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11
Classification
To classify is to gather into types, kinds, or categories according to a single basis
of division.
Mailroom personnel, for example, might separate incoming mail into four
piles: orders, bills, payments, and inquiries. Once the mail has been divided in
this manner—according to which department should receive each pile—it can be
efficiently delivered.
The same information can be classified in more than one way. The Census Bureau collects a variety of data about the people living in the United States. One
way to classify the data is by age group—the number of people under eighteen,
between eighteen and fifty-five, over fifty-five, and over seventy. Such information might be useful in developing programs for college-bound youth or for the
elderly. Other ways of dividing the population are by geographic location, occupation, family size, level of education, and so on.
Whether you classify rocks by their origin for a geology course or children by
their stages of growth for a psychology course, you will be organizing large groups
into smaller, more manageable units that can be explained to your reader.
Topic Sentence
Here is the topic sentence for a classification paragraph:
Gym-goers can be classified according to their priorities at the gym
as sweaty fanatics, fashionites, busybodies, or fit normals.
132
■
The writer begins a classification paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly
states what group of people or things will be classified.
■
What group of people will be classified?
■
Into how many categories will they be divided? What are the categories?
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Paragraph and Plan
Here is the entire paragraph:
Gym-goers can be classified according to their priorities at the gym as
sweaty fanatics, fashionites, busybodies, and fit normals. Sweaty fanatics
take gym-going to the extreme. They hog the machines, drip sweat everywhere, and barely look up if someone falls off the treadmill beside them.
Occasionally, they will stare at the mirror, admiring the muscle group
they are working on. The fashionites also admire their own reflections,
but they barely break a sweat. For them, the gym is just another excuse to
buy clothes. They wear perfectly matched workout clothes with colorcoordinated sport watches and gym shoes. The third group, the busybodies, can’t stop talking. Whether it’s making idle chitchat or correcting
another exerciser’s form on a machine, they seem unable to shut up. Not
even headphones and one-word answers can stop the busybodies from
babbling. Luckily, the fit normals keep things from getting too far out of
control. They come to the gym to work out, stay healthy, and go home, but
they remember that basic good manners apply in every setting.
—Laurie Zamot (Student)
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On what basis does the writer classify gym-goers?
■
What information does the writer provide about the first type, sweaty fanatics?
■
What information does the writer provide about the second type, fashionites?
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What information does the writer provide about the third type, busybodies?
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What information does the writer provide about the fourth type, the fit normals?
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Why do you think the writer discusses fit normals last?
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UNIT 3
Developing the Paragraph
Before composing the paragraph, the writer probably brainstormed or freewrote to gather ideas and then made an outline or plan like this:
Topic sentence: Gym-goers can be classified according to their priorities at the
gym as sweaty fanatics, fashionites, busybodies, or fit normals.
Type 1:
Sweaty fanatics
—hog machines; drip sweat
—barely look if someone falls
—stare in mirror, admiring muscles
Type 2:
Fashionites
—admire themselves but don’t sweat
—excuse to buy clothes
—matched workout clothes
—coordinating sport watches and gym shoes
Type 3:
Busybodies
—can’t stop talking, advising
—headphones, short answers don’t work
Type 4:
Fit normals
—keep things from going out of control
—work out, go home
—remember good manners even in gym
■
Note that the body of the paragraph discusses all four types of gym-goers mentioned in the topic sentence and does not add any new ones.
This classification paragraph sticks to a single method of classification: the priorities of gym-goers at the gym. If the paragraph had also discussed a fourth category—left-handed gym-goers—the initial basis of classification would fall apart
because left-handedness has nothing to do with the priorities of different gym-goers.
The topic sentence of a classification paragraph usually has two parts: the
topic and the basis of classification. The basis of classification is the controlling idea:
it controls how the writer will approach the topic. Stating it in writing will help
keep the paragraph on track.
There is no set rule about which category to present first, second, or last in a
classification paragraph. However, the paragraph should follow some kind of
logical sequence from the most to least outrageous, least to most expensive, from
the largest to the smallest category, and so on.* †
* For more work on order, see Chapter 4, “Achieving Coherence,” Part A.
† For a complete essay developed by classification, see “The Potato Scale,” Chapter 15, Part G.
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Transitional Expressions
Transitional expressions in classification paragraphs stress divisions and categories:
Transitional Expressions for Classification
can be divided
can be classified
can be categorized
PRACTICE 1
the first type
the second kind
the last category
Read the following paragraph carefully and answer the questions.
Judges can be divided, on the basis of their written opinions, into three categories: conservative, liberal, and centrist. Although all judges respect the law, conservative judges have an especially strong belief in the importance of the law and
the history surrounding it. They believe that real justice comes only from strictly
applying the law to the facts of a case, whether or not the outcome seems fair to
an individual. On the other hand, liberal judges look beyond a rigid reading to the
“spirit of the law” in their search for real justice in a case. They might broadly interpret the law in order to champion individual rights. The outcome of the case
matters more to them than the letter of the law. Finally, centrist judges walk the
middle ground between conservative and liberal. They do not apply the law as
rigidly as conservative judges, yet they are not as willing as liberal judges to
apply the law loosely. Having different types of judges helps balance our legal
system; their differing views help protect both the law and individual rights.
