how to write a recipe in essay form

How to Write a Process Essay on Food

How to Write a Process Essay About Cupcakes

A process essay on food is either an essay that tells you how to make a recipe or one that tells you how a food product is made. Both essays are written in the form of step-by-step instructions. As you research and write your essay, you'll likely learn a lot, which can benefit you as the author, as baking brownies from scratch is time-consuming, but the final product is well worth the wait. It is important to keep your directions or process steps as simple as possible. If the process is a recipe, the article should teach the reader how to make it. If the process is how a certain food product was made, like name-brand factory products, the reader should understand all the steps that went into creating that food product.

Writing About How Food is Made

Find out everything there is to know about making the food product about which you are writing. Take notes, use legitimate sources and if possible, interview someone directly involved in the production of the food product. Consider all of the ingredients, staff and machinery necessary to make the food you are learning about. You may be writing about how a factory mass produces their brand of food, such as candy bars or toaster pastries, or how a private bakery is run. Ask questions appropriate to your topic.

Before you begin writing, first outline your essay. This will help plan everything you want to write about. Order everything in sequential order, so the reader will clearly understand how the food product is made. Next, write the body of your essay. Each paragraph should be one point or one step in the process to make the food product. Make sure the reader knows everything involved in the process you are writing about.

Finally, write the introduction and conclusion of your essay. It is best to write the introduction after the body, so you understand what you are introducing. An introduction should prepare a reader for your article and possibly give them some background information on the process. The conclusion should summarize all of your main points. Last but not least, go back over your essay and correct any grammatical or spelling errors.

Writing Recipes

Learn everything you can about the recipe you are writing about. Do some research and learn if there are different ways to make the food in the recipe. Make sure you are educated in the cooking methods required in the recipe. It's also important to cook or prepare the recipe yourself. When you have followed the steps you learned, you will understand how best to teach those steps to others, and you might pick up some new cooking skills as well.

Next, write down all of the steps to prepare the recipe. Be sure to write the recipe in chronological order. For example, for recipes that require baking, mention preheating the oven first, so it can be at the proper temperature when it's time to place your dish in the oven. Include a list of necessary ingredients.

Then, you'll be able to write an introduction to the essay. This is best done after you have written the steps, so you know exactly what you are introducing. Try to include background information on the recipe in question.

Finally, write a conclusion to the essay. In this section include any variations to the recipe. If certain ingredients can be exchanged for others, let the reader know. Also, don't forget to proofread your essay at least one more time for spelling and grammatical errors, and fix if necessary.

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Rhetoric of Food

Rhe 309k, the university of texas at austin, analyzing recipes (rhetoric of recipes).

The genre of recipe writing is usually thought of a very standardized, reliable set of instructions, always consisting of two parts: the ingredients and the instructions. However, this is an overly simplistic view of this genre. While most recipes are composed of ingredients and directions, sometimes, recipes only include directions (Canora). Additionally, a great recipe is not just a set of directions; instead, great recipes can even tell a story – about a grandma’s Christmas cookies, about a lovely Valentine dinner, or about new motherhood (Perelman).

Generally, though, the form of recipes are first, a set of ingredients, followed by a list of directions, but this has slightly transformed over time. For much of history, most recipes actually didn’t actually specify precisely how much of an ingredient was needed; instead, recipes would call for a “cupful” or a “drop” (Schofield). Nowadays, though, recipes, especially in baking, usually specify a precise amount needed for each ingredient. However, how these quantities are specified can also vary. For example, most of the world tends to use weight measurements (i.e. 400 grams of flour) in recipes while others (mostly the U.S.) measures by volume (2 cups of flour), and some recipes list both for universality. In regards to the preparation method, most directions are listed in short sentences in numerical format, while others prefer an essay method. Furthermore, some recipes’ layout may be vertical-down, while other recipes, especially in recipe books, may include ingredients on the left with the directions on the right. Other text features in recipes may include how much a recipe yields, cooking or prep time, optional ingredients, helpful tips, etc.

Some recipes include a short story or excerpt preceding a recipe, and I believe that this method really adds to the content of recipe writing. For example, Deb Perelman is famous for her cute, relatable family stories in her Smitten Kitchen food blog. Her stories make it clear that her themes in her recipe writing are familial, homey, traditional, and practical. Her writing style and content also makes it clear that her intended audience are parents, families, and practical cooks – both experienced and new. However, other recipes may not need a cute story before each recipe in order to target an audience. For example, in Leanne Brown’s book, she adds an interesting and very helpful feature for each recipe; she lists the total dollar amount needed to make each recipe and also the per serving dollar amount. This clearly targets people on a budget, college students, money-savvy cooks, etc. Thus, already, though there is some continuity in recipe writing, it is easy to see how the recipe genre, a seemingly homogenous form of literature, can actually take on various forms and even contradictions.

It also, therefore, makes sense that there are various reasons why authors write recipes. Some write recipes to pass on memories (perhaps a grandma passing on a family-secret biscuit recipe to her grandchild) or some write recipes to expose others to international cultures (perhaps a writer who blogs about her cooking experiences across Japan). The grandma recipe writer may just compose her recipe literature on a piece of napkin or in a family cookbook, while the travelling recipe writer may write weekly blogs and eventually publish a book. No matter the reason or the audience for a recipe, it is clear the recipe genre goes beyond a set of instructions; instead, it truly is a way to tell a story.

• Brown, Leanne. https://cookbooks.leannebrown.com/good-and-cheap.pdf
• Canora, Marco. http://luckypeach.com/how-to-make-gnocchi/
• Perelman, Deb. https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/07/best-birthday-cake/
• Schofield, Mary A. https://books.google.com/books?id=zvOppQPQxPgC&pg=PA8#v=onepage&q&f=false

One thought on “ Analyzing Recipes (Rhetoric of Recipes) ”

Thanks to the writer for sharing this recipe and I will try this

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Essay on My Favorite Recipe

By: Author Valerie Gray, From Val's Kitchen

Categories Mixing It Up

We'd love it if you shared it!

If life could only be as simple as following a recipe, we’d all be much happier. However, unlike food based recipes, life doesn’t provide you with standardized ingredients as each lives their unique life.

It means we must ‘cook’ with what we have and see what we can come up with it. Depending on our knowledge of our ingredients and the objective we wish to will establish how difficult it would be to ‘cook up’ our desired results.

