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Palm Beach Atlantic University
Center for Writing Excellence
Classification Essays
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.
Finding Categories
This is a key step in writing a classification essay. To classify, or sort things in a logical way,
find the categories in which to put them. 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 coworkers; or papers to file.
Thesis Statements in Classification Essays
The thesis statement usually includes the topic and how it is classified. Sometimes the categories
are named.
(topic)…(how classified)…(category)(category)(category)
Example: 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
