Classification essay, Classification essay
Classification essay, Classification essay
Some U.S. presidents have indulged their love of pets, keeping menageries of animals around the White House, and others have preferred the White House pet-free. Classification essay
Classification essay
Classification Essay
In a classification essay, we organize things into categories and give examples of things that fit into each category. For example, if you choose to write about types of computers (PCs and servers), each of your developmental paragraphs will define the characteristics of a different computer type.
Classification criteria:
Before writing, it is necessary to decide on the classification criteria. We should think according to what properties we are going to classify things. The criteria must be discriminating and the emerging classes should be non-overlapping.
In the sample essay about types of computers, the computers are classified according to their functions and capabilities, as:
Sample essay analysis
Organization:
The introduction of a classification essay is quite straightforward. In the thesis statement, you mention that there are (number) types of (something) according to their (properties).
In the developmental paragraphs, you need to define each type you mentioned in the thesis. You may also need to show the similarities and/or differences of these types. Giving examples would enable your readers to understand better.
The common transitions used while classifying are the first kind / type / group, the second kind / type / group, the third kind / type / group.
Types of Computers
There are a lot of terms used to describe computers. Most of these words imply the size, expected use or capability of the computer. While the term � computer� can apply to virtually any device that has a microprocessor in it, most people think of a computer as a device that receives input from the user through a mouse or keyboard , processes it in some fashion and displays the result on a screen . Computers can be divided into five according to the purpose they are used for and their capabilities.
The most familiar type of microprocessor is the personal computer (PC). It designed for general use by a single person. While a Mac is also a PC, most people relate the term with systems that run the Windows operating system . PCs were first known as microcomputers because they were a complete computer but built on a smaller scale than the huge systems in use by most businesses. A PC can come in two types (three if we include the Personal Digital Assistants ( PDAs ) that differ from PCs not by the working policy but in appearance as well.): Desktop and laptop. The former is not designed for portability. The expectation with desktop systems is that you will set the computer up in a permanent location. Most desktops offer more power, storage and versatility for less cost than their portable brethren. On the other hand, the l aptops – also called notebooks – are portable computers that integrate the display , keyboard, a pointing device or trackball, processor, memory and hard drive all in a battery-operated package slightly larger than an average hardcover book.
Another purpose for using a microprocessor is as a workstation. The computers used for this purpose have a more powerful processor, additional memory and enhanced capabilities for performing a special group of task, such as 3D Graphics or game development .
A computer can also be used as a s erver. For this, it needs to be optimized to provide services to other computers over a network . Servers usually have powerful processors, lots of memory and large hard drives.
A fourth type, a main frame is the heart of a network of computers or terminals which allows hundreds of people to work at the same time on the same data. It is indispensable for the business world.
Sometimes, computers can be used for specialized fields as well. T he supercomputer is the top of the heap in power and expense. It is used for jobs that take massive amounts of calculating, like weather forecasting, engineering design and testing, serious decryption, and economic forecasting.
With the increasing demand in different specialties, new adjustments are being made to microprocessors and new types of computers that serve different purposes emerge. In this ongoing process, it would not possible to put a full stop here. What we suggest is that it is better to keep en eye on the development of science in this field and keep updating our knowledge in order not to be out-of-date like the computers of old times that were as big as a room.
Classification essay
Classification Essay
In a classification essay, we organize things into categories and give examples of things that fit into each category. For example, if you choose to write about types of computers (PCs and servers), each of your developmental paragraphs will define the characteristics of a different computer type.
Classification criteria:
Before writing, it is necessary to decide on the classification criteria. We should think according to what properties we are going to classify things. The criteria must be discriminating and the emerging classes should be non-overlapping.
In the sample essay about types of computers, the computers are classified according to their functions and capabilities, as:
Sample essay analysis
Organization:
The introduction of a classification essay is quite straightforward. In the thesis statement, you mention that there are (number) types of (something) according to their (properties).
In the developmental paragraphs, you need to define each type you mentioned in the thesis. You may also need to show the similarities and/or differences of these types. Giving examples would enable your readers to understand better.
The common transitions used while classifying are the first kind / type / group, the second kind / type / group, the third kind / type / group.
Types of Computers
There are a lot of terms used to describe computers. Most of these words imply the size, expected use or capability of the computer. While the term � computer� can apply to virtually any device that has a microprocessor in it, most people think of a computer as a device that receives input from the user through a mouse or keyboard , processes it in some fashion and displays the result on a screen . Computers can be divided into five according to the purpose they are used for and their capabilities.
The most familiar type of microprocessor is the personal computer (PC). It designed for general use by a single person. While a Mac is also a PC, most people relate the term with systems that run the Windows operating system . PCs were first known as microcomputers because they were a complete computer but built on a smaller scale than the huge systems in use by most businesses. A PC can come in two types (three if we include the Personal Digital Assistants ( PDAs ) that differ from PCs not by the working policy but in appearance as well.): Desktop and laptop. The former is not designed for portability. The expectation with desktop systems is that you will set the computer up in a permanent location. Most desktops offer more power, storage and versatility for less cost than their portable brethren. On the other hand, the l aptops – also called notebooks – are portable computers that integrate the display , keyboard, a pointing device or trackball, processor, memory and hard drive all in a battery-operated package slightly larger than an average hardcover book.
Another purpose for using a microprocessor is as a workstation. The computers used for this purpose have a more powerful processor, additional memory and enhanced capabilities for performing a special group of task, such as 3D Graphics or game development .
A computer can also be used as a s erver. For this, it needs to be optimized to provide services to other computers over a network . Servers usually have powerful processors, lots of memory and large hard drives.
A fourth type, a main frame is the heart of a network of computers or terminals which allows hundreds of people to work at the same time on the same data. It is indispensable for the business world.
Sometimes, computers can be used for specialized fields as well. T he supercomputer is the top of the heap in power and expense. It is used for jobs that take massive amounts of calculating, like weather forecasting, engineering design and testing, serious decryption, and economic forecasting.
With the increasing demand in different specialties, new adjustments are being made to microprocessors and new types of computers that serve different purposes emerge. In this ongoing process, it would not possible to put a full stop here. What we suggest is that it is better to keep en eye on the development of science in this field and keep updating our knowledge in order not to be out-of-date like the computers of old times that were as big as a room.
How to Develop and Organize a Classification Essay
Basic Approaches to Drafting a Five-Paragraph Essay
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- Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
- M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
- B.A., English, State University of New York
Dr. Richard Nordquist is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks.
Classification is a method of developing an essay by arranging people, objects, or ideas with shared characteristics into particular classes or groups. After you have settled on a topic for a classification essay* and explored it through various prewriting strategies, you should be ready to attempt a first draft. Here is how to develop and organize a five-paragraph classification essay.
Introductory Paragraph
In your introduction, clearly identify your subject — in this case, the group you are classifying. If you have narrowed your subject in any way (for example, types of bad drivers, rock guitarists, or annoying moviegoers), make this clear from the start.
You may also want to provide some specific descriptive or informative details to attract the interest of your readers and suggest the purpose of the essay.
Finally, include a thesis sentence (usually at the end of the introduction) that briefly identifies the main types or approaches that you’re about to examine.
Intro Paragraph Example: Baseball Fans
Here’s an example of a short but effective introductory paragraph to a classification essay:
It’s a warm evening in July, and all across the country Americans are gathering to watch a game of professional baseball. Armed with hot dogs and cold drinks, they stroll to their seats, some in grand stadiums, others in cozy minor-league parks. But no matter where the game is played, you will find the same three types of baseball fan: the Party Rooter, the Sunshine Supporter, and the Diehard Fan.
Notice how this introduction creates certain expectations. The specific details provide a setting (a ballpark on “a warm evening in July”) in which we expect to see the various fans described. In addition, the labels assigned to these fans (the Party Rooter, the Sunshine Supporter, and the Diehard Fan) lead us to expect descriptions of each type in the order they’re given. A good writer will go on to fulfill these expectations in the body of the essay.
Body Paragraphs
Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence that identifies a particular type of approach. Then illustrate each type with specific details.
