Basic information on Process Writing, one component of Technical Writing.

1. CHAPTER 1:
PROCESS WRITING
INDUSTRIAL PROCESS &
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS

2. WHAT IS A PROCESS?
A process is a series of events or
actions that occur over time to
accomplish something. A complete
process involves collecting raw
materials, a series of stages / steps
in which the raw materials are
processed to get a finished product
at the end. Each stage has an input
and an output.

3. A process has three main items:
Input Process Output

4. A PROCESS WRITING APPROACH
Process writing is how something
happens or how something is
made. The method used to write
about a process is Step-by-Step
Approach. That means each
step/phase/stage in a process
should be discussed separately
following the sequence / time
order.

5. TYPES OF PROCESSES:
1. Natural Processes
Ex: Water Cycle, Cycle of Seasons
2. Biological Processes
Ex: Photosynthesis, Process of Digestion
3. Mechanical Processes
Ex: How does a car engine work?
How does a refrigerator work?

6. 4. Social Processes
Ex: How to get a driving license?
How to start a business?
5. Industrial Processes
Ex: How is olive oil made?
How is paper manufactured?
There are two ways of describing processes. The
process description can be informational or
instructional. In this chapter, only industrial processes
& instructional processes will be presented and
discussed.

7. 1. INFORMATIONAL PROCESS DESCRIPTION:
INDUSTRIAL PROCESS
An Industrial Process is a systematic series
of mechanical or chemical operations that
produces, manufactures or recycles
something. Such a process usually takes
place in factories and industrial areas.
The language feature associated with
describing an industrial process is present
simple passive voice.

8. The passive voice consists of two main
parts shown in the table below:
Forms of verb “to be” Past Participle
is
are
Produced
Ex: Small stones are removed.
The pure olive oil is obtained.
The logs are delivered to the store.
The payment is made online.

9. However, the present perfect tense is also
used with time clauses (after, when) in
process description.
Ex: After the milk has been collected, it is
transported to the dairy farm.
When the sweets have been wrapped, they
are packed in boxes.
Present Perfect Tense =
Has / Have + Been + Past Participle
Ex: milk has been collected
sweets have been wrapped
books have been returned

10. ADDING EXTRA INFORMATION: PLACE, PURPOSE,
METHOD
As part of the process, it is possible to
add extra information to your
sentences, describing the following:
Where the process occurs
How the steps / stage occurs
Why the step / stage occurs

11. EXAMPLE OF EXTRA INFORMATION:
Place (Where)
Milk is produced in dairy farms.
The milk is delivered to a factory by
tanker.
 OR in… at… where…
Method (How)
The milk is delivered to a factory by
tanker.

12. Purpose (Why)
The milk is pasteurized at a
temperature of 72◦C so that all
micro-organisms are killed.
The milk is pasteurized to kill all
micro-organisms.
The milk is pasteurizes in order to
kill all micro-organisms.
Exercise: Page 10

13. THE WRITING STRUCTURE OF AN
INDUSTRIAL PROCESS
When you write about an industrial process,
it is very important to organize your
information clearly using Step-by-Step
Approach. Each step/stage in a process
should be discussed carefully following the
sequence / time order. The next slides will
show how your writing should be organized.

14. Introduction
Definition of the process
Why is it important
Overview of the steps or phases
Step 1
Definition or overview of the step
(topic sentence)
Materials & equipment needed
Events occuring in the step
Causes & effects related to these
events.

15. Step 2
Definition or overview of the step
(topic sentence)
Materials & equipment needed
Events occuring in the step
Causes & effects related to these
events

16. Step 3
 Definition or overview of the step
Materials & equipment needed
Events occuring in the step
Causes & effects related to these events
Conclusion
 Discusses the causes & effects of the
process
Describes the end result produced by
the process

17. Remember:
In order to write a good description of an
industrial process, you should be able to
use a variety of language structure.
These include:
Verbs: Present simple tense (passive voice)
Present perfect tense (with some
time clauses to show that one action
happened before another)

18. Time clauses & Sequencers: Used to
show the order of events, Ex: after, before,
when, while, first, second, third, after, that, next,
later, etc.
Cohesive Links: Used to link ideas in a text.
Pronouns: referring to nouns mentioned earlier
in a text. Ex: it, they, this, these, etc.
Definite Article: (the) referring to nouns already
mentioned
Modifiers: One clause modifies the next noun
Ex: The bottles are sealed.. Next, the
sealed bottles….

19. Adding Extra Information: To make your
process more descriptive, extra information can be
added.
Place: where….
Method: how… by (doing)
Purpose: why…so that…to (do)..because