Writing a Procedure

A procedure is a set of directions, written to help a reader complete a task. If the procedure is written correctly, the reader's results will usually be the same as the author's results.

A procedure has the following parts:

Purpose
(What the author is trying to teach you to do-often the title)

Materials list
(What you must have to follow the directions)

Sequential list of steps
(How to do it-sometimes numbered)

Diagrams
(Pictures that help explain the materials, steps, and results.)

Linking words
(Words telling the order -first,next,now,finally)

Subject specific words
(Words for the topic-cooking=stir, roast, brown)

Results
(What you get in the end, what to do with it and any cautions-
directions=Our home is the red brick house on the corner.
Knock loudly on the front door, the back door is for the people
who live downstairs.)

Try writing one of the following types of procedures:

Recipe Driving Directions Magic Trick

Craft Instructions Science Experiment

or

label the parts in one of the above types of procedures