However, just like cooking…life has a lot of similarities. For instance, while some people like to follow the recipe to the core, others like to experiment with the ingredients creating their unique take on something that might have been passed down from generation to generation. We can see this as the traditionalist versus the progressive. One likes to keep the way things are while the other doesn’t fear to embark in new terrains.

Neither of these two options is necessarily wrong, especially if the final result remains a tasty dish that will remember.

Now, speaking about my favorite recipe, I think it’s difficult to pinpoint. Similar to life, I like variety however if I were forced to think of my absolute favorite recipe it would have to be my stew.

You see, a stew is just like life, a mix of different elements that come together to make something truly delicious. Additionally, making stew isn’t difficult. It’s almost like making soup except instead of leaving it watery we thicken it up with milk and flour.

Stew – The Dish of Life

I usually make my stew with a wide variety of vegetables, spices and tie it together with a thick sauce. So what you’ll need to make your very own stew will be the following:

• Two chopped Potatoes or 7 small full potatoes
• Corn on the cob
• Green pepper
• Knorr Beef Broth
• A half a kilo of beef (chopped in blocks)
• Assorted Herbs and Spices

The process is quite simple.

First, you fill up a big cauldron with water. Don’t fill it up too much because the vegetables will be taking up space.

Then, you’ll begin to through in all the plants based on how long they cook. I usually dump in the onions, zucchini, potatoes, carrots, corn on the cob and a block of beef broth at first. Then, I wait for about 30 minutes before I dump in the mushrooms, green peppers, garlic, and tomatoes in it.

At this stage, I take out a frying pan and start to brown the meat cubes. It’s recommended to spice the beef cubes before throwing it into the water. Some people like to skip this bit. However, I find that pre-spicing the meat makes it a lot tastier.

Once you have finished browning the meat, you throw it in with the rest of the mixture. Add some salt and pepper at this stage as well.

After about an hour or so, it’s time to thicken the entire dish. The way to do this is to take a bit of flour, like 1/8th of a cup and 3/4th of milk and mix it well. Be sure to get rid of all the clumps of flour in the mixture.

Once mixed, add it to the stew, and you’ll instantly see the color change to a light brownish color. If you want it thicker, just repeat the milk/flour mixture step and add it to the mix. Don’t overdo it either; it needs to be thick, but not so thick it’s solid.

And in about 20 more minutes you should be ready to eat your very own stew.

The Stew of Life

Why do I think stew is most representative of life? Because just like stew, life comes with different elements (people, places, opportunities) and they are all mixed. Some take longer to mature than others, meaning that you need to understand the purpose of each ingredient before cooking.

We learn that certain things synergize. We hear it takes patience to get the right things in life, just like a stew.

Each and every single ingredient is important to achieve the final result. A life fully lived is like a stew that has brewed to perfection, it’s a divine gift we should all enjoy.

I hope that throughout this essay, recipes help us achieve our goals, and while life doesn’t come with a recipe book, we do have teachers, masters, and parents that provide us with some insight. Sometimes we should follow their advice, and at other times we should simply do our own thing. If in the end, your stew tastes as magnificent as your life… you’ve done a spectacular job!

This recipe is provided by an anonymous writer who works at https://www.domyessay.net , an essay writing company.

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How to Write a Process Essay

Last Updated: December 6, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 166,451 times.

A process essay, otherwise known as a how-to essay, tells a reader how to perform a particular task. The best process essays follow a clear step-by-step organization. Start by providing your reader with a time estimate and general summary of the task. Then, move on to a more detailed explanation of each and every necessary step. When you are finished with your essay, read it over carefully to ensure that you haven’t left anything out.

Getting Ready to Write

• For example, a process essay intended for professional chefs could probably skip a description of how to chop carrots and just say, “Finely chop the carrots,” instead.

• You could also include a comprehensive “Things You’ll Need” section at the beginning of the paper. Or list the materials needed after the introduction.
• If an item on the list is a bit unusual, such as a particular type of hand tool, then make sure to clearly introduce it within the text. For example, “The pin hammer has a finer tip than a standard hammer, making it suitable for more detailed work.” You can also include a picture of the item, particularly if the essay will be published online.

• If you are writing an essay about how to cook lasagna, your initial outline might just state, “Mix in basil.” Before you start writing, you could expand your outline to say, “Briefly mention taste differences between dried and fresh basil.”
• Note that the more specific your article or essay topic, the more specific your details needs to be.

Crafting an Introduction

• For instance, you might write, “The process of preparing lasagna has a rich heritage all of its own.”

• If your process essay focuses on a cooking task, this is where you might advise your readers to consult the ingredients or materials list and put every item on the counter.
• For example, you might write, “This recipe requires 30 minutes of active preparation time, along with 45 minutes of baking time.”

• For example, your thesis might be, “This essay will explore how to create a complicated lasagna dish in a short period of time by preparing the noodles and sauce in advance.”

Writing Your Body Paragraphs

• Be especially careful with items that contain multiple steps. Make the transitions clear and acknowledge prior steps regarding a particular item, if applicable.

• For instance, when making pasta, consider writing a paragraph on how to boil pasta and another paragraph on how to make the sauce. This separates the ideas for easy clarification.

• For instance, you could write, “Next, place the pot on the stove,” to move from one paragraph to the next.

• For example, you could write, “This essay shows…” instead of “I’ll show.”

• For example, you might caution a reader to, “Cook the meat until it is no longer red in the center.” This advice will help them to avoid a foodborne illness.

Wrapping It Up

• In the case of the recipe, you could write something like, “You now have a bowl of boiled pasta and finished Bolognese sauce. Serve up plates of pasta and sauce to your family, topping them with parmesan, if desired. You can serve garlic bread or a side salad with this dish, too.”

• A simple example for our newly-made dinner might be, "And there you have it! A delicious yet quick meal fit for the entire family that you can make over and over again without complaint. Next time, experiment with different herbs and spices to find your own spin on this classic dish."

• Look to see if there are places where you can eliminate steps or condense your instructions. A reader is more likely to finish directions that they can easily skim through.
• Ask someone to read through the essay to see if they can understand the process. If possible, pick someone from your intended audience demographic.

• Don’t rely on spell-check alone, as it cannot account for context and doesn’t catch every error.

