Caleb S.
Caleb S.

Classification Essay - Outline, Topics & Writing Tips

6 min read

Published on: Jan 2, 2022

Last updated on: Oct 26, 2024

Classification Essay

Most high school and college students are often assigned to write a classification essay at some point in their academic life.

Teachers assign this task to evaluate the student’s skills in categorizing things. It can be a daunting task, but with the help of basic techniques, you can make the writing process easier.

Here are a few tips and guidelines that you can use to structure your classification essays properly. You have to plan your essay and figure out the categories beforehand to complete this assignment easily.

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Classification Essay Definition

A classification essay is a formal piece of writing used to evaluate your categorizing and generalization skills. It mainly aims to arrange various subjects and objects with similar characteristics.

For this, a writer needs to categorize and classify things into different groups and mention examples that fit into each. Similarly, you are also required to follow a single categorizing approach throughout the content. However, it is up to you to decide on criteria for classification to explain the reasoning and logic.

The entire process of classification essay writing is not very different from any other type of essay. Like other academic papers, the principles of essay writing remain the same, but it requires extensive research and analysis.

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How to Start a Classification Essay?

Here are some important steps that you should follow to start a classification essay.

  • Brainstorm Ideas

    Most professors assign you a specific topic to write your classification essay. If you are not assigned, brainstorm different ideas and come up with an engaging topic. Decide on a group of things that can be logically divided into groups. Also, come up with something that has definitive categories for comparison.

  • Choose the Categories

    After choosing a topic, decide on classification criteria. Think about all the possible categories in which the topic can split up. Some topic ideas have several options; thus, you will have to determine the exact angle to approach the essay’s theme. Furthermore, make sure that none of the categories is overlapping.

  • Develop a Strong Thesis Statement

    thesis statement is the main argument of the writer on the topic. It is the stance that supports your entire essay, including the main body. Therefore, it is important to draft a strong statement. Also, use examples and evidence to make your essay effective and persuasive.

  • Conduct Thorough Research

    The next step is to conduct thorough research to gather interesting information for the audience. However, make sure to collect data from credible and authentic sources. It will further strengthen the content of your essay by making it more convincing and logical.

  • Create a Classification Essay Outline

    After collecting relevant information, you are now required to structure and organize it properly. Thus, write down the main ideas and present a logical connection between them. Eliminate unnecessary ideas if there are any.

    Check out the following classification essay outline that you can use for your division and classification essay.

    • Introductory paragraph - (A hook statement and thesis)
    • Body paragraph 1/Category number 1
    • Body paragraph 2/Category number 2
    • Body paragraph 3/Category number 3
    • Conclusion
    • References

How to Write a Classification Essay?

After planning out the basic structure, start the writing process. Follow the below-given steps to write a perfect classification essay.

  1. Write a Classification Essay Introduction

    The introduction is the first and the most important section of the classification essay. Here, you have to identify the subject and mention the objects to be categorized.

    State an interesting hook statement to make your introduction appealing. Such as strong opening line will grab the reader’s attention towards the essay. After this, provide the purpose of the essay and explain the reason for categorizing the items.

    Lastly, write a strong thesis statement to highlight the subject matter in the discussion. Develop this statement early during the writing process as it will help the writer stay in the right direction.

  2. Draft the Body Section

    The body section of the classification essay comprises three or more paragraphs depending on the categories. All the paragraph provides relevant information, examples, and evidence to justify the thesis statement. Also, start each paragraph with a topic sentence.

    The right approach is to discuss the most important category in the last paragraph. Use classification essay transition words to ensure that the data flows logically from one paragraph to another.

    The following are some common transition phrases. Apply them each time you arrange things into groups and provide examples related to each class.

    • The 1st kind, the 2nd kind, the 3rd kind
    • The 1st group, the 2nd group, the 3rd group
    • The 1st category, the 2nd category, the 3rd category
  3. Write a Strong Conclusion

    It is the last section of a classification essay where you put together all the categories mentioned in the main body. Here, a writer will summarize all the central arguments and restate the thesis statement.

    Also, mention the various types and approaches that you have examined in your classification essay. Recommend the particular one over the others, depending on the subject matter. However, make sure to emphasize why you have come to that conclusion.

  4. Revising and Editing

    The first draft of your classification essay is full of mistakes, but you can fix it up by editing and revising. For this, read your essay twice or thrice and ensure that it includes all the important points highlighted in the outline.

    Eliminate all the language, punctuation, and spelling mistakes to give it a professional look. Similarly, get rid of all the unnecessary and overly complex words and phrases before the final submission.

OBJECTS

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Classification Essay Examples

Have a look at the following classification essay examples to understand writing a good one in no time.

Classification Essay Topics

Not all ideas can be good topics. Here we have mentioned some of the best topics for a classification essay, divided into several categories. It will help you choose a unique one for your essay.

  • Olympic games
  • Different genres of modern music
  • Rare species of animals
  • Types of dogs
  • Ways to treat obesity
  • Types of human relationships
  • Common phobias
  • Psychological disorders
  • Movies about memory loss
  • Meals that may lead to diabetes

Tips for Writing a Classification Essay

Keep in mind the expert tips given below while writing a good classification essay. It will make your essay stand out and draw the reader’s attention.

  • It is better to avoid choosing complex topics because extremely narrow or broad topics are hard to deal with.
  • Conduct extensive research to gather factual data for the essay.
  • Make sure to define and describe all the categories.
  • Provide authentic evidence and examples for each classified group. Make sure it offers a typical representation of the class.
  • Use credible sources of information.
  • Draft a perfect outline to organize the data properly.
  • Use a comparison and contrast technique to point out various similarities and differences between each category.
  • Proofread and revise your essay to make it perfect.

These are a few guidelines that will help you write an A-worthy classification essay. Planning out the assignment early and figuring out the categories is the key to success.

However, if you are still unsure about your research or writing skills, get quality help from our classification essay writing service now!

Our classification essay writers will help you submit a comprehensive piece of paper that will get you the grade you deserve. 

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Caleb S.

WRITTEN BY

Caleb S. (Literature, Marketing)

Caleb S. has extensive experience in writing and holds a Masters from Oxford University. He takes great satisfaction in helping students exceed their academic goals. Caleb always puts the needs of his clients first and is dedicated to providing quality service.

Caleb S. has extensive experience in writing and holds a Masters from Oxford University. He takes great satisfaction in helping students exceed their academic goals. Caleb always puts the needs of his clients first and is dedicated to providing quality service.

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