Styles of Writing – Specific:
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PROCESS:
In most technical situations it is necessary to describe a process. Two common types of process description are how something works, e.g.
- The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
- Most metals expand and contract with variations in temperature.
We often use active verbs of this kind to make generalisations of society, e.g.
- When demand increases, prices are likely to rise.
The second type describes procedure, and here the passive voice often plays an important role in the description. Compare a) and b):
- The technician analyses the specimen in the lab. The technician records the results. The technician completes a report and then sends it to the physician.
- The specimen is analysed in the lab. The results are recorded. A report form is completed and sent to the physician.
Often, there is a mix of active and passive depending on the function of the text e.g. "One of the functions of the circulatory system is to provide oxygen to the body cells. The heart receives deoxygenated, or oxygen-poor, blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs. The blood receives fresh oxygen in the lungs and is then returned to the heart, which pumps the oxygenated blood back out to the body."
Typical essay questions:
- Explain/What is the connection between…
- Describe the procedures by which…
- Account for…
To make the steps in a process clear step signals are often used:
- First, second… finally;
- Then, next, after that
Or combining signals,
- When, as soon as, once, while, before, after, while etc.
An essay structure describing a process or procedure might look like this:
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