Classification

Understanding What Classification is

Classification is writing that organizes, or sorts, people or items into categories.

The organizing principle for a classification is how you sort the people or items, not the
categories themselves. The organizing principle is directly related to the purpose of your
classification. For example, you might sort clean laundry (your purpose) using one of the
following organizing principles (how you achieve your purpose)—by ownership (yours, your
roommate’s, and so on) or by where it goes (the bedroom, the bathroom).

In the following paragraph, each number corresponds to one of the four basics of good
classification.

All people do not learn in the same way, and 2 it is helpful to know what learning style you
prefer. How do you naturally take in and ab- sorb new information? The VARK learning styles
inventory is a thirteen- item questionnaire that reveals which 3 learning style a person favors. 1
The first of its four learning styles is visual (V). 4 Visual learners absorb information best by
looking at images or by drawing or diagramming a concept. For example, a visual learner may
learn more by studying a flowchart of information rather than reading that same information in
paragraph form. 1 The second learning style is auditory (A). 4 Auditory learners take in
information most efficiently by hearing and listening. They remember information that they hear
better than they remember infor- mation that they read. Even reading aloud is better than
reading silently because hearing is key. Auditory learners benefit from discussion with others
rather than working alone silently. 1 The third learning style is read/ write (R). 4 Read/write
learners learn best by reading written material. They also benefit from writing about what they
have read. For example, many read/write learners study by reading and then writing a summary
of what they have just read. Many people who are not naturally read/ write learners have used
that learning style in school because schools are oriented toward reading and writing. For
example, a person whose score on the VARK is split evenly between auditory and read/write is
probably an auditory learner who has learned to use a read/write learning style for school. 1 The
final learning style is kinesthetic (K). 4 Kinesthetic learn- ers learn by doing and by being active.
For these learners, experiments in science may be easier to understand than reading a chapter
in a book, listening to a lecture, or looking at an image. Kinesthetic learners often need to create
activity in order to learn well: They may make flash cards, walk around as they study, or make a
static activity interactive in some other way. All learners benefit from learning techniques such
as highlight- ing and making notes, though different kinds of notes work for differ- ent learning
styles. All learners are active learners: They learn best when they actively involve themselves in
a task rather than passively observe it. 2 Taking a learning styles inventory is both fun and
useful, particularly for students.

Whenever you organize or sort things to make sense of them, you are classifying them. Here
are some ways that you might use classification:

COLLEGE In a nursing course, you discuss three types of antibiotics used to treat infections.

WORK For a report on inventory at a software store, you list the types of software carried
and report how many of each type you have in stock.

EVERYDAY You look at the types of payment plans that are available with your car loan.
LIFE

Main Point in Classification

The main point in classification uses a single organizing principle to sort items in a way that
serves the writer’s purpose. The categories must be useful—helping to achieve the purpose of
the classification. Imagine the following situation, in which a classification system isn’t logical or
useful.

You go into your video store to find that it has been rearranged. The signs indicating the location
of different types of videos — comedy, drama, action — are gone. When you ask the clerk at
the desk how to find a video, she says, “The videos over on this side are arranged by length of
the film, starting with the shortest. The videos on the other side are arranged alpha- betically by
the lead actor’s last name.”

This new arrangement is confusing for three reasons:

 It doesn’t sort things into useful categories. (Who’s likely to select a video based on its
length?)

 It doesn’t serve the purpose of helping customers find videos.

  It doesn’t have a single organizing principle. (Even if you know the length of the video
and the actor’s last name, you still don’t know on which side of the store to start looking.)

The diagram on the following page shows how videos at most stores are classified.

The following examples show how thesis statements for classification ex- press the organizing
principle and purpose.

Organizing principle + Purpose = Thesis Statement

There are several kinds of equipment you will need to enjoy a back- packing trip.

In addition to the purpose and organizing principle, a thesis state- ment in a classification may
also include the categories that will be explained.

Organizing principle + Purpose + Categories = Thesis Statement

There are several kinds of equipment you will need to enjoy a back- packing trip,
including proper footwear, versatile outerwear, and decent cooking supplies.
Support in Classification
The primary support in classification consists of the categories that serve the purpose of the
classification.

The categories in classification are the “piles” into which the writer sorts a topic (the items to be
classified). These categories will become the topic sentences for the body paragraphs of the
essay.

TOPIC College costs

THESIS STATEMENT Tuition is only one of the many costs of going to college.

ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE Types of costs other than tuition

PURPOSE To show the different kinds of costs and their significance

CATEGORIES/ Fees, costs of course materials, transportation expenses

PRIMARY SUPPORT

The supporting details in classification are examples or explana- tions of what is in each
category. The examples in classification are the various items that fall within each category.
These are important because readers may not be familiar with your categories.

CATEGORY: Fees

EXAMPLES/SUPPORTING DETAILS: General student fee assessed to each

student, lab fees, computer fees

CATEGORY: Costs of course materials

EXAMPLES/SUPPORTING DETAILS: Costs of books, lab manuals, software

CATEGORY: Transportation expenses

EXAMPLES/SUPPORTING DETAILS: Costs of gas, parking, bus fare

Organization in Classification

Classification can be organized in different ways depending on its purpose. For example, read
the thesis statements and purposes that follow:

THESIS The high costs of college make higher education impossible for many
STATEMENT students.

PURPOSE To argue that some costs should be reduced

How might this classification be organized?

THESIS My daughter has every kind of mess imaginable in

STATEMENT her room, making it clear that she needs a lesson in
taking care of her space and her things.

PURPOSE To prove the need for the lesson by describing the

messes

How might this classification be organized?

THESIS During my teenage years, I adopted three distinct

STATEMENT clothing styles.

PURPOSE To show how a person’s style changed

How might this classification be organized?

The chart on the right shows a general pattern for

classification essays.

As you write your essay, you might find the following transitions helpful as you lead from
one category to the next or from one example to another

Common Transitions in Classification

another first, second, third (and so on)

another kind for example
for instance
Read and Analyze Classification
Before writing a classification essay, read the following examples—one each from college, the
workplace, and everyday life—and answer the questions that accompany them.

Classification in College

The following student essay was written for an English composition class.

VOCABULARY
The following words are italicized in the excerpt: skeptical, validity, strive, trendsetter,
ruthless, compassionate, individualists, adaptable, tactful, downside, procrastinate,
horoscope. If you don’t know their meanings, look them up in a dictionary.

BLOOD TYPE AND PERSONALITY

Danny Fitzgerald

PAUSE: What do you In Japan, the question “What’s your blood type?” is as common
1
expect the rest of the
as “What’s your sign?” in the United States. Some Japanese
essay to be about?
researchers claim that people’s personalities can be classified by
their blood types. You may be skeptical about this method of
classification, but don’t judge its validity before you read the
descriptions the researchers have put together. Do you see
yourself?

2
If you have blood type O, you are a leader. When you see
something you want, you strive to achieve your goal. You are
PAUSE: Do you know passionate, loyal, and self-confident, and you are often a
people who fall into
trendsetter. Your enthusiasm for projects and goals spreads to
these cate- gories? Do
others, who happily follow your lead. When you want something,
you think blood type
determines what you may be ruthless about getting it or blind to how your actions
category they fall into? affect others.

Another blood type, A, is typically associated with a social person.

3
You like people and work well with them. You are sensitive,
patient, compassionate, and affectionate. You are a good
peacekeeper because you want everyone to be happy. In a team
situation, you resolve conflicts and keep things on a smooth
course. Sometimes type A’s are stubborn and find it difficult to
relax. They may find it uncomfortable to do things alone.
 People with type B blood are usually individualists who like to do
things on their own. You may be creative and adaptable, and you
4 usually say exactly what you mean. Although you can adapt to
situations, you may choose not to do so because of your strong
independent streak. You may prefer working on your own to being
part of a team.

The final blood type is AB, and if you have this blood type, you
are a natural entertainer. You draw people to you because of your
PAUSE: What is your charm and easygoing nature. AB’s are usually calm and
5
blood type? Does it controlled, tactful, and air. On the downside, though, they may
match the description take too long to make decisions. And they may procrastinate,
given here? putting off tasks until the last minute.

Classifying people’s personalities by blood type seems very

unusual until you examine what researchers have found. Most
6 people find the descriptions fairly accurate. When you think about
it, classification by blood type isn’t any more far-fetched than
classification by horoscope sign. What will they think of next?
Classification by hair color?

1. Double-underline the thesis statement.

2. What is Danny’s single organizing principle?
3. What introduction techniques does Danny use to get the reader’s attention?
4. Underline the topic sentences that present the categories.
5. Put a check mark by the supporting details.
6. Does Danny’s essay have the four basics of good classification? Be ready to explain
your answer.
Classification at Work
The following profile shows how a CEO uses classification at work.

