23 Write: Classification/Division Essay Assignment

Classification/Division Essay Assignment

Consider the following as you narrow down your topic for this essay:

1. Decide whether you will write a classification or division essay.

• •  What is your goal for this paper?
    •  To inform?
      • Three types of community college students
    • To entertain?
      • Three kinds of annoying classmates
    • To argue a point?
      • Three parts of social activism

2. Choose your topic and audience. Remember to choose an interesting angle for your essay – everyone already knows that there are three branches of U.S. government or four seasons in a year.  What is something different that you can explain from your own point of view?

3. Write and follow your outline. Academic writing follows a certain structure. You can be creative, funny, and entertaining within the structure set by the outline. Use your outline to guide you as you write so you are sure you’re on track.

4. Provide interesting, detailed examples that target your audience and lead to a conclusion. This is not Wikipedia. Your goal is to keep your reader interested in what you’re trying to say, not throw a bunch of random facts on the paper. Use adjectives, action verbs, and adverbs to liven up your descriptions and explanations of the kinds or parts you have chosen to explain.

5. Use proper citation if you choose to quote an outside source. Most of your paper should be your own ideas.

6. Keep your audience in mind. Remember that writing is a form of communication. There is someone on the other side of your paper! Think of your essay as a path of communication. In the beginning, you present a problem or situation, and then you use carefully chosen examples tailored to your audience to lead them to your conclusion.