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l Types of Essay - II

CHAPTER

Type of Essay - II

LE AR NI NG OUTCOMES
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
1.

Write a classification paragraph or essay;

2.

Write a process analysis paragraph or essay; and

3.

Write in a logical order.

i.

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INTRODUCTION
In general, do you know the difference between these two:

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Well, the difference would be in terms of classification and the process of making the pizza.
How do you differentiate the two titles in essay writing? This is what you are going to learn in
this chapter. You will learn how to write another two types of essays namely the classification
and process analysis essays.

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l Types of Essay - II

7.1

The Classification Essay

7.1.1

Principle of Classification

Let us begin with the classification essay. When you write a classification essay, there are a few
things you need to consider as shown in Figure 7.1 below:

i.

Figure 7.1: Principle of Classification

To really understand the subject you are writing about, it is helpful to do research to compare
and analyse the many aspects of the subject. You want to show your readers that you have
accurate information.
To organise a classification essay, as a writer, you should:
Categorise each group.
Describe each category. List the general characteristics and discuss them.
Provide adequate examples. The examples should be illustrative and represent the
group.
Draw attention to similarities or differences of each category by using comparisoncontrast techniques.

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7.2 Organisation of the Classification Essay

Figure 7.2 below illustrates the steps involved in organisation of the classification essay:

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Figure 7.2: Organisation of the Classification Essay

As shown in Figure 7.2 above, when you begin writing, arrange all your categories to reflect
the basis of your comparison. Then, write your thesis statement in a way that reflects the group
you will classify. Next, discuss one category per paragraph and finally include facts, examples
and details.

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When you are drafting your classification, it is helpful to put the categories into a table.
The example in Figure 7.3 below shows a classification of drivers, which can be categorised
according to their behaviour while driving:

i.

Figure 7.3: Three types of drivers and their behaviour while driving

You can refer to the following website to see examples of classification

essay:
http://www.swiftpapers.com/howto/sample-19-Classification_Essay.
html

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1. Read the following essay then complete the diagram (The Classification
of Birds) that follows.
The Classification of Birds
Birds are instantly recognisable creatures. Perhaps it is their ability to fly
that causes this. Some people might consider that their shape was the most
distinguishing feature. Everyone, however, agrees on the characteristics
that a bird possesses: two wings, feathers, two legs, a toothless bill or beak,
warm blood, and it lays eggs.
The modern system of classifying birds is like a pyramid, with the base
formed by 8514 different species. A convenient definition of species is: an
interbreeding group of birds which do not normally mate with other such
groups.

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The next division above the species is the genus, a group of species showing
strong similarities. The scientific name of a bird gives the genus first, then
the species. Thus, the scientific (Latin) name of the golden eagle is Aquila
chrysatos (eagle, golden). When there are strong points of similarity
between one genus and another, these related genera are grouped together
and are said to belong to the same family. The names of the 215 families
of birds always end in idae. The golden eagle, for instance, is one of the
Falconidae (falcon family).
Families with broadly similar characteristics are grouped together into
27 orders, whose names end in iformes. The golden eagle falls into of
Falconiformes (falcon-like birds). The largest order is Passeriformes or
perching birds. This contains 63 families, and more species than all the rest
put together. The feet are designed so that they can grip a perch, with three
toes in front and one behind. In addition, all are known as long-birds. Two
large families within this order are sparrows, with 155 species, and crows,
with 100 species.
Finally, the entire orders make up the class Aves (birds).This system of
classification has enabled scientists to differentiate 8514 species of birds.
Placing a bird in the right family depends upon a number of features. Among
them are external characteristics, such as the shape of the beak and feet, and
the colour pattern of the feathers. However, at the level of order, the next
higher category, distinctions are based on such features as the structure of
the skull, the arrangement of the muscles in the legs, and the condition of
the young at the time of hatching.

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l Types of Essay - II

Diagram of the classification of birds.

Classification
divisions or
categories

Example of classification of
Golden Eagle (in English) for
each division

Order

Falcon-like

Golden Eagle

Number of the
divisionsEnglish)
for each division

8514

2. From the information in the text:

(a) Give a definition of a bird.
(b) Give a definition of a species.
(c) Give two criteria that are used in assigning birds to the order of
Passeriformes.
(d) Give two examples of families of birds from the order of
Passeriformes.
(e) List some of the general characteristics of families of birds, and
then of orders of birds.

i.

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Look carefully at the diagram below. It is a tree diagram

classification of drinks. What are the three criteria that are used in
the classification?
Write a description of classification of drinks based on the
information in the diagram.
Begin your description:
Drinks may be classified into two main groups.

