Classification is the process of grouping together people or things that are alike in some way. A simple classification would be to classify cars in terms of their body size: full-size, mid- size, compacts, and sub-compacts, or Delgado Community College in terms of its different campuses. These groups or categories, are helpful in letting you see relationships among people or objects. They help you to organize information and compare it.
However, these categories often do not exist in the real world; they may exist only in your mind. You create them using some criterion or organizing principle. For example, you can classify college students by looking at their study habits: those who schedule study time, those who cram before a test, and those who hardly study at all. The organizing principle for classifying students in the example above is the different ways that they study. On the other hand, you could just as easily have classified students according to their age, their grade point average, or their religion. You could just as easily have classified cars according to their cost, their gas mileage, or their body style
Topic selectionClassification essays are commonly used in business, science, advertising, and editorials. However, at this level, a classification essay can be subjective. Sometimes classification essays are humorous or sarcastic. Choose a topic of interest to you and your audience. Use your imagination. Have fun, be creative, and be original — the structure is straightforward. YOUR CLASSIFICATION TOPIC SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AN EXPERT WITH. IS IT PARENTING? BASEBALL? VIDEO GAMER? DO NOT GOOGLE AND PICK SOMETHING FROM THE INTERNET. SEARCH WITHIN YOURSELF. DO YOU PLAY BILLIARDS OR POOL? CAN YOU CATEGORIZE TYPES OF BILLIARD/POOL PLAYERS? ARE YOU A MOTHER? CAN YOU CATEGORIZE TYPES OF MOMS?
THIS TOPIC CHOICE SHOULD BE SUBJECTIVE.
HOW ABOUT TYPES OF PANDEMIC RESPONSES? OR TYPES OF MASK WEARERS? TYPES OF HOMESCHOOLING ATTITUDES THAT YOU OR YOUR KIDS EXHIBIT?
You will have to write a thesis statement which you will then have to support in the details of the essay. The body of the essay should explore the qualities of each category, with clear examples and anecdotes. See this example of a wonderful student paper from last semester. You’ll see how the student has all of the good stuff of essays: thesis statement, topic sentences, effective introduction and conclusion, well organized body paragraphs, a well-edited essay, and most importantly, she chose a topic that she knows well and delivers it to her audience in a really clever, sometimes funny way. I can definitely relate to her!