Profile of Success
BACKGROUND: At the age of eleven, I left Colombia and came to
the United States to live with my father in New Jersey. My family was
poor, so I worked at several jobs and was earning significant wages
by the age of twelve. After high school, I went to a community
college and then transferred to the University of California, Los
Angeles (UCLA), where I finished my bachelor’s degree. I received a
master’s degree in business administration (M.B.A.) at UCLA’s
Anderson School and, after graduation, founded Algrita, Inc.

Giovanni Bohorquez COLLEGES/DEGREES: El Camino College (A.A.), UCLA (B.S.,

Chief Executive Office, M.B.A.) EMPLOYER: Algrita, Inc.
Algrita, Inc
WRITING AT WORK: Proposals, project plan reports, contracts,
sales letters, documentation of business processes, e-mail

HOW GIOVANNI USES CLASSIFICATION: My company, Algrita,

Inc., is a consulting firm that analyzes other companies and helps
them improve their operations. I write reports that suggest the kinds
of new technol- ogy that a business could adopt, the kinds of
changes that could benefit them, and the kinds of services that
Algrita offers.

Giovanni’s Classification
The following is a description of the types of services that Algrita, Inc., can provide to clients.

VOCABULARY
The following words are italicized in the excerpt: facilitate, synergistic, navigate,
resolution, implementation, expertise, penetrate, segmen- tation, branding, outsourced,
breadth, intranet, retain, augmenting, innovative. If you don’t know their meanings, look
them up in a dictionary.
 1 Algrita Consulting is a professional services firm specializing in
strategy, process, and systems consulting. It offers a range of
high-quality consulting services that are designed to facilitate the
PAUSE: What cat- exchange of prod- ucts and services worldwide by providing
egories of profes-
synergistic value in everyone we touch. Our service consultants
sional services does
analyze and learn our clients’ busi- nesses and most pressing
Algrita specialize in?
needs. We help our clients quickly navigate the process of
targeted solution designs, issue resolution, approvals, and
implementation.

One area of expertise we offer is in the area of business services.

2
Algrita offers strategic analysis of the market for your industry. We
help our clients identify and penetrate new markets, develop new
marketing strategies ranging from segmentation to branding,
merge multidivisional companies to allow cross-selling, and
PAUSE: What area of
effectively tie in leading technolo- gies to stay ahead of the curve.
expertise does this
paragraph describe? In addition, we have experience lead- ing and transforming
businesses in the area of operations management, human
resources (employee hiring, training and development), market-
ing, and financial analysis.

3 Another type of expertise that Algrita offers is in information tech-

PAUSE: What area of nology services. Algrita allows you to build solutions in-house with
expertise does this our seasoned professionals, who provide expertise in systems
paragraph describe?
development and integration, while taking advantage of
outsourced back-end services. Our breadth of knowledge is
concentrated on the client’s best inter- ests, and our
methodologies are properly complemented by our systems
technology expertise.

4 By helping you strengthen your technology processes and

systems, we make a difference in your interactions with
employees, customers, and suppliers. We help you improve
intranet communications, retain in- tellectual property with
knowledge-management tools, streamline pro- cesses through
centralized systems, and develop Web-enabled solutions to
automate or update legacy systems.

A third area of expertise is in our outsourcing services. Algrita’s

5
international development partners offer world-class infrastructure
PAUSE: What area of and technology know-how and can help you deliver results with
expertise does this speed and substantial savings. Augmenting your staff for big,
paragraph describe? short-duration proj- ects allows you to focus your in-house
 resources on critical areas of the business while enhancing
customer service and support.

6 Algrita services provide practical and innovative solutions,

allowing you to do more. We look forward to helping you meet
new challenges.

1. What is Giovanni classifying?

2. What is his purpose for writing?
3. What are the categories?
4. What other kinds of examples of each category might help?
5. Does Giovanni’s essay have the four basics of good classification? Be ready to explain
your answer.

Classification in Everyday Life

In this essay, a student discusses the different types of roommates he has had.

BAD ROOMMATES
Dylan Marcos

1 Over the past few years, I have learned a lot about bad
PAUSE: What is
roommates. Although I doubt that I have encountered all types, I
Dylan’s purpose in
certainly know more now than I did before. I’ll pass on to you
writing the essay?
some of what I’ve experienced, so you can try to avoid the
following types of roommates — the romeos, the slugs, and the
criminals.

