Eng1500
Dyer 1
Assignment
Process Analysis Essay
(Adapted from an assignment by Christina Gonzalez)
$ In a 2-4 page essay, analyze a process. You may either think of it as either telling someone how to do something (directive) or explaining how something happened or how something works (informative).
$ Additionally, you must determine an audience for this assignment. Will it be for children or adults? Amateur or experienced chefs? Readers ofTimeor readers ofTeen Beat?Choose a real magazine or website. Then, use language as that publication does to appeal to its readership. Type your piece as if it appears in a magazine or other publication. After your title, list the name of the publication in parentheses. It might look like this:
How Brittany Lost Her Career (As Published inGlamour) Building Your Own PC on a Budget(As Published inPC World)
$ As an added challenge, the process you describe must be either the most delightful thing you can think of or the most disgusting thing you can think of.Please keep the content appropriate for college courses.
$You may not use the words “delightful” or “disgusting.”
Additional Criteria
$ A clear purpose (such as to teach readers how to make burritos or to explain how JFK was really killed) $ The process must be divided into steps or chunks
$ Each step or chunk must have a detailed explanation/analysis
(See grading guidelines on next page)
Eng1500 Process Analysis
Dyer 2
Grading Rubric
(Use these criteria as a checklist)
|
5pts |
A riveting introduction which succeeds in getting the reader’s attention and leading the reader willingly into your paper |
|
5 to -40 |
A strategically placed thesis that asserts what you hope to convey about the process. For example, “Making burritos occurs in three easy stages” or “it is obvious that JFK was not killed by a hidden shooter but by an assailant in the crowd; this is how the assailant did it.” |
|
5 |
Smooth, natural transitions that guide the reader through the paragraphs of your paper |
|
10 |
Process must be divided into at least three basic phases/steps/chunks |
|
10 |
Each step must be clearly explained |
|
5 |
Paper must have a specific audience in mind; this audience should be identifiable to me |
|
10 |
Specific details and specific examples analyzing/explaining the process *Depending on your purpose, the reader should be able to either understand or do the process you are analyzing after reading your piece. |
|
10 |
Process must be drawn as delightful or disgusting, without ever using the words delightful or disgusting. |
|
0 to -10 |
The paper as a whole must be focused. Stay on track. If there are extraneous elements of the paper which do not work to promote your thesis or persuade the reader (however subtly), revise/remove them. |
|
5 |
A conclusion which drives your point home, makes the reader feel something, or invites the reader to think about the topic of your paper more or in greater depth. The conclusion cannot be a simply restatement your thesis and main points. That is boring, and you are a better writer than that. |
|
0 to -30 |
500 to 1000 words (2 to 4 pages)double spaced pages in MLA format |
|
10 |
Essay should be organized to teach a process or explain one. Consider using the following: a) chronological b) spatial c) simultaneous d) cyclical |
|
15 to -25 |
Correct grammar. Check for apostrophe usage, capitalization of proper nouns, fragments, subject verb agreement, verb tense, correct prepositions, comma splices, commas before coordinating conjunctions, commas in lists, commas with interrupting phrases, correctly used colons and semicolons (if used at all), correctly placed modifiers, and pronoun agreement. |
|
0 to -15 |
No outside sources necessary. If you do use one or more outside sources, be sure to cite them in MLA format and include a works cited page. |
|
5 to -5 |
Style and mechanics. Avoid faulty parallelism. As a general rule, avoid passive voice unless you feel it is absolutely necessary. If even one sentence is slightly confusing to the reader or to you, it is probably too long, awkward, or convoluted. Aim for a lean, athletic style that takes no prisoners. |
|
5 |
Reader must know how to do what you are teaching or understand the process you are explaining upon reading the piece |
