Classification

Essay
Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for
that's the stuff life is made of." (Benjamin Franklin,
from Poor Richard's Almanac)

Creator, José J. González, Jr.

Spring 2002
1
 What does the word
Classification mean?
• Dictionary meaning . . . . .
. . . systematic arrangement in groups
or categories according to established
criteria.

Does this definition make sense to

you?
Creator, José J. González, Jr.
Spring 2002
2
When you classify something, you arrange a
large group into smaller groups . .

• Before going to the grocery store, some of

you might make a list. Some of you might
even make a very organized, detailed list.
The general category is food, yet in the
grocery store you have
• Dairy Products Produce Canned Goods

• These are three major food groups under which you

can list a variety of foods. Here we have began to
classify food.
Creator, José J. González, Jr.
Spring 2002
3
 What can be classified?
Almost anything! The list is endless.
• Cars Music Candy
• Parents Newspapers Sports
• Schools Buildings Countries
• Cuisine Singers Actors
• Comic books Days Seasons
• Movies Oceans Clothing
Note that the subjects are general; this makes moving to the next step
easier.

Creator, José J. González, Jr.

Spring 2002
4
Let’s take one of these subjects and see where it takes us.

• Cuisine . . . manner of
preparing food : style of cooking

We could easily make a long list of different foods which we

have sampled:
American
Mexican
Chinese
German
Cajun
Tex-Mex
Italian
French
Creator, José J. González, Jr.
Spring 2002
5
Let’s take it a step further
Note that you could also concentrate on one of
these styles of cooking and you may come up with
a more detailed essay depending on your
knowledge of the subject.

Mexican
Norteño
Veracruzano
Michuacano

Creator, José J. González, Jr.

Spring 2002
6
To view some sample classification
essays, click below.

Creator, José J. González, Jr.

Spring 2002
7
 Assignment:

• Write a classification essay. But

before you begin, let it me approve of
the topic. If you begin well, all will
end well.

Creator, José J. González, Jr.

Spring 2002
8