2 The romeos are usually great guys and lots of fun, when they
hap- pen to be single—but they’re usually not. They always seem
to have girlfriends, who basically become nonpaying roommates.
The women are mostly nice, but they change the apartment in big
ways. First, we have to watch how we act. We can’t walk around
half-dressed in the morning, for example. Also, we have to get
used to sharing: The girlfriends spend hours at a time in the
bathroom, doing their hair and putting on make-up. There are
always more dishes in the sink when they’re around, more food
disappears, and even shampoo goes faster than normal. The
romeos don’t seem to understand that having semipermanent
guests in the apartment really changes the way we live.
Another type, the slug, is even harder to live with than the romeo
 3 because the slugs are slobs. They never wash the dishes or put
away food, they leave a trail of dirty clothes behind them, and
they completely destroy the bathroom every time they use it.
Slugs pretty much live in front of the television, so you’ll probably
never have a chance to watch what you want. The slug is also
sloppy about paying rent and bills. Although he usually has the
money, he has to be reminded—no, hounded—before he will
actually pay what he owes.

The worst type of roommate is the criminal, for obvious reasons.

I’ve had only one of these, but one was more than enough. He
4
was a nice guy for about two weeks—clean, not around too much,
but good to have a beer with when he was there. One day,
though, I came home after work to find that he was gone, along
with everything valuable in the apartment—our laptops, iPods,
PAUSE: What three
some cash, a bunch of CDs, and my favorite leather jacket.
types of roommate
does Dylan iden- tify? Although we called the police, I know I’ll never get back anything
Which one does he he stole.
like least?
What I’ve learned from my experience is that, when I interview
5
potential roommates, I should ask for at least two references,
preferably from former roommates, so I can weed out the romeos,
slugs, and criminals. That should keep my living situation sane—
at least until I meet someone who seems great at first but turns
out to fall into another, equally bad category. I’ll keep you posted.

1. Double-underline the thesis statement.

2. What kind of organization does Dylan use?
3. Does Dylan’s essay have the four basics of good classification? Be prepared to
explain your answer.
4. What kinds of roommates have you had?

Critical Reading and Writing: Key College Skills

1. Summary. Briefly summarize each of the three selections, including the major
categories of each classification.
2. Analysis. Reread the introductions to each essay. Does each of them set up the
classification so that you know what is being classified? What purpose does each of the
classifications serve?
3. Synthesis. Review the paragraph on learning styles (p. 219) and the essay about blood
type and personality (p. 224). Drawing from these two pieces and your own experience
and knowledge, discuss the variety of methods there are for determining what kind of
person you are (hint: horoscopes, colors, and so on).
 4. Evaluation. Using the Four Basics of Good Classification (p. 218) as a measure,
decide which of the three essays is the best classification and why. Give specific
examples to support your choice. Is your choice for the best classification essay different
from the essay you like the best?

Write a Classification Essay

In this section, you will write your own classification essay. Before you begin to write, review the
four basics of good classification on page 218. Also, read the Tips for Tackling Classification in
the box that follows.

TIPS FOR TACKLING CLASSIFICATION

1. Read the assignment carefully, highlighting the key words. They may be describe or discuss the
kinds of, what types of, explain the kinds of, or identify the kinds of.

2. List the most important categories and the things that fit into them.

3. Be specific and descriptive.

ASSIGNMENT 1 WRITING ABOUT COLLEGE, WORK, AND EVERYDAY LIFE

Write a classification essay on one of the following topics or on a topic of your own choice.

COLLEGE
 Types of degree programs
 Types of students
 Skim a textbook from another class to find a topic that is broken into categories. Then, summarize
the topic.

WORK
 Types of work spaces
 Types of customers or clients
 Types of skills needed for a particular job.

EVERYDAY LIFE
 Types of drivers
 Types of restaurants in your town
 Types of cell phones

ASSIGNMENT 2 WRITING ABOUT AN IMAGE

This public service ad from the Department of Homeland Security is a refer- ence to the USDA’s “food
pyramid,” which illustrates the different categories of food a person should eat every day. To
communicate the idea of being pre- pared for an emergency, the ad shows us the kind of “food pyramid”
most of us could construct from our understocked kitchens. Write an essay in which you discuss the
ingredients necessary for one of the following — being ready for an emergency, being a successful
student, running a profitable business, being a good friend, or staying in shape. How many of the
necessary ingredients do you have right now? How might you acquire the rest?

