Download Classification, Analysis

The Classification/Analysis
Essay Assignment
About this assignment
Students ask the most questions about the following
assignment. You’re already familiar with the
concepts in this presentation, but they might be
presented in a way you haven’t considered before.
Work your way through the presentation, and as
always, I’m here for you if you have questions.
What is classification?
(also see p.295 in the RR)
You classify when you group ideas or objects into
categories.
Ex: Grocery shopping
Ex: M&Ms candy
Ex: E-mail
Why would we group items or
ideas?
1. Helps us understand complex ideas
 Science
fields (botany, zoology, astronomy)
2. Helps us recognize common characteristics
that diverse things share
Example
How do astronomers classify planets?
Journal assignment
Classify the follow topics on your own:
Menu
items
Dogs
Love
Arguments
against school uniforms
Journal assignment: possible
answers
Types of menu items:
 Breakfast
 Lunch
 Dinner
Types of dogs:
 Toy breeds
 Hound breeds
 Working breeds
Journal assignment: possible
answers
Types of love:
 Passionate love
 Brotherly love
 Love for God
Types of arguments
against school
uniforms:
 Financial arguments
 Behavioral arguments
 Social arguments
Rules to Remember
Categories can’t be ILLOGICAL:
Large dogs
Medium dogs
Small dogs
Friendly dogs
Rules to Remember
Categories can’t OVERLAP:
I want to group newspapers into 2
categories—those who are interested in the
good of the people, and those who are only
interested in themselves.
Rules to Remember
Categories shouldn’t leave out the
OBVIOUS:
I want to organize types of divorces:
 The
friendly/amiable divorce
 The expensive divorce
 The cheap divorce
?
Topic Ideas for Classification
 Types of jazz dance moves
 Types of sports strategies, equipment, players,
rules, techniques, athletic successesetc.
 Types of low-tech weapons
 Types of baseball bats for the beginner
 Types of testing strategies
 Types of animal testing
 Types of business managerial styles
More Ideas
 Types of temperaments
 Types of real estate blunders
 Types of automotive purchasing blunders, types of
engines for your boat, types of ¼ ton trucks, etc.
 Types of organizational strategies
 Types of mistakes dog owners make
 Types of Caribbean vacations
 Types of emotional games couples play
Topic Tip
TIP: Don’t think— “what should I classify?” Instead,
come up with a topic. THEN, ask yourself, how
might I classify this topic? How might I analyze this
topic?
And the other side of
the classification coin .
..
Division (or Analysis)
You divide (or analyze) when you break an idea or
object down into smaller “chunks.”
This is different than classification because when you
classify, you break down something very large.
When you analyze, you break down something
specific.
Ex: M&Ms
Why would we analyze?
Because this is how we look at information or
objects in deeper ways.





Politicians analyze voters
Coaches analyze teams
Literary critics analyze poetry
Businesses analyze customers, trends, clients, products,
sales, etc.
Auto enthusiasts analyze the 2009 Chevy Camaro
Practice
How might a doctor analyze a
patient?
She might analyze:
 Medical history
 Or age
 Or vital signs
 Or symptoms
 Etc.
Remember that the reverse of this, classification, could be
used as well. A doctor might classify a group of patients by
severity of problem, medical history, age, vital signs,
symptoms, etc.
Journal assignment
Analyze:
A
tennis shoe
 The
 The
appeal of any TV show
argument for (or against) legalizing
marijuana
Journal assignment: possible
answers
Analysis of a tennis
shoe:
 Material
 Brand
 Purpose
 Price point
 Intended audience
 How it’s made
 Athlete endorsement
 Labor costs
 Environmental impact
 Advertising
 Country where it’s made
 History of product
 History of company
 Etc.
Journal assignment: possible
answers
Appeal of NBC’s The Office
Dark
humor
Familiar office situations
Familiar office personalities
Talented actors
Talented writers
Topic Ideas for Analysis
 Analyze what it takes to be financially
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independent
Analyze a thing, person, idea, concept
Analyze an invention
Analyze a career
Analyze a problem
Analyze a solution for a problem
Analyze a strategy
Analyze a corporation, business plan, etc.
Analyze a technology
Analyze ANYTHING!
Essay Criteria
 Pick either classification OR analysis
 3-5 pages
 3 outside, credible sources
 Remember attachments (checklist, etc.)
 Avoid slang
 Try to use mostly 3rd person POV
 Try to have a more formal writing style