PROCESS NARRATIVE

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PROCESS NARRATIVE

• A COMMON WRITING STRATEGY USED IN GAME RULES,
  CAR-REPAIR MANUALS, OPERATING ASSEMBLY
  INSTRUCTIONS, SCIENCE OTHER TEXTBOOKS, ETC.

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TYPES OF PROCESSES

• MECHANICAL
• BIOLOGICAL
• PSYCHOLOGICAL
• POLITICAL
• ETC.

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PROCESS NARRATIVE (cont.)

• NARRATIVE (IN STORYTELLING SENSE) RECOUNTS A
  UNIQUE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS W/ A UNIQUE RESULT.
• PROCESS NARRATIVE EXPLAINS A SERIES OF STEPS W/
  THE SAME PRE-DICTABLE RESULT.

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TYPES OF PROCESS NARRATIVE

• EXPLANATORY (HOW SOMETHING HAPPENS)
• INSTRUCTIONAL (HOW TO DO SOME- THING)

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EXPLANATORY PROCESS

• PROVIDES INFO. NECESSARY TO A FULLER
  UNDERSTANDING OF A PRO-CESS, NOT SO READER CAN
  PERFORM IT.
• READER GENERALLY NOT DIRECTLY ADDRESSED.

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INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS

• ALL STEPS IN PROCESS ARE DETAILED SO READER CAN
  PERFORM TASK TO ACHIEVE DESIRED RESULT.
• WRITER ADDRESSES READER DIRECT-LY, USING PRONOUN
  YOU OR GIVING COMMANDS.

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GENERAL GUIDELINES

• FOLLOW CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE. OR
• USE TOPICAL ORDER IF YOU FOCUS ON MAJOR
  PRINCIPLES OR TECHNIQUES.

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GENERAL GUIDELINES (cont.)

• DIVIDE PROCESS INTO STAGES AND STAGES INTO STEPS.
• DETAIL EACH STEP IF NECESSARY SPECIFY REASONS
  FOR IT.

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GENERAL GUIDELINES (cont.)

• SPECIFY SEQUENCE OF STEPS, THEIR DURATION,
  WHERE THEY OCCUR. USE TRANSITIONAL EXPRESSIONS
  SIGNALLING TIME PLACE.

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GENERAL GUIDELINES (cont.)

• DEFINE SPECIALIZED TERMS AND EXPLAIN, IF
  NECESSARY, HOW ONE STEP RELATES TO PRECEDING OR
  FOLLOWING STEPS.

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GENERAL GUIDELINES (cont.)

• LET READER KNOW WHAT EQUIP-MENT MAY BE NEEDED,
  WHAT PROBLEMS MAY BE ENCOUNTERED, OR WHAT INTERIM
  RESULTS MIGHT BE.

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GENERAL GUIDELINES (cont.)

• MAY WANT TO STATE STANDARDS BY WHICH READER CAN
  MEASURE SUCCESS OR GIVE IDEA OF HOW MUCH PRACTICE
  MAY BE NECESSARY TO MASTER PROCESS.

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GENERAL GUIDELINES (cont.)

• IN A PROCESS NARRATIVE ESSAY, INCLUDE A THESIS
  STATEMENT (E.G., IDENTIFY PROCESS ITS BASIC
  STAGES ASSERT THAT A SEEMINGLY DIFFICULT PROCESS
  IS EASY OR VICE VERSA ASSERT THAT A PROCESS IS
  INEFFICIENT, UNSAFE, UNFAIR).

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PROCESS ESSAY (cont.)

• CONCLUSION MAY SIMPLY END W/ FINAL STEP OR
  INDICATION OF END RESULT, BUT MAY ALSO WANT TO
  SUMMARIZE MAJOR STAGES, COM-MENT ON SIGNIFICANCE
  OR USEFUL-NESS OF PROCESS, RECOMMEND CHANGING A
  PROCESS YOU HAVE CRITICIZED, ETC.