Division & Classification Essays

A complex topic is broken into parts and the

parts are classified into groups that have
something in common with each other.
Example Essay: p. 103-104
 Example
• You can divide & classify the topic of CARS in
many ways:
• Size of Cars (compact, Intermediate, Full Size)
• Fuel (Diesel, Gas, Hybrid, Electric)
• Manufacturer (Toyota, Chevrolet, Jeep, etc.)
• Where the Car is Manufactured (U.S. or
foreign)
 IMPORTANT TIP:
• There is NO ONE RIGHT WAY to divide and classify
a topic.
• The IMPORTANT thing is that you pick ONE way to
divide & classify your topic and STICK WITH THAT
WAY THROUGH YOUR WHOLE ESSAY!
• Example: Don’t start your essay classifying cars by
size and then start talking about different brands
of cars half-way through your essay!
 How to Narrow Down a Topic:
Clustering is a GREAT way to plan a division &
classification essay.
• The topic goes in the center
• The ways you can divide the essay are
attached to the topic
• The ways you can break-down and classify the
divisions are attached to the divisions
 How to Narrow Down a Topic:
• Let’s try making a division & classification
cluster as a class.
• The topic is FOOD.
 Narrowing Down Your Cluster
• As you can see, we can choose to divide our
topic in many different ways.
• We want to pick ONLY ONE WAY to divide our
topic for our essay.
• Once you pick your division, you are going to
pick THREE classifications to discuss in your
essay, as this first essay will have 3 body
paragraphs.
 Try It Out Yourself!
• Think about the topic your group is assigned
for 5 minutes, and come up with a cluster that
includes as many different ways you can divide
& classify them as you can think of.
• Clothes
• Schools
• Books
• Games
 YOUR ESSAY!
• You have been given instructions for your
essay.
• Pick ONE of the topics for your essay.
• Spend 20 minutes clustering about that topic.
• Share your cluster with a partner. Discuss
which divisions or classifications will make the
best essay.
• Pick TWO groups you can divide your topic
into to write about in your essay.
 The Thesis Statement
• The next step in planning and organizing is to
develop your thesis statement.
• Division and classification essays have specific
language that you will need to use in your
thesis statement.
• See p. 100 in your textbook for examples.
 Thesis Statement Sentence Patterns

• There are (#) (kinds, types, classes of ______:

(list).

• Examples:
• There are several types of alternative fuels
including biomass, electricity and natural gas.
• There are two types of cars: foreign made and
domestic made.
 Thesis Statement Sentence Patterns:

• I can (divide, classify, group, categorize)

_______ into (#) (parts, groups, types, kinds):
(list)

• Example:
• I can classify my friends into three groups:
school friends, work friends, and
neighborhood friends.
 Thesis Statement Sentence Patterns:
• _________ can be (divided, classified, grouped,
categorized) into (#) (parts, groups, types): (list).