1. How many categories are there, and what are they?
2. On what basis does the writer classify judges?
3. Make a plan of the paragraph on a separate sheet of paper.
PRACTICE 2
Example
Each group of things or persons on the following page has been divided according to a single basis of classification. However, one item in each group does not
belong—it does not fit that single basis of classification.
Read each group of items carefully; then circle the letter of the one item that
does not belong. Next write the single basis of classification that includes the rest
of the group.
Shirts
a. cotton
b. suede
c. short-sleeved
d. polyester
material they are made of
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UNIT 3
Developing the Paragraph
PRACTICE 3
Example
1. Shoes
a. flat heels
b. 2-inch heels
c. patent leather heels
d. 3-inch heels
2. Dates
a. very good-looking
b. sometimes pay
c. always pay
d. expect me to pay
3. Students
a. talkative in class
b. very hard-working
c. goof-offs
d. moderately hard-working
4. Contact lenses
a. soft
b. green
c. brown
d. lavender
5. Milk
a. 2 percent fat
b. whole
c. chocolate
d. 1 percent fat
6. Drivers
a. obey the speed limit
b. teenage drivers
c. speeders
d. creepers
Any group of persons, things, or ideas can be classified in more than one way, depending on the basis of classification. For instance, students in your class can be
classified on the basis of height (short, average, tall) or on the basis of class participation (often participate, sometimes participate, never participate). Both of these
groupings are valid classifications of the same group of people.
Think of two ways in which each of the following groups could be classified.
Group
Basis of Classification
Bosses
(A)
how demanding they are
(B)
how generous they are
1. Members of my family
(A)
(B)
2. Hurricanes
(A)
(B)
3. Fans of a certain sport
(A)
(B)
4. Vacations
(A)
(B)
5. Fitness magazines
(A)
(B)
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PRACTICE 4
Classification
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Listed below are three groups of people or things. Decide on a single basis of classification for each group and the categories that would develop from your basis of
classification. Finally, write a topic sentence for each of your classifications.
Example
Basis of
Classification
Group
Professors at Pell
College
Topic Sentence:
Categories
methods of
1.
lectures
instruction
2.
class discussions
3.
both
Professors at Pell College can be classified according to their
methods of instruction: those who lecture, those who encourage class discussions,
and those who do both.
Group
1. Car owners
Topic Sentence:
2. Credit-card users
Topic Sentence:
Basis of
Classification
Categories
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UNIT 3
Developing the Paragraph
3. Ways of reacting
to crisis
Topic Sentence:
PRACTICE 5
Now choose the classification in Practice 4 that most interests you and make a
plan or outline for a paragraph on a separate sheet of paper. As you work, make
sure that you have listed all possible categories for your basis of classification. Remember, every car owner or credit-card user should fit into one of your categories. Finally, write your paragraph, describing each category briefly and
perhaps giving an example of each.
PRACTICE 6 Thinking and Writing Together
Classify Students on Campus
In a group with four or five classmates, discuss some interesting ways in which
you might classify the students at your college. List at least five possible ways.
You might focus on students in just one place—like the computer lab, swimming
pool, coffee stand, library, or an exam room during finals week. Then come up
with one basis of classification, either serious or humorous. For example, you
could classify swimmers according to their level of expertise or splashing; students during finals week according to their fashion statements; or students standing in line for coffee according to their degree of impatience.
Now choose the most interesting basis of classification. Name three or four
categories that cover the group, and write a paragraph classifying your fellow
students. You might wish to enrich your categories with details and examples. Be
prepared to read your paragraph to the full class.
Exploring Online
http://www.filmratings.com/ Click “ratings guide” for movie classifications.
http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/classify/classify.html Introduction to the classification
of plants and animals.
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✔ Checklist
The Process of Writing a Classification Paragraph
Refer to this checklist of steps as you write a classification paragraph.
1. Narrow the topic in light of your audience and purpose. Think in
terms of a group of people or things that can be classified easily
into types or categories.
2. Decide on a single basis of classification. This basis will depend on
what information you wish to give your audience.
3. Compose a topic sentence that clearly shows what you are dividing
into categories or types. If you wish, your topic sentence can state
the basis on which you are making the classification and the types
that will be discussed in the paragraph.
4. List the categories into which the group is being classified. Be sure
that your categories cover all the possibilities. Do not add any
new categories that are not logically part of your original basis
of classification.
5. Freewrite, cluster, or brainstorm to generate information, details,
and examples for each of the categories. (You may want to prewrite
before you narrow the topic.)
6. Select the best details and examples, and drop those that are not
relevant to your classification.
7. Make a plan or an outline for your paragraph, numbering the categories in the order in which you will present them.
8. Write a draft of your classification paragraph, using transitional
expressions wherever they may be helpful.
9. Revise as necessary, checking for support, unity, logic, and
coherence.
10. Proofread for errors in grammar, punctuation, sentence structure,
spelling, and mechanics.
Suggested Topics for Classification Paragraphs
1. Shoppers
2. Jobs
3. Women or men you date
4. Clothing in your closet
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5. Friends
6. Dancers at a party
7. Problems facing college freshmen or someone new to a job
8. College classes or instructors
9. Ways to prevent school violence
10. Neighbors or coworkers
11. Kinds of success
12. Performers of one type of music
13. Kinds of marriages
14. Brands of jeans, backpacks, cola drinks, or some other product
15. Writer’s choice: