis Essay
Explaining How Something Works or is Done.

2. What is Process Analysis?
Explains in step-by-step fashion how something works or how something is done or made.
Provide people with practical information
Directions to do something
Explanation of how something works
Audience either
Wants or needs to perform the process
Wants or needs to understand the process although they will not actually perform it

3. Characteristics Usually includes an Explicit Thesis Statement Examples
identifies the process to be discussed
Suggests the writer’s attitude or approach
Why the thesis is important or useful to the reader
Examples
Recently, many consumers have been using debit rather than credit cards, which is more costly for most customers in the end.
By carefully reading the terms of a college loan, you can save thousands of dollars in interest and hundreds of hours of hassle.

4. Characteristics Cont. Organized in Chronological Order
The order in which the steps happened or should happen
Ex. How to apply for a credit card.
How the housing crisis occurred.
Why did the merger of Merill Lynch and Bank of America happen?
For essays with a lengthy processes, the steps may be grouped into categories to make the process easier to understand.

5. Characteristics Cont. Defines Technical Terms Provides Background Info
Assume the audience does not know terminology of the process
Define these terms for the audience
Provides Background Info
Scenarios which make the process important
How interest rates affect people and businesses before a discussion of how the fed determines interest rates
How much money college costs or how long it takes to pay off a loan before a discussion about choosing the best college loan for you.

6. Characteristics Cont. Describes Necessary Equipment Appropriate Detail
Describing a loan calculator for taking out a loan
Describing how the internet has changed the stock market before a discussion on how or when to buy stocks.
Appropriate Detail
Consider your audience
Keep details aligned with the intended audience
Students at Pine Valley High
Stock Broker
Banker

7. Characteristics Cont. Anticipate Trouble and Offer Solutions
What was difficult for you at first?
How did you figure it out?
In an essay explaining how to apply for a mortgage, anticipate the difficulty of finding a cosigner and give advice of how to resolve that problem.
Warn readers of difficult , complicated, or critical steps

8. Organization Introduction Body Paragraphs Background Info
Thesis Statement
Body Paragraphs
Transition,
Topic sentence
Example- Quote
Explain
Connect to thesis and bridge to next body paragraph

9. Organization Cont Conclusion Transition,
Draws back to the thesis and draws the essay to a close.
Often times, you will refer back to how this solves the problem set up in the background information.

10. Writing Choose the topic Consider Your Purpose
Use the possibilities sheet to help you or make one of your own that refers to banking/ finance.
Consider Your Purpose
Informative: How to choose a credit card.
Persuasive: How bailout money was used to avert financial crisis in the U.S.

11. Writing Cont. Consider the Audience
What background information do they need?
What terms should I define?
What equipment should I describe?
How much detail is necessary?
How can I illustrate trouble spots to prevent confusion or warn of danger?

12. Develop a Working Thesis
Tells Why the process is important, beneficial, or relevant

13. Gather Details and List Steps
First Gather Information on the Topic
Then List the Steps on a Graphic Organizer
What separate actions are involved?
What are obvious to you but may not be obvious to somebody else?
What steps, if omitted will lead to problems or failure?
2 or 3 column notes work well for this
Find interesting facts and illustrations that will help the reader better understand what to do, or why it is important.

14. Re-Evaluate the Thesis
When you have gathered all information, decided on organization, etc., go back to the thesis.
The thesis statement should encompass everything you discuss in the paper.
It should be a complex sentence with complex ideas.

15. Draft
Write the paper
Use at least 2 quotes/ paraphrases for each step.
Never quote or paraphrase without explaining
Include reasons for the steps
Consider Headings
Use transitions to show relationships between ideas
Effective Introductions are imperative
Appropriate tone- 3rd person point of view, no forbidden words, no contractions, be formal
Satisfying Conclusion

16. REVISING Is this the best order for the process?
Is this the best example?
Can I find some statistics to show how important this is?
Did I appeal to the fact based reader? How?
Did I appeal to the emotional reader? How?
Could somebody go out and do this after reading the essay?

17. Editing and Proofreading
Check for forbidden words and contractions
Is everything cited correctly?
Read entire paper aloud exactly as it is written
Check for comma splices (two independent clauses connected with only a comma)
Check for run-on sentences and sentence fragments
Check for spelling errors and typos not caught by spell check (form for from)