Expert Q&A

• If there are alternative ways to do a particular step in the process, make sure to mention these as you go along. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Give your readers pacing instructions as well. If they need to go slowly while performing a certain task, tell them early on. The same rule applies if a task requires speed for success. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/essay-outline/
• ↑ https://www.georgebrown.ca/sites/default/files/uploadedfiles/tlc/_documents/hooks_and_attention_grabbers.pdf
• ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-clinton-englishcomp/chapter/2-the-process-essay/
• ↑ http://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/style_purpose_strategy/procress_paper.html
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/readability-scores/

About This Article

To write a process essay, begin by writing an introduction that grabs the reader’s attention so they’ll want to keep reading. Then, end the first paragraph with a thesis statement presenting a problem for which you are offering a solution. Next, explain the process, making each step its own paragraph, and using transitions like "next" or "then" to move from one task to another. As the final step, let the reader know what to expect from the finished product and what to do with it. Finally, close your essay by reiterating why the process is helpful to the reader. For tips from our Education reviewer on how to proofread for common errors in a process essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The Best Recipe Writing Strategies

Sharon Palmer

Published on March 14, 2023

You can bring your recipes to life with good recipe writing. Learn the rules for writing a good recipe, including recipe writing tips, writing strategies, styling tips, photography ideas, and food photography backdrops.

Today, many people are interested in adding a number of skills to their resumes, and good recipe writing may be a valuable one. Whether you’re a blogger, book author, newsletter editor, chef, dietitian, social media influencer, or home cook, there are many reasons why becoming a great recipe writer can further your success. “Writing recipes that are clear, easy to follow, tailored to a specific audience, and well tested and work as promised really matters. Bringing them to life visually is the icing on the cake,” says Liz Weiss , MS, RD, book author, blogger, and recipe developer.

Writing your own recipes can be a tool for providing your own unique perspective on cooking, meal planning, and healthy eating. However, recipe writing is an art, though one that you can easily learn with a bit of education. You can learn how to create and write recipes with a few important writing strategies.

Recipes: Essentials in Writing

The rules for recipe writing are pretty intuitive and straightforward. Yet, if you don’t practice them, you can leave a cook confused, hopeless, and with a batch of inedible food. Likely, you’ve tried to follow a poorly written recipe, and you know just how frustrating it can be. Try my writing tips for recipes worthy of a best-selling cookbook author.

1. Know Your Audience.

Is the recipe for a children’s cooking class, or for a group of chefs? Is it a 5-minute recipe or a culinary masterpiece? Understand your audience before you sit down to write the recipe.

2. Use Descriptive Recipe Titles.

Just the title of a recipe can invite you in…or out. What would you rather make: Mushroom Bomb Lentil Pasta or Pasta with Mushrooms? Use descriptive words, without creating an excessively long title—it’s not necessary to list every ingredient in the title.

3. Add a Recipe Description.

Just one or two sentences with your personal take on the recipe can go a long way to encouraging someone to try it. Descriptions can include background or personal history of the recipe (was it your grandmother’s recipe?), the flavor and aroma qualities (does it have spice, zest, or umami, for example?), suggestions for serving (does it pair well with a crisp coleslaw or hearty soup?), and cooking tips (can you substitute one ingredient for another?).

4. List the Preparation and Cooking Time.

The addition of preparation times can be invaluable to cooks who are rushing to get dinner on the table. Total preparation time refers to how much time it takes to do everything from start to finish, including cooking time. Active cooking time refers to how much time is actively needed to prepare the recipe, not including waiting around time when a recipe is baking or chilling. If you plan on including preparation times in a recipe time yourself while testing it.

5. Provide the Number of Servings and Serving Size.

In order to determine serving size and number of servings, measure your recipe when it is finished—using tablespoons, cups, ounces, or grams—and determine your desired serving size and total number of servings per recipe. For example, if a soup recipe makes 1 quart of finished product, you may decide that the recipe makes 4 (1-cup) servings.

6. List Ingredients in Chronological Order.

The ingredients list is one of the most important parts of a recipe, and it should be listed in the order that it will appear in the directions list. That way the reader can follow along with the ingredients and instructions in an organized fashion.

7. Be Specific.

Make sure to be specific and list exact amounts needed. Include the state of ingredients (i.e., frozen, fresh, thawed, canned), size of cans or packages, and complete name of the ingredient. For example, “1 package of tofu” isn’t specific; a better listing might be “1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu.”

8. Spell Out Measurements and Amounts.

While some recipe formats allow for uniform abbreviations for units of measurement, you are better off spelling them out. This applies to teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, quarts, gallons, ounces, pounds, grams, and liters. And if the ingredient is used more than once be sure to indicate “divided” on the ingredients list, so that the cook knows that it will be used at least twice. Try to avoid unnecessary ingredients and keep them simple and accessible.

9. Separate Ingredients for Major Steps in a Recipe.

If the recipe is a salad with a dressing, for example, it will be easier to follow if you indicate a subhead for “salad” and “salad dressing” with the respective ingredients grouped in the categories. This should follow through to the instructions list, too.

10. List the Utensils Needed, If Unique.

Consider including a list of utensils needed, especially if they are unique, such as cheesecloth, an immersion blender, or food processor.

11. List Steps In Order, Keeping Instructions Short and To The Point.

The instructions should match the same order as the ingredients list. And they should be as short and simple as possible. Try to describe the easiest way possible to accomplish the steps in the recipe.

12. Indicate Size of Bowls and Cookware.

Don’t assume the cook will know what size a “baking dish” or “casserole dish” is. List common sizes, such as 9 x 13-inch, or 9 x 9-inch.

13. Give Specifics About Doneness.

Avoid using terms like “cook until done”; how does one know when it is done? Provide a cooking length and indicator for doneness, such as “tender when pierced with a fork”.

14. Test Your Recipe.

A recipe must be thoroughly tested (some suggest two to four times) before it is written.

15. Include Storage Suggestions.

Include directions on how to store leftovers, such as temperature and containers.

16. Offer Extras.

For extra credit, offer additional information, such as gluten-free and vegetarian methods or substitution ideas for ingredients.

17. Include Nutritional Information.

It’s always a good idea to include nutritional analysis using the USDA database based on the serving size of your recipe. Many nutrition software programs can perform this function.

18. Add Quality Food Photography.

In the social media era, people really do eat with their eyes. It’s essential to provide good quality food photography of your recipe, including recipe preparation shots and styled finished recipe shots, which can be accomplished with even a smart phone. Try food photography backgrounds to help make your recipes look even more polished.

