本教程是为公外大学英语写作课编写的教材。教材选取的话题写作难度由浅入深，从与大学生日常生活紧密相关的内容入手，逐步过渡到有深度的学术论题。本教材在培养学生写作能力的同时，也关注提高学生的人文素养、文化意识和批判性思维的培养。本教程共设计三册，基础写作两册和学术写作一册，本书为基础写作*册。

Chapter Two
Process
Chapter Objectives
In this chapter, you will learn
● how to prepare for the writing of an essay
● how to organize the actual writing steps
● how to conclude the writing of an essay
Before putting anything on paper, it is important for the writer to work out a plan and prepare to write. The writer should approach writing as a process during which they must decide upon a topic, prepare materials, comb through ideas, clarify logic, sharpen thoughts, determine writing style, refine structure and polish language. Some of the key elements of an essay first appear in the preparation period.
The writer should approach the writing project by reading and collecting materials. Then they select a topic according to the purpose of the essay and the writing materials gathered.
Ultimately, the writing process comes down to personal style and preference.
2.1 Pre-writing Phase: Forming Ideas
During the pre-writing phase, it is important to prepare adequately to make the writing process straightforward. A good starting point can be to ask journalistic questions like when, what, how and why. Another useful method for preparation is to brainstorm and then make a list of the materials most relevant to the task.
A writer may consider the following steps to prepare for the writing of an essay.
2.1.1 Brainstorming
Before beginning an assigned essay, it is necessary to be clear about what the task is; that is, there should be a clear purpose as this will make any objectives achievable. The writer needs to ask themselves questions like this: What is the writing task about? What is it designed to fulfill?
Do I need to tell a story, describe a person, explain a process or make a claim for or against a statement?
After clarifying the purpose, it is much easier to decide on the subject matter of the essay.
There are many ways to do this, and brainstorming is particularly useful when ideas are compiled as the pro

Part I Introduction to Essay Writing Chapter One Fundamentals Chapter Two Process Chapter Three Modes Part Ⅱ Descriptive Writing Chapter Four Description of People or Animals Chapter Five Describing Places or Scenes PartⅢ Narrative Writing Chapter Six Expository Narratives Chapter Seven Factual Narrative Part Ⅳ Practical Writing Chapter Eight Letters Chapter Nine Application Documents Chapter Ten Secretarial Writing Endnotes