Arrange your body paragraphs in whatever order strikes you as clear and logical — say, from the least effective approach to the most effective, or from the most common type to the least familiar (or essay online buy the other way around). Just make sure that the order of your body paragraphs matches the arrangement promised in your thesis sentence.
Body Paragraphs Example: Types of Fans
Here, in the body of the essay on baseball fans, you can see that the writer has fulfilled the expectations set up in the introduction. (In each body paragraph, the topic sentence is in italics.)
The Party Rooter goes to games for the hot dogs, the gimmicks, the giveaways, and the companionship; he’s not really that interested in the ballgame itself. The Party Rooter is the sort of fan who shows up on Buck-a-Brew Night, often with a gang of fellow partiers. He cracks jokes, hurls peanuts at the team mascot, applauds the exploding scoreboard, blasts an electronic horn whenever he pleases—and occasionally nudges a companion and asks, “Hey, who’s winning?” The Party Rooter often wanders out of the park in the sixth or seventh inning to continue his celebrations in the car on the way home.
The Sunshine Supporter, usually a more common type than the Party Rooter, goes to the park to cheer on a winning team and bask in its glory. When the home side is on a winning streak and still in contention for a playoff spot, the stadium will be packed with this sort of fan. As long as her team is winning, the Sunshine Supporter will be roaring at every play, waving her pennant and shouting out the names of her heroes. However, as the name implies, the Sunshine Supporter is a fickle fan, and her cheers quickly turn to boos when a hero strikes out or drops a line drive. She will stay around until the end of the game to celebrate a victory, but should her team fall a few runs behind, she’s likely to slip out to the parking lot during the seventh-inning stretch.
Diehard Fans are also strong supporters of the local team, but they go to the park to watch good baseball, not just to root for a winner. More attentive to the game than other fans, Diehards will study the stance of a power hitter, note the finesse of a quick fielder, and anticipate the strategy of a pitcher who has fallen behind in the count. While the Party Rooter is chugging a beer or dropping wisecracks, Diehards may be filling in a scorecard or commenting on a player’s RBI tally over the past few months. And when a Sunshine Supporter boos an opposing player for tagging out a local hero, Diehards may be quietly applauding the expert moves of this “enemy” infielder. No matter what the score is, Diehard Fans remain in their seats until the last batter is out, and they may still be talking about the game long after it’s over.
Comparisons Ensure Cohesion
Notice how the writer uses comparisons to ensure cohesion in the body of the essay. The topic sentence in both the second and third paragraphs refers to the preceding paragraph. Likewise, in the third body paragraph, the writer draws explicit contrasts between the Diehards and the other two types of baseball fans.
Such comparisons not only provide smooth transitions from one paragraph to the next but also reveal the sympathies of the writer. He begins with the type of fan he likes the least and ends with the one he most admires. We now expect the writer to justify his attitudes in the conclusion.
Concluding Paragraph
The concluding paragraph gives you an opportunity to draw together the various types and approaches you have been examining in the body of the essay. You may choose to offer a final brief comment on each one, summarizing its value or its limitations. Or you may want to recommend one approach over the others and explain why. In any case, make sure that your conclusion clearly emphasizes the purpose of your classification.
Concluding Paragraph: Only the Diehard Fans Remain
In the concluding paragraph to “Baseball Fans,” consider whether the author has been successful in his effort to tie his observations together.
Professional baseball would have trouble surviving without all three types of fans. The Party Rooters provide much of the money that owners need to hire talented players. The Sunshine Supporters bring a stadium to life and help boost the morale of the home team. But only the Diehard Fans maintain their support all season long, year in and year out. By late September in most ballparks, enduring chilly winds, rain delays, and sometimes humiliating losses, only the Diehards remain.
Connecting the Conclusion to the Introduction
Notice how the writer hooks his conclusion back to the introduction by contrasting the chilly night in September with the warm evening in July. Connections such as this help to unify an essay and give it a sense of completeness.
As you develop and organize your draft, experiment with various strategies, but keep this basic format in mind: an introduction that identifies your subject and the different types of approaches; three (or more) body paragraphs that rely on specific details to describe or illustrate the types; and a conclusion that draws your points together and makes the overall purpose of the classification clear.
Classification essay, Classification essay, essay types, classification, sample classification essay
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