Classification Essay

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Classification Essay
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• Organize this closet into three categories

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Objectives

• Why write this essay?
• Division is a helpful strategy in any prewriting
  stage, especially complex subjects
• The structure of a film
• Motivation of a character
• Controversy surrounding school prayer.
• Strategy is helpful for analyzing complex issues.
  
• Many college essays will veil this essay in a
  prompt
• From your observations, what kinds of appeals do
  television advertisers use when selling
  automobiles? In your view, are any of these
  appeals morally irresponsible?

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What is classification?

• Writing a classification essay means dividing the
  members of a group.
• The members in any class must share basic similar
  characteristics.
• When classifying, you need a principle of
  classification.

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What is the basis of division?

• For example, we can divide the students in
  Advanced ESL by
• Ethnic Background
• Hispanics
• Europeans
• Africans
• Asians

Which prayer is categorically different?
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Dont mix classifying principles!

• Its confusing to have overlapping bases for
  classification.
• In dividing students by ethnic background, dont
  use classes like hard-working or easy-going.
• After all, there are hard-working people in any
  ethnic background!

Why would cats care to classify types of rats?
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Can you find the misfits?

1. Autos SUV, pickup, economy
2. Transport land, train, air, water
3. Rivers dangerous, short, wide
4. Drugs uppers, illegal, downers
5. Colleges private, famous, public
6. Courses year-long, half-term, math
7. Housing rooms, cheap, apartments

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What are the principles of division?

• _e_1. SUV, pickup, sedan
• _d_2. land, air, water
• _c_3. short, wide, long
• _f_4. uppers, downers, pain-killers
• _a_5. private, public, religious
• _g_6. year-long, half-term, full-term
• _b_7. rooms, apartments, houses

1. type of college
2. type of housing
3. type of river
4. type of transportation
5. Type of vehicle
6. Type of medication
7. Type of semester

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Here are the principles of division

• E 1. SUV, pickup, sedan
• D 2. land, air, water
• C 3. short, wide, long
• F 4. uppers, downers, pain-killers
• A 5. private, public, religious
• G 6. year-long, half-term, full-term
• B 7. rooms, apartments, houses

1. type of college
2. type of housing
3. type of river
4. type of transportation
5. type of vehicle
6. type of medication
7. type of semester

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• Suppose the writing prompt is
• In what manner do people answer when given
  questions?
• Dont answer People answer in different ways,
  some of them take their time, others quick, still
  others kind of are, well, theyre between.

• Instead, organize with parallelism
• Most people respond in one of three ways
  eagerly, indifferently, or reluctantly.
• Notice that each categorical word is in the same
  grammar form adverbs.
• Dont mix and match the terminology!

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Writing the Classification Essay
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Questions to Consider

• Do you use the most logical principle of division
  or classification for your purpose?
• Do you stick to one principle throughout?
• Have you identified components or
  categories that are comparable?
• Have you used the best order
  for your components or categories?
• Have you given specific examples
  for each of your components or categories?
• Have you made a complex subject more accessible
  to your readers?

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