PROCESS ANALYSIS

Explains how to accomplish a task
- A short narrative that takes us from the beginning to the end of a task in the time
order. Includes every step.
- Keep the expertise level of your audience in mind!

Satisfies our curiosity
- Not every detail is given, only enough to make it clear and interesting.

To entertain
- Can be used as a humorous means to communicate your idea.
*Know your PURPOSE!
ANALOGY AND RELATED DEVICES

What is an analogy?
- It brings together two apparently unlike items from different categories.
- Uses one item as a device to explain the other item (not a direct comparison).

Purpose
- To clearly explain an idea/experience
- Help us to view with new eyes something we have taken for granted. A fresh,
thought-provoking way to describe something.
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

When comparing and contrasting, choose subjects of the same general type (2
countries, 2 sports, 2 science fiction novels)

Comparison: shows the similarities.

Contrast: shows the differences. *Is the more dramatic.

a)
b)
c)
In an essay you can:
Show only the similarities
Show only the differences
Show both the similarities and the differences
*Do whatever best fits your subject and your purpose.
 How to arrange a comparison/contrast essay:
a) Divide the essay into halves: first half – subject A; second half – subject B. This is effective
in short essays.
b) Divide the subjects into separate parts: first compare/contrast one aspect of both subjects;
second, compare/contrast another aspect of both subjects, etc… This is better for longer
essays.
*Choose the arrangement that will most strongly deliver your message.
EXAMPLE

When writing an essay you should support your ideas with well-chosen examples. This
will interest and convince your readers.

Types of examples:
- Personal experiences: narrate an incident that you have experienced.
- The experience of others: narrate an incident that you have seen or heard about
- Hypothetical experience: speculate about what might happen if (use reasonable
inferences)
- Quotations: use the words of an author, scientist, politician, or another prominent
person to illustrate your point clearly and authoritatively. Remember to cite who
said it and where you found it.
- Statistics: numerical examples lend a scientific, objective quality to your
argument. Be careful to choose reliable stats – many are biased.
- Other devices: cause & effect, comparison & contrast, and analogy can all be used
as a short example within an essay.
CAUSE AND EFFECT

When either good or bad things happen - our human curiosity makes us want to know
WHY?

Be sure to look at all the causes of an event/situation and all the effects of an
event/situation.

Principles to consider:
- Just because one event follows another, don’t assume the first causes the second.
- Control your personal prejudices.
- Explore causes behind causes (If B is the effect of A, what caused A?)

Cause
Cause
Cause
Event
Effect
Effect
Effect
= an infinite chain of events
Where do you draw the line?
- Use your common sense: include enough to make your point clearly and fairly –
then stop!

a)
b)
c)
The arrangement of a cause and effect essay can:
Emphasize mostly causes
Emphasize mostly differences
Pay equal attention to both.
-
Some may show only one major cause or one major effect, others show a great
number of causes or a great number of effects.
*Remember your purpose when choosing your arrangement. Use the arrangement that will most
strongly explain and emphasize your main point.
DIVISION AND CLASSIFICATION


What?
-
A logical method of thinking that allows us to make sense of the world.
Division:
- Takes a single unit or concept, breaks the unit down into parts, and then analyses
the connections among/between the parts and the whole.
- Helpful when exploring broad, complex subjects
SCHOOL
Academics
Extra-curricular
Socialization

Classification:
- Brings two or more related items together and categorizes them according to type
or kind.
- Useful when you want to understand how the subjects you are writing about are
alike or different.
- ELEMENTARY
SECONDARY
UNIVERSITY
St. Kevin’s
O’Connor
U of T
Annunciation
Neil McNeil
York
St. Catherine’s
Loretta Abbey
Ryerson

Sometimes Division/Classification is the dominant technique for structuring an essay,
other times it is used a supplemental pattern in an essay using another overall pattern.
EXTENDED DEFINITION

What is being defined?
- It may be word that may be an object, a complex or abstract concept, a person, a
place, or a phenomenon.

Why define it?
- Words can be personal and have slightly different or extremely different
meanings to different people.
- The meaning of a word may shift over time.
- Some words are new and are unfamiliar to many people.

Extended definition:
- When the entire essay or a large portion of an essay is dedicated to exploring an
issue through definition.
- It allows you to apply a personal interpretation to a word, to make a case for a
revisionist view of a commonly accepted meaning, or to analyze words
representing complex or controversial issues.
Possible Topics:
Canadian
Friend
Hero