Classification essay

Writing classification essay

1. Writing The Classification
Essay

3. Aclassificationessayisbetterdefinedasatypeofessay
thatdealswiththeclassificationoforganizedlogical
connectionsinit.
Theauthoroftheessayissupposedtoorganizespecific
contentsoftheessayintocategories.
Eachcategoryismeanttogivethereaderabetter
understandingofthetopicforthatparticularessay.
Itisalsoknownasalogicaldivisionessaybecauseit
breaksalarger,morecomplexsubjectintosmallerones
thatmakethesubjecteasiertounderstand.

5. Classification = Division
Writing a classification essay means
dividing members of a group.
The members in a class must share similar
characteristics
When classifying, you need a principle of
classification.

6. The Basis of Division
Therearethreeimportantthingstotake
intoconsiderationwhenwritinga
classificationessay:
Sortthingsintousefulcategories.
Makesureallthecategoriesfollowa
singleorganizingprinciple.
Giveexamplesthatfitintoeachcategory.

7. Finding Categories
Thisisakeystepinwritingaclassificationessay.
Toclassify,orsort,thingsinalogicalway,findthe
categoriestoputtheminto.
Forexample,sayyouneedtosortthestackofpaperson
yourdesk.
Beforeyouwouldputtheminrandompiles,youwould
decidewhatusefulcategoriesmightbe:papersthatcan
bethrownaway;papersthatneedimmediateaction;
paperstoread;paperstopassontoothercoworkers;or
paperstofile.

8. Don’t Mix Principles!
It is confusing to have overlapping bases
for classification.
–For example, if you are characterizing cell phonesby
size, don’t include classes such as “expensive”or
“nice looking.”
–Stay within the three categories you are classifying!

9. Find the out-of-place item
1.Transport: land, train, air, water
2.Rivers: dangerous, short, wide
3.Drugs: uppers, illegal, downers
4.Colleges: private, famous, public
5.Housing: rooms, cheap, apartments

10. Types of Classification
Themost common types of classification are:
1.Degree:The essay breaks the topic down from
lower to higher
2.Parts:The essay breaks the topic down into
component parts that make up the topic
3.Types:The essay breaks the topic down into
main kinds of the subject
4.Characteristics: The essay describes significant
features or characteristics of the subject.
5.Chronology:The essay breaks the topic into
periods of time.

11. Classifying by Degree
To classify on the basis of degreemeans to
judge value.
–Good (C grades are good)
–Better (Bgrades are better)
–Best (Agrades are best)

12. Classifying by Degree
Another way to classify on the basis of
degreewould be as follows:
–Small (small size cars)
–Medium (medium size cars)
–Large (large size cars)

13. Classifying by Degree
An example of how to classify cell
phones based on degree:
–Good (Motorola)
–Better (Sony)
–Best (Nokia)

14. Classifying by Degree
Another example of how to classify
cell phones based on degree:
–Cheap (Cell phones without camera)
–Affordable (Cell phones with camera)
–Expensive (Cell phones with camera &
MP3 Player)

15. Parts
Threeimportantpartsofacararethe
engine,theaxis,andthebody.

16. Types
Threemaintypesofcarsontheroadtodayare
minivans,SUVs,andsedans.

17. Characteristics
Importantfeaturesofasportscararea
brightcolor,ahighspeed,andan
attractiveinterior.

18. Dividing by Chronology
You also can write classifications by
time periods:
–For example, history can be divided as
1.Ancient
2.Middle Ages
3.Modern

19. Dividing by Chronology
Another example of classification by time
period:
1.Past (past forms of travel)
2.Present (present forms of travel)
3.Future (future forms of travel)

21. Tips for writing a
classification essay
a)Determinethecategories:
Bethorough;donotleaveoutacriticalcategory.
Forexample,ifyousaywatersportsofHawaiiinclude
snorkelingandsailing,butleaveoutsurfing,youressay
wouldbeincompletebecausesurfingisHawaii'smost
famouswatersport.
Donotincludetoomanycategories,whichwillblur
yourclassification.
Forexample,ifyourtopicissportsshoes,andyour
organizingprincipleisactivity,youwouldn'tinclude
highheelswithrunningandbowlingshoes.

22. b) Classify by a single principle:
Onceyouhavecategories,makesurethattheyfitinto
thesameorganizingprinciple.
Theorganizingprincipleishowyousortthegroups.
Donotallowadifferentprincipletopopup
unexpectedly.
Forexample,ifyourunifyingprincipleis"tourist-
oriented"watersports;donotuseanotherunifying
principle,suchas"nativewatersports,"whichwould
havedifferentcategories:pearldiving,outrigger,or
canoeracing.