More Recipe Writing Tips from Dietitians

There is much more to writing a good recipe beyond the basic rules. I asked several recipe writers to weigh in on their best advice.

• Keep a journal. Abbey Sharp, RD, blogger at Abbey’s Kitchen , suggests keeping a journal in the kitchen to keep track of “accidental creations”. “Sometimes a recipe I whip up without any intention of it going on the blog becomes a huge hit, and if I haven’t tracked the exact ingredients I then have to start from scratch. After that initial idea of a recipe works out, I take my notes, think about what may work better and then re-write and test it,” says Sharp.
• Test, test, test. Elizabeth Shaw, RD, blogger at Shaw’s Simple Swaps , suggests, “I recommend testing a recipe at least twice before publishing it, and re-reading your recipe instructions. I’ve definitely messed up on this and then am notified by a reader, which is totally embarrassing.”
• Be prepared when testing. Amy Gorin , RD, writer and blogger, says, “I typically buy double or triple ingredients for a recipe so that I have everything on hand to re-test a few times. The other thing I’ve learned is to have a good camera on hand in the kitchen, and extra lighting if you need it. I can’t tell you how many recipes I’ve created that I haven’t posted because the pictures aren’t good enough.”
• Enlist taste testers. Kim Melton , RDN, nutrition consultant, says, “I always ask several people to taste a recipe after I make it. There are some things I love the taste of but someone else might not like it. I love really spicy, hot food and most others wouldn’t like how hot I make something. Also, I have found other people can sometimes detect subtle flavors that I may not.”
• Keep it simple. “Don’t assume that people have the same cooking skills that you, someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, has. Try to explain what to do in the directions as explicitly as possible and write like you’re talking to a friend. Beginner cooks want, and need clarity, so don’t be vague,” says Elizabeth Ward , MS, RD, nutrition consultant.

Best Recipe Writing and Food Photography Tools

Here are some of my favorite recipe writing and food photography tools and gadgets:

• Measuring cups and spoons  to ensure your recipe is accurate
• Baking dishes  in a variety of sizes to be specific in recipe writing 
• Kitchen scale  to provide accurate measurements 
• Recipe journals can help you detail your recipe development process
• Food Photography Backgrounds 
• Food Tweezers 
• Pasta Bowls  make good containers for food photography
• Linen napkins  in various colors add texture to food shots
• Ring lights  can add easy light sources to food photography sets

Check out some of my most popular recipes of all time:

Mofongo with Caribbean Vegetable Stew Noodle Bowl with Thai Tofu and Vegetables Thai Tempeh Noodle Skillet Vegan Bolognese with Lentils and Walnuts Corn and Potato Boil Chipotle Black Bean Quinoa Veggie Burgers Chia Seed Pudding with Berries

Image: Pistachio Turmeric Rice Power Bowl , Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN

Check out one of my favorite online purveyors of healthful, plant-based, sustainable organic foods and products, Thrive Market. Get 25% off today by grabbing this discount code today! Note: This is an affiliate program I’m partnering with.

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information click  here .

More Tools for Eating and Living the Goodness

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17 thoughts on “ The Best Recipe Writing Strategies ”

A couple of comments… First, I think grams / metric system measurements are way better than spoons and cups.

Second, an annoying way I’ve had people describe recipes is something along the lines of: “1 can of this brand of whatever. It HAS to be THAT brand.” It’s impossible to follow recipes when you would rather cook from scratch and the recipe writer insists on processed food in a can or a bag or whatever.

Thank you Sharon for these beautiful tips on writing a recipe. I will use them on my recipes.

This was amazing! My family loved it.

These are great tips, will definitely implement on my recipe writing

If you are writing a recipe from scratch and you know the ingredients you want to use, how do you know the quantities? this is what I am struggling with. For example, I want to create a beef pie. I want to use 500 g of meat, how would I know the quantities of the herbs and spices to add to this.

This is a good question. A lot of times I get ideas for quantities from standard basic recipes. For example, if you are making mashed potatoes, looking up the ratio of potatoes to liquid can be helpful. But then the other thing you can do is taste and experiment and add more if needed. That’s easy with plant-based cooking, because you can generally taste a lot of things raw, except grains and beans. A lot of times when I’m working with spices and herbs, I add those at the end so I can experiment and start with a smaller amount, then build up, tracking how much I add to get desired result. I keep a journal of what I’m doing to the recipe. Sometimes it takes a few times to get it right.

I found it helpful when you said that recipes must contain descriptive words. As you said, the title of the recipe can either invite you in or out. This is something that I would give my agreement to since I am planning to look for recipes cooking blogs. I am getting married in December, and I want to be a good and caring wife. It will surely make sense for me to find cooking blogs that can interest me.

Shammy! Get off the computer, you’ve got recipes to make!

this post is really very useful, I will try it, thank you very much, success always

Learning a lot through your blog is really great. It gave me the confidence to write so accurately. Thank you very much

I learned a lot from it

Thank you Sharon, this really helped in

I always like having other people taste my dishes before I try it myself. It gives me ideas on what to improve for the next time.

testing recipes multiple times before getting it right.thanks for this article

It’s really great to learn many things through your blog. It gave me confidence to write so precisely. Thank you so much.

You are right about testing recipes multiple times before getting it right. My sister is planning to give Russian cuisine a try. I will give her the confidence to continue cooking and to not give up when she gives it a try.

It’s great to learn that you should list ingredients in chronological order when making a recipe book. My wife is wanting to help our future children and she was wondering how she should make an effective recipe book for them. I’ll be sure to tell her to list the ingredients in chronological order when making the recipe book.

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How to Write a Great Process Essay

Otherwise Known as a How-To Essay

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• Writing Essays
• Writing Research Papers
• English Grammar
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

How-to essays , also known as process essays, are much like recipes: They provide instruction for carrying out a procedure or task. You can write a how-to essay about any procedure that you find interesting as long as your topic fits the teacher's assignment.

Start by Brainstorming

The first step in writing your how-to essay is brainstorming. Here are tips to help you:

• Draw a line down the middle of a sheet of paper to make two columns. Label one column "materials" and the other column "steps."
• Write down every item and every step you can think of that will be needed to carry out your task. Don't worry about trying to keep things in order yet. Just empty your head.
• Number your steps on your brainstorming page. Just jot a number beside each item/step. You may need to erase and scribble a few times to get the order right. It's not a neat process.

