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Expository Development by Logical Division (Classifïcation)

When analysing a subject, you break it down into parts to study the relationship of the
parts or the nature of the parts. If you v/ere analysing the Us government, for example, you

would probably begin by dividing the government into three branches - The legislative,
executive, and judicial- and then by studying how these branches operate to make up the
govemment. The breaking down ofthe US government into parts is analysis by division.
The principle of division:
When yoü divide, you classiry the members of a group into categories whose

members share similar characteristics. But on \À/hat basis do you assign the members to
categories? When you classiÿ, you need one principle of classification: classification -
accàrding to common characteristics. Avoid using more.than one principle because in this
way categories may overlap. IVIost of the principles of classification are of three types: r
-Inferiorto superior
-Chronology
-Location
Once you have decided on a principle of classification, check to see if the

classification includes all of the members of the group.

For instance, if you are classiÿing the students in a class, the categories might cover
each and every one ofthe students in that class, if at all possible. Ifthe students in a class

were classifîed as brilliant or stupid, an obvious group - the average students- would be left
out. To avoid omission of members, and to avoid oversimpliÿing the analysis; therefore, it is
generally a good idea to divide the group into more than two categories. For student essays,
three or four categories are the average.
Organisation of the Classification @ivision) Essay:
After deciding on the principle of classificâtion mrd dividing the group into categories,
you need to discuss each of those categories. In the developmental paragraphs, it is useful to
devote one paragrâph to each category. When discussing the category, include the following
points:

1- Identi$ the group. If it has a special name, identify it.

2- Describe or define the category. 'What are the general characteristics of the member§
of this category? Once you have established what the category is according to your
classification, discuss the common characteristics of the members.
3- Give examples: often it is helpful to illustrate the characteristics (which are
generalisations) by giving one or two examples of tlpical members of the category,
In the second and subsequent developmental paragraphs, add another point'
4- Distinguish this category from the other categories: Discuss the characteristics of the
second category by comparing and contrasting them with those of the first category'
Doing this will help to distinguish between the categories' How does group 1 really
differ from group 2. (for coherence, try to discuss the characteristics in the same order
ofthe previous group).
In these respects, classification papoffi are a combination of example and comparison and

contrast essays.

Introducing the Categories:

In an introductory paragraph, it is often a good idea to introduce the categories by
mentioning the names of the groups. The thesis §tatement for the classification essay can be
one that simply introduces the classification and the categories.

Example: the teachers in this college can be classifîed according to the way they dress: those
who dress formally, those who dress semi-formally, andthose who dress casually'
Although there is no law that says that the categories must be identified in the introduction'
identifying them will help keep the essay organised.
lVhen yôu name the categories in the introduction, express them in parallel structure; that is'
express them in the same parts of speech.

Example:
There are those who like movies, those who hate movies, and those who are indifferent
toward movies.
Transitions for Classifi cation :

A classification essay is really a combination of example and cornparison and contrast essay'

Therefore, the transitions for this type are generally the same as those for the example and
comparison and contrast es§ays.
1- Transitions to introduce categories: firs! second, nex! last another, in addition'
2- Transitions to show similarites and differencesl unlike, however, like, in conffâst" '
3- Transitions to introduce examples: a good example, an excellent example' for example'
typical...
5- Transitions to show the importance of the classl Example: Of the three types of
teachers, thg negative teachers are the least agreeable' Fortunately, this group
is in the

minority.

2
 The model composition: College leachers

Before I came to college, I was told not to expect my professors to care much about
me or my work; indeed,I was told that I would be luc§ if any of them even knew my name!

But when I came to the universiÿ, I soon learned that these generalisations \ryere too broad.
Not all teachers are the same. In fac! I have found that most of the professors here at State
fall into three categories: the positive teachers, the neutral teachers, and the negative teachers.
The positive teachers are by far the most agreeable teachers. A positive teacher is one
who seems interested in his subject and his students. The first thing a positive teacher does is
try to learn all of the students' names. This kind of teacher allows for questions and

discussions in class and does nol seem to mind if a student disagrees with him. A positive
teacher shows his interest out of class as well. Not only is he available for conferetces, but he
encourages students to see him if they need help. The students tend to feel comfortable in the
presence of this teacher. A good example of a positive teacher is my French teacher,
Monsieur Poirrot. He always allows time during the class hour for some free discussion.
Once, when some of the students in our class were having trouble with the pronunciation of
the rolled'or" in French, he took several hours of his own time to work with us in very small
groups in his office until we had mastered the sound. Unfortunately, teachers like Monsieur
Poirrot are relatively small in number.
Unlike the positive teachers, the neutral teachers are not very agreeable. In general,
the neutral teachers just do not seem interested in either the subject or the students. These
teachers usually do not leam all of the students' names, though they may learn a few. Their
classes tend to be more boring than the positive teachers' classes because they allow less time

for discussion. However, like the positive teacher, the neutral teacher allows for questions and
some discussion, but he does not seem to care if the students are interested enough to want to

discuss the subject or not. Although the neutral teacher is available for conferenees, he does
not entourage students to come see him for help; as a resull rnost students feel slightly
uncomfortable in his presence, especially during a conference. Professor Hilton, my
economics professor, is ÿpical of the neutral teacher. She comes into class, opens her
'When
notebook, lectures, allows questions and some discussion, and then leaves class. I had a

problem understanding one of the concepts we had discussed in class one day, I went to her
offrce for a conference. She was polite enough but did not make any special effort to see that I

understood the concept during the conference. She more or less repeated what she had said in
class. Very few students go to see her for a conference because they think she is simply not
interested. From what I have gathered in my conversation with other students, the neutral
teachers make up the largest category.

J
 Of the three types of teachers, the negative teachers are the least agreeable' These are
the kind that every student dreads. Not only do they not learn the students' names, but they
seem almost hostile both in class and out of class' [n class, the negative teachers, like the
neutral teachers, primarily lecture; they may want the students to learn, but unlike the neutral
and positive teachers, the negative teachers allow virtually no questions and no discussion'
The negative teachers also seem inimical to the idea of having conferences if at all possible'

An excellent example of a negative teacher is Dr. Wallen, my physics professor. His classes
are twice as boring âs any class of a neutral teacher, and he is often intimidating in class' One

day, for example, when one student asked him to repeat his explanation of the theory of
relativity, he became quite angry and refused to repeat what he had just lectured on' The
negative teacher is too often inflexible; in fact, he seems more like a machine than a human
being. Fortunately, this group is in the minority.
The type of teacher students get can directly aflect how much they learn' Obviously,

students learn more from a positive teacher; unfortunately, as we have seen, this §pe makes
up the minority. Since the mission of the universify is to educate, administrators should try to
get the neutral and negative teachers to improve their teaching methods and attitudes;
otherwise, the administrators should consider dismissing at least the negative teachers and
make every effort to hire those teachers who show promise of being positive ones'
Exercises:
I- Ànswer the following questions:
- What is the thesis?
- What seems to be the writer's purpose for writing about these kinds of teachers?
- lVhat is the principle of classification used in this essay?
- What is the controlling idea about the positive teachers?
- What are the characteristics of the positive teachers?
- What is the controlling idea about the neutral teachers? the negative teachers?
- What are the characteristics of the neutral teachers? The negative teachers?

- Does the conclusion appear to be'logical?

II-'lYrite an essay classiffing people's *ttitudes toward: work, Ieisure time, education,
travel. (choose only one option from the list).