Writing Topics: Process Analysis

When developing a paragraph or essay through process analysis, you should keep several points in mind:

• Be sure to include all steps and arrange them in sequence.
• Explain why each step is necessary, and include warnings where appropriate.
• Define any terms that your readers may not be familiar with.
• Offer clear descriptions of any tools or materials needed to carry out the process.
• Provide your readers with a way of determining whether or not the process has been carried out successfully.

You shouldn't find it difficult to follow these guidelines if you've chosen a topic that you know quite well. These prompts are meant to help you to discover that topic. See also:

• "Camping Out," by Ernest Hemingway
• Process Analysis in Richard Selzer's "The Knife"
• Process Analysis in Barry Lopez's "Migration"
• Process Analysis in Berry's "A Few Words for Motherhood"
• Process Analysis in Joseph Heller's Catch-22

Topic Suggestions

1. How to win at Texas hold 'em
2. How to choose a major
3. How to find the perfect roommate
4. How to get rid of a roommate--without committing a crime
5. How to succeed in (or flunk out of) college
6. How to pitch a knuckleball
7. How to plan the perfect party
8. How to survive a night of babysitting
9. How to pitch a tent in the rain
10. How to housebreak your dog
11. How to kick a bad habit
12. How to stay sober on a Saturday night
13. How to rent your first apartment
14. How to avoid a nervous breakdown during exams
15. How to enjoy the weekend for under $20
16. How to make the perfect brownies
17. How to keep peace with a spouse or a roommate
18. How to bathe a cat
19. How to complain effectively
20. How an iPod works
21. How to toilet train a baby
22. How to build a great music collection--cheaply and legally
23. How to get along with an instructor without sucking up
24. How a magician can saw a woman in half
25. How to plan a great course schedule
26. How to end a relationship
27. How to select the best portable media player
28. How a pocket calculator works
29. How to take decent photographs with your cell phone
30. How to quit smoking
31. How to save money while saving the environment
32. How to build a great sandcastle
33. How a particular accident occurred
34. How to edit a video
35. How to insert a contact lens
36. How teachers make up exams
37. How parents (or children) make us feel guilty
38. How to lose weight without losing your mind
39. How to survive without a car
40. How to make the perfect cup of tea