Create an Outline

First, determine the format required for your essay; ask your teacher if you are unsure. Your essay could contain a numbered list (like the one in the previous section), or it could be written as a standard narrative essay. If you are instructed to write a step-by-step without using numbers, your essay should contain all the elements of any other essay assignment, including an:

• Introductory paragraph : the section that identifies the  topic , arouses interest, and prepares the audience or readers for the development of the thesis
• Body : the part of an essay that develops the main idea
• Conclusion : the sentences  or paragraphs that bring the essay to a logical end

Regardless of the essay format—whether your teacher allows for numbered paragraphs or sections or simply wants you to craft a narrative report—your outline should center on these three areas.

Creating the Essay

Your introduction will explain why your topic is important or relevant. For example, your paper about "How to Wash a Dog" would explain that dog hygiene is important for your pet's good health.

• Your first body paragraph should contain a list of necessary materials. For example: "The equipment you will need depends somewhat on the size of your dog. At the very minimum, you will need dog shampoo, a large towel, and a container large enough to hold your dog. And, of course, you will need a dog."
• The next paragraphs should contain instructions for following steps in your process, as enumerated in your outline.
• Your summary, or conclusion, explains how your task or process should turn out if it is done correctly. It may also be appropriate to restate the importance of your topic.

Topics to Write About

You may believe that you are not expert enough to write a process essay. This is not so. There are many processes that you go through every day that you can write about, including:

• How to make a perfect paper airplane
• How to dye your hair
• How to wear makeup
• How to survive a weekend with your family
• How to play basketball
• How to play (a popular video game)

The goal in this type of assignment is to show that you can write a well-organized essay and clearly explain to the reader how to do what you are instructing.

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How to Write a Recipe: Rules and Tips

• By Samyuktha Jayanty
• February 26, 2019

You have decided to write a cookbook , and you have got the basic outline ready. Now it’s time to start writing your recipe. It’s easy to cook the recipe, but writing it might be a bit confusing for a first-timer. Here is a small guide on how to go about writing your recipes.

Recipe Title

The title of the recipe is the first thing anyone will see, so it has to be simple and right to the point. It should be the same everywhere, including the table of contents and should not differ.

The yield is very valuable as it tells us the size and servings of the recipe. Knowing it beforehand helps to determine if the food is too much or less. It can be written in several ways.

As servings (how many can it feed)

• 3 servings • 6 servings as a side • Makes 3 servings, 9 as an appetizer • Feeds 10

• 3 cups salsa • 2 litres iced tea

Is the introductory text for the recipe. Recently written cookbooks use headnotes more! Headnotes are used to make the readers imagine how the recipe is going to turn out and sell them on it. Here are some examples:

Some flatbreads use pesto as a base sauce, but this recipe separates the pesto components and allows them to shine on their own. The basil is turned into a thick drizzle for the flatbread while the other ingredients remain whole and add bursts of flavor.

My father-in-law is a huge fan of beets, but I never ate them growing up, so I’m still not completely sold. I’ve been trying to work beets into my cooking so I can develop a better appreciation for them. Turning them into crispy chips is one way I’ve found that I really enjoy beets, especially when served with flavourful dips.

Ingredient List

It is the central element while writing the recipe. The exact amount must be listed and should be in order it’s used while cooking the recipe. This helps prevent ingredients from being left out. Usually, the ingredients are listed one below the other.

Preparation Method

It explains how the recipe must be made step by step. To prevent any confusion, it is easier for the reader if the steps are numbered. Sometimes it is written as a paragraph as well.

Equipment Information

Consists of the suitable container and its size type although many recipes do not tell the readers the equipment required; however sometimes specific equipment like an 8 x 8 square pan is written. It is usually better to use containers as listed.

Time & Temperature

It will be helpful for the readers to know how long it takes to cook the recipe so that they can plan accordingly.

Most cookbooks give readers the exact cooking temperatures like 375°F for 15 minutes, and some tell the reader how to cook the food like ‘heat liquid until it simmers.’

Nutrition Information

If you’re writing a cookbook on healthy foods, it’s better to provide information on it. It can range from some recipes including calories per serving, a simple statement “this has no sugar in it,” or a chart.

Recipe Variation

Providing variation for your recipe helps readers think of new ways of making it. This can be suggestions for substitutions, alternate preparation method, etc.

Examples: If you chose to make the vegetarian version of this dish, substitute the ground meat with 2 large mushrooms.

This marinade also works well with fish, replace the chipotle peppers with lemon peel and cumin.

More information can be shared here such as places to purchase, hard-to-find ingredients, storage tips, re-heating ideas, alternative ingredients, that doesn’t fit into the other components of the recipe.

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How to Write a Recipe

FST-155NP (FST-384NP)

Authors as Published

Adapted by Carlin Rafie, Assistant Professor and Extension Nutrition Specialist, Department of Human, Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, Virginia Tech; Lester Schonberger, Research Associate, Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech; and Melissa Chase, Consumer Food Safety Program Manager, Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech

Introduction

Knowing how to write a clear, concise, easy-to- follow recipe is an important skill, whether sharing the recipe with family and friends, using it in a classroom setting, or producing a professional publication. It takes creativity and practice to develop a delicious and wholesome dish. Writing a recipe so others can duplicate your results successfully, time after time, can be accomplished by following specific recipe guidelines.

Recipes developed for use with Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) programs should support the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans (USDA-HHS 2020) and the safe food preparation guidelines set forth in the  Safe Recipe Style Guide  (PFSE 2020).

This publication with associated recipe template is intended for Extension faculty, staff, and volunteers who are writing or adapting a recipe for VCE. It should not be used as guidance for those manufacturing food products for sale.

Volunteers should also consult with their Extension Agent.

Based on federal funding, the Virginia Family Nutrition Program (FNP) has specific guidelines for recipes. Please submit recipes for FNP directly to FNP.

Parts of a Recipe Title

Recipes should be named by the main ingredients they contain, the cooking process they use, or by their commonly known name. When possible, name recipes by the largest quantity ingredient first. For example, Broccoli Beef Stir Fry, Baked Chicken Salsa Casserole, Spinach Quesadillas, or Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole.

Insert the serving size and number of servings the recipe produces directly under the title.