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7.3

l Types of Essay - II

The Process Analysis Essay

When you are asked to analyse a process, you need to break it up into parts and try to describe
the various steps required to make your readers understand how to carry out the process
effectively.
You may be asked to write about how to run a small business or how to start a business by your
instructor. So you begin writing a process analysis essay.
7.3.1

Planning the Process Analysis Essay

To write a good process analysis essay, you should consider the following:
(a) How to arrange the sequence of steps required in the process you are writing about.
You need to include all the necessary details to help your readers understand what
you are trying to explain. Using a chronological order works well in making the
steps in the process easily understood.
(b) How to explain the process to your readers. You need to decide whether your
readers are inexperienced or have prior knowledge of the process you are writing
about inexperienced. That would determine the kind of language and technical
vocabulary you can use and how detailed the explanation should be.
7.3.2

Organising the Process Analysis Essay

When we describe a process or procedure, we often use present passive verb forms (is/are +
verb stem + ed e.g. it is manufactured) to give a general description.
When we report a particular procedure, we are concerned with only one particular occasion
in the past; then we often use the past passive tense (was/were + verb stem + ed e.g. it was
heated).
A description that does not involve a process or procedure is often written in the present simple
active tense (verb stem + s e.g. it comprises).

i.

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1. Read the following carefully. Note particularly the verb forms that are
used. Some of the present passive verb forms are in italics.

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2. Read through the text again carefully and underline other present
passive verb forms.

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7.4

l Types of Essay - II

Coherence

When describing a process, sequence markers, e.g. first, then, next, finallyare often used.
They help to link the sentences.
Sometimes, in order to avoid repeating a subject, a relative pronoun and relative clause are
used, e.g.

i.

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Fill in the Blanks Questions

Type in your answers in the spaces provided.

1. Some of the sentences from the text have been joined together below to form a
paragraph. Spaces have been left in the sentences. In the spaces write an appropriate
verb (and sometimes preposition), and, if suitable, a relative pronoun.
First, the logs _________________ in the shredder. Then they
______________ into small chips ______________ water and acid. Next
they _______________ to a heavy pulp. After this, it ____________
through rollers to flatten it. Then, sheet of wet paper _____________.
Finally, the water _______________ from the sheets until the finished paper
_______________.

2. Look at the following table carefully.

Writing in English: Manchester University (50 students)
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%
students

Types of
writing

(average)
frequency

(average)
length

52
34
14
12

Essay
Report
Dissertation
Thesis

5 per term
2 per term
1 per term
1 after
2-3 years

2000 words
4000 words
8000 words
300- 1000 pages

The information in the table can be described (as an alternative to using the table).
Notice the construction of the following sentence:
52% of the students wrote essays, of an average frequency of 5 per term, of an
average length of 2000 words.
Now read the following paragraph, which describes some of the information
contained in the table.

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l Types of Essay - II

Fill in the Blanks Questions

Type in the spaces with information from the table.

A survey was conducted among _____________ overseas postgraduate
students at _______________________. The purpose of the survey was
to discover the type, ____________________ and _________________
of academic writing that was expected of the student by their supervisors
or tutors. ______________ of the students ________________ reports, of
an ____________________ 2 per term, ______________ average length
_________________.

i.

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Drag and Drop Questions

Drag and drop the correct answers into the empty spaces provided.
1. The followings are a number of sentences describing how a breakfast cereal is
made. The sentences are in the wrong order. Rearrange them according to the
correct order.

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Drag and Drop Questions

2. Below are the steps or stages in conducting a survey. Drag and drop the
appropriate verb from the following list into the spaces provided in each
sentenceUse past passive forms of the verbs, e.g. was/were asked.

(a) A survey

among 50 students.

(b) First, questionnaires

(c) Then the students

to the students.
to write answers to the questions.

(d) After this, the completed questionnaires

(e) Next, the answers

(f) Finally, the results

i.

Verbs
was requested

were requested

were collected

was collected

were carried out

was carried out

was published

was published

were analysed

was analysed

was distributed

were distributed

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CHAPTER 7

GLOssary
Terms

Definition

Classification essay

In a classification essay, a writer organises, or sorts, things

into categories.

Process analysis essay

Process analysis essays are directions. They explain how to

do something, how something works, or how something hap
pens. These essays present the steps in the process in chrono
logical order, from first to last.

References
1. http://www.essaystart.com/Kinds_of_Essays/classification_Essays.htm
2. http://buowl.boun.edu.tr/students/types%20of%20essays/Classification%20Essay.html
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3. http://www.swiftpapers.com/howto/sample-19-Classification_Essay.html.html
4. http://www.mindrelief.net/classification_essay.html
5. http://essayinfo.com/essays/classification_essay.php
6. http://www.deil.uiuc.edu/eslservice/units/firstaid/ProcessEssayInfo.htm
7. http://www.essaymall.com/Process_essay.php
8. Bindseil K.R. & Dickey, I.B. (1978) Effective writing. Methods and examples. Houghton
Mifflin Company.
9. Fawcett, S. & Sandberg, A. (2000) Evergreen: A guide to writing. Houghton Mifflin.
10. Fawcett, S. & Sandberg, A. (2002) Grassroots with readings. Houghton Mifflin.
11. Hogue, A. and Oshima, A (2006) Introduction to academic writing. Pearson Education
Inc..
12. Hollowell, I. M., Levernier J.A., & Parks, A.F.(1986) Structuring Paragraphs: A guide to
effective writing. 2nd ed. New York: St. Martins
13. Jordan, R.R. (1999) Academic writing course. Longman