• Examples:
• News articles can be divided into three types:
local, national, and international.
• Learning styles can be classified into three
types: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.
 Practice!
• Number off into 5 groups.
• In your groups, think about EACH of our 4
previous examples (clothes, school, books and
games).
• Write a thesis statement using the sentence
patterns we just learned about for EACH example.
(You should have 4 thesis statements total)
• Write your group’s thesis statements on the
whiteboard when you have them completed.
 More Practice!
• With a partner:
• Look at the topics on p. 101 in your textbook.
• Write a thesis statement for each of the
topics.
 Example:
• Let’s look at our FOOD topic again.
• I’ve decided to divide the topic into my 2
favorite types of food.
• My thesis statement is:
• I can divide my favorite types of food into two
groups: Mexican and Italian.
 Example
• Now we need to think up ideas for our body
paragraphs.
• Expanding or making a new cluster is the best
way to do this.
 YOUR ESSAY
• Review your essay topic and the way you will
classify and divide it.
• Write the thesis statement for your essay.
 Planning Your Body Paragraphs
• Now that you know what groups you are going to use
in your essay and what your thesis statement is, you
need to think of what information you want to
include in your body paragraphs.
• The body paragraphs for your essay will DESCRIBE
your groups.
• The first body paragraph will describe your first
group.
• The second body paragraph will describe your second
group.
• You need at least 3 supporting details and 3
elaborating details for each paragraph.
 Body Paragraph #1 Example
• One of my favorite types of food is Mexican
food. The first reason why Mexican food is
one of my favorites is because it is spicy. I can
order dishes with Jalapenos and other hot
peppers, and if the dishes aren’t hot enough I
can ask for hot salsa to go with them. Another
reason I like Mexican food is because of the
variety. Many Mexican restaurants have
menus that are several pages long with
Body Paragraph #2 Example
 YOUR ESSAY
• Expand your existing cluster or make a new
one to come up with ideas for your body
paragraphs.
• You need 3 supporting details for each
classification (these will connect to your
classifications)
• You need 3 elaborating details (these will
connect to your supporting details)
 YOUR ESSAY
• Now that you have determined which ideas
you will write about, it’s time to fill in your
outline.
• You will be given an outline worksheet to
complete as homework.
 The Introduction
• General or background information
• Explain the purpose for the classification (why are you
making this classification – is it to describe your favorite
things, to explain how to select something, etc.)
• Provide a clear thesis statement that:
-States how you are dividing your topic into
classifications
-The number of classifications/groups you have made
(2)
-The names of your classifications/groups
 Introduction Techniques
• Move from general to specific.
• Everyone loves food. There are lots of
different types of food. Everyone also has
their favorite types of food. I can divide my
favorite types of food into two groups:
Mexican and Italian.
 Introduction Techniques
• Use an anecdote (tell a story)
• When my family decides to go out to dinner,
we always have a hard time deciding which
restaurant to go to. We all love food, and
there are lots of different types of food to
enjoy. Everyone in my family has their own
favorite types of food. I can divide my two
favorite types of food into two groups:
Mexican and Italian.
 Introduction Techniques
• Use a Quotation
• Voltaire once said “Nothing would be more
tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not
made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.” One
reason eating is a pleasure is because of all the
different types of food available. Everyone has their
own favorite types of food. I can divide my favorite
types of food into two groups: Mexican and Italian.
 Introduction Techniques
• Ask a Question
• What are you eating for dinner tonight?
Chances are, it is something you enjoy.
Everyone has their own favorite types of food.
What’s yours? I can divide my favorite types
of food into two groups: Mexican and Italian.
 Introduction Techniques
• Present Facts and Statistics
• According to the National Restaurant
Federation, in 2013 Americans spent over $683
billion dollars in restaurants, and there are over
990,000 restaurants in the United States. We
clearly love food. While there are lots of options
available, everyone has their own favorite types
of food. I can divide my two favorite types of
food into two groups: Mexican and Italian.
 Your Turn to Try!
• Find the group you wrote the 4 thesis
statements with.
• In your groups, pick ONE of your thesis
statements.
• Develop that idea into an introduction
paragraph using ONE of the techniques we
just looked at.
 YOUR ESSAY
• Complete your outline for your essay.
• Write your introduction paragraph.
 Conclusion Techniques
• Restate your main points
• Ask a question
• Make a recommendation or prediction
 Restate Your Main Points
• In conclusion, my two favorite types of food
are Mexican and Italian. I like Mexican food
for three reasons: it’s cheap, there’s lots of
variety, and it’s spicy. Similarly, I like Italian
food for three reasons: it’s easy to make at
home, there’s lots of restaurant choices from
casual to very fancy, and it’s got a lot of garlic
in it.
 Ask a Question
• In conclusion, while there are many different
types of food, I have two favorites. My
favorite types of food are Mexican and Italian.
I like them both for many reasons. What are
your favorite types of food and why do you
like them?
Make a Recommendation or Prediction

• In conclusion, while there are many different

types of food, I have two favorites. My
favorite types of food are Mexican and Italian.
I recommend that you try a Mexican or Italian
restaurant the next time you don’t want to
cook dinner. I hope you enjoy it as much as I
do!
 Your Turn!
• Decide which technique you want to use in
your conclusion.
• Mark it on your essay plan.
• Write your conclusion paragraph.
 What You Should Now Have:
• 1 Introduction Paragraph = Fully Written
• 2 Body Paragraphs = Fully Written
• 1 Conclusion Paragraph = Fully Written

In other words, you just wrote a whole essay!

Congratulations!!!
 What’s Next
• Prewriting – DONE!
• Writing – DONE!
• Revising & Editing = NOW!
 Revising & Editing
• Read through both the front and back of your checklist.
• Work through the front (content) part of the checklist first. Mark or
make any changes/corrections on your paper.
• Then work through the back (editing) part of the checklist. Mark or make
any changes/corrections on your paper.
• Find a partner to switch essays with. Give them YOUR checklist and
essay.
• Read THEIR essay, and complete the peer review part of THEIR checklist.
Mark any simple changes on their paper. Make a list on a separate piece
of paper of any big suggestions or comments or questions you have.
• SHARE your responses with your partner and EXPLAIN YOUR REASONING
to them. DO NOT just hand them back their paper with no explanation.
• Using the suggestions and comments you and your partner found for you
essay, make ALL edits and revisions to your essay.
• TYPE your essay. DOUBLE SPACE IT.
• E-mail your essay to me by MONDAY MORNING at 8:00 a.m.
 After I Turn My Essay In:
• I will read your essay, make suggestions and
comments, and give your essay a PRACTICE
grade.
• You will then have the opportunity to look at
my edits and suggestions, make corrections as
appropriate and re-submit your essay for a final
grade.
• If you like the practice grade, let me know, and
it will also be your final grade.