Prep Time and Total Time

Include both preparation time and total time. Prep time is the amount of time to prepare the ingredients. The total time is the amount of time to prepare the ingredients plus the amount of time to cook the dish.

For example, if lasagna takes 20 minutes to prepare and 1 hour 15 minutes to bake, prep time would equal 20 minutes, and total time would equal 1 hour 35 minutes.

Equipment List

List the general kitchen equipment and tools to make the recipe. Some examples include baking sheet, square baking dish, cutting board, knife, skillet, measuring spoons, or liquid measuring cup. Use general sizes of pans and baking sheets, such as large, small, or square, unless a specific size is important to the product outcome.

Ingredients List

List ingredients in the order they are used in cooking/baking.

If there are several parts to a recipe, list them in the order they are used in the directions. For example, if a recipe for apple pie includes the crust, the pie filling, and a pie topping (like streusel), list the ingredients in the order they are used, and specify which part to make first.

If several ingredients are to be added at the same time, list them in order of quantity, from most to least, for example: 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon allspice. If using the same amounts of several ingredients that are to be added at the same time, list them alphabetically: 1/4 teaspoon dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon dried dill, 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme.

Use numerals rather than spelling out numbers, and use fractions rather than decimals: 1 cup, 1/4 cup, 1/2 teaspoon.

If an ingredient begins with a word rather than a number, capitalize the first letter, for example, “Salt to taste” or “Nonstick cooking spray.”

Use standard American measurements for quantities of ingredients: cup, teaspoon, tablespoon, etc. Spell out the measurements; do not use abbreviations. Canned and dry goods are sold by ounces instead of pounds, so when possible, specify ounces. Fresh produce and meats are more often sold by the pound, so use pounds for those ingredients.

Filling volume measurements is dependent on how the measuring utensils are manufactured and how they are filled with ingredients. Weight is generally more precise than volume. When possible, include both weight and volume.

For recipes where the amount of an ingredient does have to be exact, like meat or vegetable or fruit dishes, use fractions of an item instead of a measurement. For example, “1/2 onion, chopped,” instead of “1/2 cup onion, chopped”; or “1 banana, sliced,” instead of “2 cups banana, sliced.” Avoid the use of imprecise measures like a “bunch,” “handful,” “pinch,” or “sprig” (of herbs).

If a recipe calls for a canned item, list it by the number of ounces needed, not by the number of cans needed. For example, instead of “2 14 ounce cans of corn,” write “28 ounces canned corn.”

When an ingredient is used more than once in a recipe, list it once in the ingredients list with the total amount of the ingredient needed for the recipe, followed by the word, “divided.” Indicate the amounts of the ingredient to use in the directions. For example, if 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon is to be used in pie filling and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon in the pie topping, list the ingredient as “3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided.” In the directions for the pie filling, specify that 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon is to be used; in the directions for the topping, specify that the remaining 1/4 teaspoon is to be used.

Substitutions for ingredients can be included at the end of the recipe.

• Occasionally there is an ingredient that is not essential but adds a special touch. Place the ingredient last in the ingredient list with the word “optional” in parentheses, for example, “1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional).”

Be Specific with Ingredients

Advance preparation of ingredients should be specified in the ingredients list of the recipe. For example:

3 large eggs, beaten

½ cup whole pecans, toasted

2 cups cooked basmati rice, cooled

The terms to the left of the ingredient describe the item as it is to be measured. Terms to the right of the ingredient provide preparation instructions after measurement. For example, “2 cups cooked basmati rice, cooled” means that cooked rice is to be measured, and it should be cooled before use. Terms to the left of the ingredient usually also describe how the ingredient is to be purchased from the store. For example, if the ingredient is “8 ounces nonfat vanilla yogurt,” “nonfat” and “vanilla” describe the yogurt to be purchased. It wouldn’t make sense to list “8 ounces nonfat yogurt, vanilla,” because “vanilla” is not a part of the preparation.

Make sure the ingredients and the process for preparing the ingredients are written carefully and in the correct order. For example, “1 cup sifted whole wheat flour” means it is first sifted, then measured, whereas “1 cup whole wheat flour, sifted,” means it is first measured, then sifted. The second wording will result in a greater quantity of flour, altering the consistency of the recipe. Also, “1 cup walnuts, chopped,” is a smaller quantity than “1 cup chopped walnuts.”

Be very specific about the preparation of raw ingredients, such as fruits, vegetables, and meats. Fresh fruits or vegetables can be described as washed, peeled, cored, pitted, seeded, etc. Use standard kitchen terms that are generally understood.

If the ingredients need to be cut, describe their finished size or appearance. Use standard terms or measurements, such as halved, quartered, chopped, sliced, diced, minced, pureed, cut in rings, etc.

Indicate if ingredients require additional preparation before it is used in the recipe. Following are some examples of descriptions and terminology you might use in an ingredients list of fruits, vegetables, or meats:

1 pound green beans, washed, ends removed, broken into 1-inch pieces

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, grilled, cooled, and cut into 3/4- inch strips

Specify the form of ingredient if there are several, such as fresh, raw, frozen, defrosted, canned, dried, toasted, preserved, powdered, shredded, whole, low fat or nonfat, etc. Indicate whether herbs are dried or fresh.

Be specific about how the ingredient has been processed where needed. For example, a can of tomatoes can be whole, diced, crushed, pureed, or fire-roasted, and it can have added ingredients, such as herbs or onions.

• Do not use brand names for ingredients. For example, use “1 cup whole wheat flour” rather than “1 cup King Arthur’s whole wheat flour.”

The directions should include step-by-step directions detailing how to put the recipe together and in what order. Include any steps for keeping foods safe*; how to cook the ingredients to create the dish; and how to serve it when appropriate.