ASSIGNMENT 3 WRITING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM

THE PROBLEM: When you were a freshman in college, you received a flood of credit-card offers, and
you signed up for three. Over time, you have run up a big debt, partly from the charges themselves and
partly from the interest. Now you are seriously in debt and don’t know how to get out of it.

THE ASSIGNMENT: Working on your own or in a small group, first classify your monthly expenses.
Then, divide them into “necessary expenses” and “unnec- essary expenses.” Once you have done this,
write an essay that classifies your expenses. Finally, cite some options you will pursue to pay down your
debt.

RESOURCES: Review the chart on pages 868–69 for advice on problem solving. Also, check Web sites
for advice about paying down debt without getting into even bigger trouble. You might start by typing in
the words advice on how to pay off credit cards into a search engine. List any Web sites that you use.
ASSIGNMENT 4 WRITING ABOUT READINGS
Read both Scott Russell Sanders’s “The Men We Carry in Our Minds” (p. 788) and Amy Tan’s “Mother
Tongue” (p. 796). Then, write a short paper based on one of the following assignments:

• Both Sanders and Tan describe people who have influenced how they see themselves and the
world. Write an essay classifying important people in your life by the ways in which they have
influenced you. Begin by summarizing the influences described by Tan and Sanders.

• Tan refers to the “different Englishes” she uses. Analyze Tan’s use of this term, and try to come
up with your own definition of it. Then, classify the “different Englishes” we use depending on
whom we are speaking with (parents, spouses, children, friends, and so on). Be sure to present
your definition of “different Englishes” and draw on examples from Tan’s essay.

Follow the steps in the Writing Guide below to help you prewrite, draft, revise, and edit your classification
essay. Check off each step as you complete it.

WRITING GUIDE: CLASSIFICATION

STEPS IN CLASSIFICATION HOW TO DO THE STEPS
Focus o Think about what you want to classify (sort)
for your readers and what purpose your
classification will serve. Review the four
basics of good classification.

Prewrite to explore your topic. o Select the topic or group that you want to
classify.
o Decide on the purpose of the classification.
o Use a prewriting technique to generate useful
categories for sorting your topic. Clustering
works well for classification.

Write a thesis statement. o Identify the organizing principle you will use
Topic + Organizing principle= Thesis to sort your topic into categories.
o Write a thesis statement that follows one of
Three professions top the list of popular the suggested formats in the column to the
jobs in 2005 left.

Topic + Organizing principle +

Categories = Thesis

Three professions top the list of

popular jobs in 2005: health care,
network systems analyst, and home
services.

Support your thesis statement. o Remind yourself of your purpose and

The primary support in classification organizing principle.
consists of the categories into which o Choose categories that will serve the
you sort your topic. purpose of your classification.
o Give detailed examples of what fits into each
category.

Make a plan o Decide how the categories you have chosen

should be arranged. Their arrangement
should serve the purpose of your
classification.
o Make a written plan that includes your
primary sup- port points (the categories) and
supporting examples for the categories.

Write a draft o Write an introduction that includes your thesis

statement.
o Write topic sentences for each of the
categories.
o Write body paragraphs that give detailed
examples of what is in each category.
o Write a concluding paragraph that makes an
observation about the way you have
classified the topic and why (your purpose).
o Title your essay.

Revise your draft o Ask another person to read and comment on

your draft.
o Make sure that you have just one organizing
principle.
o Review the categories you have chosen to
make sure
o they serve the purpose of your classification.
o Review the examples you give for each
category. Delete any that don’t really fit, and
add any that you think would give the readers
a better idea of what is in the category.
o Add transitions to connect your ideas.
o Reread your thesis statement. Revise it so
that your point is more concrete and forceful.
 o Reread your introduction, and make changes
if it is dull or weak.
o Reread your conclusion to make sure it is
energetic and drives home your point.
o Make at least five changes to your draft to
improve unity, support, or coherence.
o Check to make sure the draft follows the four
basics of good classification.

Edit your Draft o Use the spell checker and grammar checker
on your computer, but also reread your essay
carefully to catch any errors.
o Look for errors in grammar, spelling, and
punctuation. Focus first on sentence
fragments, run-ons, errors in subject-verb
agreement, verb errors, and other areas
where you often make mistakes.
o Ask yourself: Is this the best I can do?