CLASSIFICATION

Classification in
Technical Writing
CLASSIFICATION
Classification is the process of assigning items to
categories. It is to divide a number of items into a
smaller number of groups.
NEWS
Example:
LOCAL INTERNATIONAL
TRANSPORTATION
NATIONAL
LAND AIR SEA
English 101
PARTITION
Partition is the process of breaking a unit into its
components. It is to take one item and divide it
into a number of parts.
Example:
COMPUTER
CPU MONITOR KEYBOARD MOUSE
English 101
WHAT IS A CLASSIFICATION ESSAY?
In a classification essay, a writer organizes, or sorts, things
into categories.
THREE STEPS TO EFFECTIVE

CLASSIFICATION:
1. Sort things into useful categories.
2. Make sure all the categories follow a single
organizing principle.
3. Give examples that fit into each category.
THESIS STATEMENT OF A
CLASSIFICATION ESSAY
The thesis statement usually includes the
topic and how it is classified. Sometimes the
categories are named. (topic)...(how
classified)...(category) (category) (category)
Eg: Tourists in Hawaii can enjoy three water

sports: snorkeling, surfing, and sailing.
HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE
CLASSIFICATION ESSAY
1. DETERMINE THE CATEGORIES.
Be thorough; don't leave out a critical
category. For example, if you say water sports of
Hawaii include snorkeling and sailing, but leave out
surfing, your essay would be incomplete because
surfing is Hawaii's most famous water sport.
On the other hand, don't include too many
categories, which will blur your classification. For
example, if your topic is sports shoes, and your
organizing principle is activity, you wouldn't include
high heels with running and bowling shoes.
2. CLASSIFY BY A SINGLE PRINCIPLE.
Once you have categories, make sure that they fit
into the same organizing principle. The organizing
principle is how you sort the groups. Do not allow a
different principle to pop up unexpectedly.
For example, if your unifying principle is "tourist-
oriented" water sports, don't use another unifying
principle, such as "native water sports," which would have
different categories: pearl diving, outrigger, or canoe
racing.
3. SUPPORT EQUALLY EACH CATEGORY
WITH EXAMPLES.
In general, you should write the same quantity,
i.e., give the same number of examples, for each
category. The most important category, usually
reserved for last, might require more elaboration.
COMMON CLASSIFICATION TRANSITIONS
The first kind….. the second kind…….. the third kind

The first type…..the second type……the third type
The first group……the second group…..the third group
EXAMPLES
Different students attend various types of schools;
however, they can usually be classified as either public,
private religious, private non religious, or alternative.
Public schools are funded by the state, and the majority SCHOOLS
of students in the United States attend them. Private
religious schools are based around a particular faith,
such as Catholicism, Judaism, and so forth. The religion is
part of the every day lives of the students and they also
learn about the faiths. All types of private schools do not
receive state funding. Therefore, private non religious
schools are simply just that: schools which do not receive
state funding and have the ability to make their own rules.
Alternative schools can be made up of a variety of
different categories, such as the Montessori program or
technical schools. Most students who attend class in an
actual school building go to one of these types of
institutions.
WEIGHT LOSS
People looking to lose weight have a few options:
exercise, diet, weight loss pills, and surgery.
Exercising involves going to a gym, working out
at home, or joining some sort of class or sports
team. Those who are dieting can talk to a doctor
about a plan for them. Weight loss pills can be
taken, if proper precautions and directions are
followed. Individuals who are severely overweight
can talk to a doctor about having surgery to lose
the weight that they need.
DOGS
Dogs are domesticated animals that have been living
with humans for generations. Dogs can be classified in
a number of different ways. For example, they can be
classified by breed. Examples of different breeds
include beagles, basset hounds, poodles and
countless others as defined by the American Kennel
Club (AKC).
They can also be classified by their role in the lives of
their masters and the work they do. For example, a
dog might be a family pet, a working dog, a show
dog, or a hunting dog. In many cases, dogs are
defined both by their breed and their role. For example,
a dog could be a beagle that is a family pet.
BELOW ARE SOME SAMPLE
CLASSIFICATION ESSAY TOPICS:
Artists and their Types

Sport Cars Classification
Most Popular TV Shows in America
Classification of Psychological Diseases
SEAT WORK:
1 whole sheet of paper (handwritten)
Construct your own classification essay with at least

450 words. Your essay should have an introduction, body
and a conclusion. You can choose any essay topic for your
classification essay that you have knowledge about or you
are familiar with.
CONTENT 25
ORGANIZATION 25
50

CLASSIFICATION

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CLASSIFICATION

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Classification in

LAND AIR SEA

CPU MONITOR KEYBOARD MOUSE

THREE STEPS TO EFFECTIVE

Eg: Tourists in Hawaii can enjoy three water

The first kind….. the second kind…….. the third kind

Artists and their Types

Construct your own classification essay with at least

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