• Describe each step in the recipe from the first to the last in a bulleted list. If something needs to be started before the actual cooking takes place, such as heating the oven or putting a large pot of water on the stove to boil (for pasta, for example), make sure that instruction is listed first.
• Wash hands and surfaces frequently.
• Rinse raw produce.
• Keep raw meats separate from other foods.
• Cook meats to the correct internal temperatures.
• Refrigerate leftovers within two hours.
• Use the term “Heat oven to xxx°F” when the oven is used. It should be the first direction unless the oven is not used until more than 30 minutes after the start of the recipe preparation. (Note: Do not use “preheat.”)
• Be precise about oven degrees and use “°F” to indicate temperature, for example, 350°F.
• Use standard kitchen terminology to describe procedures. Basic terms such as heat (the oven), simmer, boil, hard boil, braise, sear, sauté, whisk, stir, beat, and fold are generally understood.
• Begin directions with equipment and technique rather than ingredients. For example, “In a medium saucepan over low heat, whisk together the butter and sugar until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.”
• Use numerals for all numbers unless there are two numbers in a row; in that case, spell out the first number. For example, “Bake for 1 hour,” or “Add one 12-ounce package.”
• If an ingredient is to be added in more than one step, be sure to indicate how much to use in each step.

Following are partial directions for a chili recipe:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the oil.
• When hot, add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until transparent, stirring occasionally.
• Lower heat to medium, add garlic, and cook 1 minute.
• Add ground meat to the mixture, breaking up any clumps as meat browns. Finish browning the meat. Cook until internal temperature of chili reaches 160°F as measured with a food thermometer.

Recipe Source

If the recipe (or a version of the recipe) was previously credited to someone other than the person submitting the recipe for use in Extension programs, the source must be provided. It should be listed at the bottom of the recipe in parentheses and ending in a period. Following are examples:

Recipe from a book: (Recipe from Hokie Bird’s “Book of Recipes,” Recipe Publisher, 2007.)

Recipe from a magazine: (Recipe from the January 2020 issue of Heart Insights.)

Recipe from a website: (Recipe from choosemyplate.com.)

Recipe from a secondary source: (Recipe from the January 2020 issue of Heart Insights, as listed at heart.org.)

Recipe adapted from a book: (Recipe adapted from Hokie Bird’s “Book of Recipes,” Recipe Publisher, 2020.)

Additional Points to Consider

Look for ways to simplify steps and keep descriptions as brief and to the point as possible without compromising accuracy.

If the recipe has several parts, describe each part sequentially. A recipe for lasagna should list the separate steps of each part of the recipe followed by a colon, indicating that the preparation is for that step. For example, use “For the sauce:” for preparing the sauce; use “For the filling:” for preparing the filling; use “For the noodles:” for preparing the noodles; use “To assemble:” for assembling and baking the entire lasagna. Describe each step in the order in which it needs to be prepared.

Give helpful tips about the recipe and warnings for any problems that may occur. For example, note if something should not be overcooked or if a dish will continue to cook after it is removed from the oven.

Describe what the final product should look like, for example, “the top will be golden brown” or “the casserole will be bubbling.”

Include instructions for serving the dish, such as whether to serve it hot immediately, to allow it to cool, or to refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld.

It is sometimes useful to tell what parts of a recipe can be done in advance or how well something keeps if a busy cook wants to make a dish to serve later.

Be sure to prepare the recipe several times to make sure the taste and texture are pleasing and the ingredients are accurate. Adjust ingredients if necessary and note adjustments on your draft copy of your recipe.

If you are a volunteer, submit your recipe to your Extension Agent.

If you are an Extension Agent, submit recipes to Dr. Carlin Rafie.

If you are an FNP employee, you should submit your recipe to Ashley Songer.

Referencehttps://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/s

PFSE (Partnership for Food Safety Education). 2020. “Recipe Style Guide”  https://www.saferecipeguide.org/

USDA-HHS (U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at  DietaryGuidelines.gov .

Putting It All Together: A Template and Recipe Example

Recipe template.

Name of Dish in Boldface  (centered above recipe)

Number of Servings:

Serving Size:

Total time:

List general kitchen equipment and tools needed to make the recipe.

Ingredients

First ingredient

Second ingredient

Third ingredient, etc.

Last ingredient

Optional ingredients (optional)

Skip a line and begin the step-by-step procedure portion of the recipe, starting with the first step or any pre- preparation needed to get the ball rolling, like heating the oven. Use bullets to separate steps.

• Describe serving, storing, food safety procedures* or any additional information for the recipe.

*as outlined in the Partnership for Food Safety Education’s Safe Recipe Style Guide, (2020)

Sample Recipe

Easy stovetop lasagna.

Number of Servings:  8 

Serving Size:  1 cup 

Prep time:  30 minutes 

Total time:  30 minutes

Large skillet with lid Knife

Measuring spoons Liquid measuring cup Spatula

1/2 pound ground turkey

15 ounces canned, low-sodium, diced tomatoes 1 cup water

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

8 ounces whole-wheat noodles 15 ounces nonfat cottage cheese

8 ounces reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Wash hands with soap and water.

Heat skillet to medium. Brown ground turkey, stirring frequently in skillet. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165°F as measured with a food thermometer.

Wash dishes after each step involving raw meat.

Stir in tomatoes, water, Italian seasoning, parsley, and oregano. Bring to a boil.

Add uncooked pasta noodles. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.

Stir in cottage cheese. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove lid and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.

Cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes to melt cheese.

Acknowledgements

We wish to acknowledge Maxine Fraade, former Master Food Volunteer, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Roanoke Office, as the original author of the content of this publication in 2015.

Virginia Cooperative Extension materials are available for public use, reprint, or citation without further permission, provided the use includes credit to the author and to Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, and Virginia State University.

Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law

Publication Date

April 9, 2021

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Recipe Writing for Students English

In this chapter, students of class 2 will learn the structure of writing a simple recipe and how to make wraps at home, particularly vegetable wrap. They can use these strategies to write any recipe in English writing.

I. How To Write a Recipe for a Wrap?

A wrap is a food dish made with a soft flatbread rolled around a filling. People from all over the world love to eat wraps. It is a very famous dish that is easy to make. You don’t need many ingredients to make it. It could be vegetarian or non-vegetarian.

1. What Are the Steps for Writing about Making Vegetarian Wrap Recipes?

In order to write a recipe, you have to follow the given steps.

Step 1:  List the Ingredients

Write the list of ingredients along with the measurements needed to make a recipe. You can write this in a table, giving the measurements beside each item. For instance, onion -1, chutney – 2 tablespoons.

Step 2  Start with the process of making a sandwich or wrap.

Think about what you need first. Ask an adult to help you learn about which item you can begin with. Usually, the vegetables are sliced and kept, to begin with, the layering stage.

Make sure to write each step of making the wrap in separate points.

