Process Essay

Are you willing to cross gender lines to try something new?

It can sometimes be a jarring experience to try something new, especially if it's something not usually done you typically do. For this assignment, you are asked to participate in an activity that is generally considered to be associated with the opposite sex. For example, a woman might choose to engage in an online gaming session, or a man might spend some time in a spa. Of course, just what a feminine or masculine activity is depends on who you ask. So, choices of activity are individual—there is no right or wrong. Spending time in someone else's shoes, so to speak, helps you better understand their perspective and, thus, empathize with their situation. You will chronicle your experience through a process essay. A process essay informs readers of how something is done or how to do something. However, the goal is not to simply outline the steps involved in a process. The goal should be to illuminate the overall significance of that activity. In other words, the "why" is as important as the "how." Your task is not only to explain the process, but to examine the big picture. For example, it's not just about explaining how a pedicure is done, but why they are so important to so many people.

Requirements:

• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• 3-page minimum
• Include a works cited page
• Spend at least one hour engaged in your activity

The best papers:

• Stay within the parameters of the task
• Have a concise thesis which outlines the process
• Clearly support the thesis with clear and concise illustrations of the steps involved in the activity
• Conclude with a summation that highlights the larger significance of the activity
• Properly cite evidence using MLA's parenthetical citation method

Due: Thursday, Nov. 8th (Draft 1; Bring 2 copies)