Classification and division are two closely related methods of analysis that not only help us make us make sense of our world on a daily basis, but are useful strategies used in many forms of writing.  Classification is a type of analysis in which similar items are grouped or arranged according to type or kind.  Division takes one unit or concept and breaks it down into its component parts. 

Connie Tullos and I thought that the classification-division essay would lend itself well to being written collaboratively by the five members of her English class as their DESK writing project.  While completely collaborative writing is difficult for novice writers, here each student would be assigned the task of analyzing one of the groups or pieces of the selected subject, which would probably result in one paragraph or small section per student.  Putting these essay parts together in a cohesive essay in this type of semi-collaborative project helps students learn many writing skills, such as how to establish coherence within and between the paragraphs of an essay, how to maintain unity of voice and tone, and how to consistently address an audience. 

Introducing Classification and Division:

• Begin by asking the students what it means to analyze something.¹⁹   Various answers might be: "look at it", "take it apart," "figure it out." 
• Then ask the students if they have ever analyzed anything in school or in their daily lives.  Typical answers will be: “I analyzed a cell under a microscope in biology,” “I analyzed a story in literature,” and “I analyzed my car’s engine to fix it.”
• Affirming that these are all valid kinds of analysis, explain that they will be doing a form of analysis for the DESK Program writing project, but that first they need to know the difference between two types of analysis: classification and division. 
• Begin with division since its name is more clearly linked to its meaning.  After giving the students a brief definition, such as “dividing a thing into its parts,”  ask them how they would divide a department store into its parts.  If the word “parts” doesn’t immediately prompt answers, the word “departments” will.  As students volunteer various departments, you can I sketch a diagram like the following on the board:

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A standard pie graph is also visually effective in defining this type of analysis:

COLORS OF HAIR

• Continue by telling the students that classification is a similar form analysis. However, in classification many things are arranged in groups because the items in each group shared certain characteristics.

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Choosing the Classification-Division Subject:

So that more time could be spent on the writing and revision of the essay, I gave the students a “jump start” in selecting a topic by choosing the writing situation or prompt for their group.  I wrote on the board: TO WHOM (audience): New Students at LSD High School WHY? (purpose): To make them feel more comfortable HOW? (method): Classification or Division

• At this point it is not necessary to explain “audience” and “purpose.”   However, the above information or similar information will be adequate to begin a brainstorming session about the chosen classification or division subject.²⁰

Drafting the “Pieces”:

• After the students select the essay topic and choose their individual “pieces,” discuss what information will need to be in each of their pieces. 
• Stress that although this is a group writing effort, they are striving to make the essay “read” as if it has been written by one person.  Briefly mention they will accomplish that by making all the paragraphs contain similar elements or types of information and that later in the revision process they will connect their pieces with transitions between their paragraphs.
• In assigning the rough draft as homework,  tell the students that although they might each choose to write more than one paragraph later, for the first draft they should each write one paragraph.  For now, resist the inclination to tell them what information to include in their paragraphs and in what order to present it.
• Ask that each student bring a copy of his or her paragraph on paper and on an overhead transparency.

• Begin this session by reading through each of the students’ paragraphs on the overhead projector.  Each time you finish one student’s paragraph, ask the class to tell you what their “favorite” sentences are in that paragraph.  Invariably, the chosen sentences are the ones that are the most vivid and detailed.  Continually stress that this is the kind of writing that will really catch the readers’ attention.²¹

• Remind the students that while their paragraphs represent a good first draft, they now have to work on making the essay “read” as if it were written by one person by making all the paragraphs contain similar elements or types of information.
• Present on an overhead transparency “Making Paragraphs ‘Match’” (see example)²².   If time allows, it is more effective to cover the right column which identifies the paragraph elements and let the students “discover” why the paragraphs’ internal structures seem similar.
• In returning to their rough drafts, explain that while their paragraphs shouldn’t completely mimic each other, they will need to have some basic similarities.
• Using the strongest and most comprehensive student paragraph as an example, ask the class to identify the basic pieces of information it contains.  Jot these down on the transparency in the margin of the paragraph. 

• Before the students begin to revise their paragraphs, distribute a copy of a similar diagram of the student paragraph used above to serve as a guide in their revisions.²³

• Tell the students to each bring the typed paragraph printed out on paper and reproduced on an overhead transparency (both single-spaced). 

Putting the “Pieces” Together:

After the students have revised their body paragraphs, it is time to turn their attention to ordering the paragraphs. 

• Before beginning this session, make sure that each student has copies of all the essay’s paragraphs. 
• Begin by asking the students whether they feel the readers should learn about the pieces or groups of their analysis in any particular order. 

• As you discuss the order of the paragraphs, tell the students to move the copies of their paragraphs on the tops of their desks to try out different plans while you do the same with the overhead transparencies.²⁴

• Turning to transitions between the paragraphs, begin asking the students what a transition is.  After an adequate definition was offered,  ask the class how transitions help readers.  Responses will include, “Transitions help the readers know where they are in the essay” and “Transitions make the essay smoother and easier to read.” 
• Next, discuss what some possible transitions words might be.  Since these came relatively easily to the students, especially ordinal words, you might suggest that they consider some possible transition phrases to make their writing more “sophisticated.”  As suggestions are made, jot them down on the overhead transparencies of the paragraphs.


Writing the Introduction:²⁵

As I have noted in Unit One, most of these students had participated in the DESK Program the previous year.  Therefore, I did not do a complete presentation of the characteristics of a good introductory paragraph.  I did show and briefly review the criteria on the “Introduction Checklist”(See Example).

• Stress that since they now have a sense of their essay’s purpose, they have to make sure that they grab their readers’ attention in their opening statement and lead them to that purpose in the form of a thesis statement.  Stress that it is especially important that they “talk” to their audiences in the introduction.
• Referring back to the audience and purpose (see example), ask the students to each bring an introductory paragraph which includes a purpose or thesis statement for the next session.   Tell each student to bring a typed draft printed out on paper and reproduced on an overhead transparency. 
• During this session, read through all of the individual introductory paragraphs.

Since the semester was fast coming to a close, I decided to let the students vote on the best introduction and we used that to begin the group essay.  With more time, the best features of several of the introductions could be identified and used to form a “composite” introduction.

Completing the Classification-Division Essay:

• Several subsequent class periods can be spent adding a brief conclusion and revising and editing each student’s body paragraph.

During these sessions, I frequently worked one-on-one with students as they worked at their desks.

• When the essays are complete, give each student a final copy of the entire essay.