Step 3:  Organize your writing

Arrange all the points you have written in the correct order. You have to make sure that all the points are included. Remember to number each step and rearrange the points if necessary. 2. What Are the Precautions That Need to Be Taken While Making a Vegetable Wrap Recipe?

Write about the precautions that should be taken during the process of making vegetable wraps. Write about having an elderly person to monitor while making it. Also, don’t use a knife or gas. Mention washing your hands with soap before starting to make the wrap.

3. Recipe Writing Example on a Vegetable Wrap:

• Take the wrap base or a slice of bread and put some tomato ketchup on one side of the wrap or bread.
• Now roll the wrap. If you want to make a sandwich, then you can layer it with another bread slice
• It is ready to eat.

II. Sequencing Used to Write for a Recipe of Your Favourite Dish

How Do You Use Sequencing to Write About Making a Vegetable Wrap?

Sequencing is a way of explaining how the events took place in an order. It helps us to know what happened first, second, and last. Sequencing is used in explaining the steps one by one of making the wrap in the correct arrangement.

• First, take all the vegetables and make a salad by mixing them together.
• Then, put some onion, a pinch of salt and some pepper on the vegetables and mix them properly.

III. Action Words

How Are Action Verbs Used To Describe Making a Vegetable Wrap?

Action verbs are words that indicate the action being done in the sentence. The words that express the actions that you take to prepare the vegetable wrap are action verbs.

• Take  the wrap and  put  some tomato ketchup on one side of the wrap.
• Now,  put  the salad on one side of the wrap where you have  put  the ketchup.
• Now,  roll the wrap.

IV. Try it Yourself

Write an essay on making a vegetable cheese wrap.

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Recipe Citation

For a Recipe follow the format for a short story or poem in an anthology.

From OWL at Purdue MLA Citation Guide

A Work in an Anthology, Reference, or Collection

Works may include an essay in an edited collection or anthology, or a chapter of a book. The basic form is for this sort of citation is as follows:

Lastname, First name. "Title of Essay." Title of Collection . Ed. Editor's Name(s). City of Publication: Publisher, Year. Page range of entry. Medium of Publication.

Poem or Short Story Examples :

Burns, Robert. "Red, Red Rose." 100 Best-Loved Poems . Ed. Philip Smith. New York: Dover, 1995. 26. Print.

Kincaid, Jamaica. "Girl." The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories . Ed. Tobias Wolff. New York: Vintage, 1994. 306-07. Print.

Recipe Example following the above format:

Stuart, Neil. "Yucatan Barbequed King Salmon." Pacifica Blue Plates . Berkeley: Ten Speed, 2010. 90. Print.

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Amanda Hoover

Students Are Likely Writing Millions of Papers With AI

Students have submitted more than 22 million papers that may have used generative AI in the past year, new data released by plagiarism detection company Turnitin shows.

A year ago, Turnitin rolled out an AI writing detection tool that was trained on its trove of papers written by students as well as other AI-generated texts. Since then, more than 200 million papers have been reviewed by the detector, predominantly written by high school and college students. Turnitin found that 11 percent may contain AI-written language in 20 percent of its content, with 3 percent of the total papers reviewed getting flagged for having 80 percent or more AI writing. (Turnitin is owned by Advance, which also owns Condé Nast, publisher of WIRED.) Turnitin says its detector has a false positive rate of less than 1 percent when analyzing full documents.

ChatGPT’s launch was met with knee-jerk fears that the English class essay would die . The chatbot can synthesize information and distill it near-instantly—but that doesn’t mean it always gets it right. Generative AI has been known to hallucinate , creating its own facts and citing academic references that don’t actually exist. Generative AI chatbots have also been caught spitting out biased text on gender and race . Despite those flaws, students have used chatbots for research, organizing ideas, and as a ghostwriter . Traces of chatbots have even been found in peer-reviewed, published academic writing .

Teachers understandably want to hold students accountable for using generative AI without permission or disclosure. But that requires a reliable way to prove AI was used in a given assignment. Instructors have tried at times to find their own solutions to detecting AI in writing, using messy, untested methods to enforce rules , and distressing students. Further complicating the issue, some teachers are even using generative AI in their grading processes.

Detecting the use of gen AI is tricky. It’s not as easy as flagging plagiarism, because generated text is still original text. Plus, there’s nuance to how students use gen AI; some may ask chatbots to write their papers for them in large chunks or in full, while others may use the tools as an aid or a brainstorm partner.

Students also aren't tempted by only ChatGPT and similar large language models. So-called word spinners are another type of AI software that rewrites text, and may make it less obvious to a teacher that work was plagiarized or generated by AI. Turnitin’s AI detector has also been updated to detect word spinners, says Annie Chechitelli, the company’s chief product officer. It can also flag work that was rewritten by services like spell checker Grammarly, which now has its own generative AI tool . As familiar software increasingly adds generative AI components, what students can and can’t use becomes more muddled.

Detection tools themselves have a risk of bias. English language learners may be more likely to set them off; a 2023 study found a 61.3 percent false positive rate when evaluating Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exams with seven different AI detectors. The study did not examine Turnitin’s version. The company says it has trained its detector on writing from English language learners as well as native English speakers. A study published in October found that Turnitin was among the most accurate of 16 AI language detectors in a test that had the tool examine undergraduate papers and AI-generated papers.

Julian Chokkattu

Schools that use Turnitin had access to the AI detection software for a free pilot period, which ended at the start of this year. Chechitelli says a majority of the service’s clients have opted to purchase the AI detection. But the risks of false positives and bias against English learners have led some universities to ditch the tools for now. Montclair State University in New Jersey announced in November that it would pause use of Turnitin’s AI detector. Vanderbilt University and Northwestern University did the same last summer.

“This is hard. I understand why people want a tool,” says Emily Isaacs, executive director of the Office of Faculty Excellence at Montclair State. But Isaacs says the university is concerned about potentially biased results from AI detectors, as well as the fact that the tools can’t provide confirmation the way they can with plagiarism. Plus, Montclair State doesn’t want to put a blanket ban on AI, which will have some place in academia. With time and more trust in the tools, the policies could change. “It’s not a forever decision, it’s a now decision,” Isaacs says.

Chechitelli says the Turnitin tool shouldn’t be the only consideration in passing or failing a student. Instead, it’s a chance for teachers to start conversations with students that touch on all of the nuance in using generative AI. “People don’t really know where that line should be,” she says.

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