Classification Essay
What is a Classification Essay?
A classification essay is writing that 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.
Finding Categories:
This is a key step in writing a classification essay. To classify, or sort, things in a
logical way, find the categories to put them into. For example, say you need to
sort the stack of papers on your desk. Before you would put them in random
piles, you would decide what useful categories might be: papers that can be
thrown away; papers that need immediate action; papers to read; papers to pass
on to other co-workers; or papers to file.
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)
Ex: 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