23. Americans
Violence-
oriented
Sex-
oriented
Sports-
oriented

24. c)Supportequallyeachcategorywithexamples:
Ingeneral,youshouldwritethesamequantity,
i.e.,givethesamenumberofexamples,foreach
category.
Themostimportantcategory,usuallyreserved
forlast,mightrequiremoreelaboration.

25. d)Theuseofclassificationtransitions:
Thecommonclassificationtransitionsinclude:
Thefirstkind,thesecondkind,thethirdkind
Thefirsttype,thesecondtype,thethirdtype
Thefirstgroup,thesecondgroup,thethirdgroup
Rememberthatinaclassificationessay,thewriter
organizes,orsorts,thingsintocategories.
Therearethreestepstorememberwhenwritingan
effectiveclassificationessay:organizethingsintouseful
categories,useasingleorganizingprinciple,andgive
examplesofthingsthatfitintoeachcategory.

26. Classification essay structure
The structure of a classification essay is built
around the construction of the categories.

27. Introduction
Whenwritingadivisionandclassificationessay,youshould
developastrongintroductionthatgrabsthereader’sattention.
Yourintroductoryparagraphshouldalsoexplainpreciselywhat
youintendtodointheessay,whichistobreakalargerconcept
downintosmallerpartssoitcanbemoreeasilyunderstood.
Thebasicpartoftheintroductionisthethesisstatement.
Thestrengthofthethesisstatementdependsonhowwellitreveals
thetopicanditsclassification.
Itistojustifythespecificcategorieschosenforthisclassification.
Thethesisstatementhasaverydeterminedlogicalstructure:it
usuallyincludesthetopicandhowitisclassified.
Sometimesthecategoriesarenamed.Ex:TouristsinHawaiicanenjoy
threewatersports:snorkeling,surfing,andsailing.

28. Lookatthefollowingintroductionandseehowthe
categoriesofthetopicarementionedandclassifiedin
thethesisstatement:
Americansareunique.Thereisnoothernationon
earthsopeculiarasours.Ourtastes,ourhobbies,ourvery
naturesmakeusunique.Ouruniquenessiscausedbythe
differenttypesofpeoplethatmakeuptheAmerican
population.Basically,therearethreetypesofAmericans:the
sports-oriented,theviolence-oriented,andthesex-oriented.

29. Bodyparagraphs
Inthebodyofyourparagraph,youshoulddevoteatleast
oneparagraphtoeachofthecategoriesyouhave
developedwhenbreakingthelargerconceptdowninto
smallerpieces.
Youshoulddescribethatcategoryaswellaseachofthe
elementswithinthatcategory.
Inaddition,eachparagraphshouldprovidesome
explanationofhowthesesmallerelementstieintothebig
picture.
Inagoodclassificationessayeachcategorymustfollow
oneorganizingprinciple.
Thecategoriescanbeorganizedonthebasisofforming
differentgroupsofarguments.

30. Besideslikingviolence,manyAmericansareinterestedinsex.Halfof
theseAmericans’daysarespentenjoyingsexpropaganda.Theyturn
theirtelevisionsontorelaxandwatchcommercialswithactorsand
actressesinswimsuitsthatrevealallbutasmallportionoftheir
bodies.Theyalsohangoneverysuggestivewordorsceneintelevision
showssuchasMelrosePlaceandBaywatch.Iftelevisiondoesnotfill
theirsexualvoids,theyheadforthenearestadultbookstore.Herethey
canfindavariedarrayofX-ratedmagazines,pornmovies,andeven
life-sizedmodelstouseassexualstimulation.Theoneswhodonotget
enoughenjoymentfromthepornfilmsinthebookstoresgotoX-rated
theaterswheretheycanseelongerversionsofpornographicfilms.
FilmssuchasDeepThroatandTheCandyGirlsareveryentertaining
tosexually-orientedpeople.Frompornfilmstodirtybooksto
televisiontoreallife,sexhasbecomeafavoriteformofentertainment
formanyAmericans.

31. Conclusion
Theconclusionofyouressayisasummaryofthe
analyzedcategories,anditisherethatthethesisis
restated.
Thispartoftheessayisusedtotieallyourmaterial
togethertoenablethereadertodevelopastrong
understandingofwhatyourparticularessaywasabout.
E.g.,
Withoutadoubt,Americansareauniquespecies.Their
diversityiswhatmakestheAmericanpopulationdifferentfrom
allothers.Itishardtobelievethatanationasyoungasthe
UnitedStateshasasmanypeculiaritiesasitdoes.

33. The End