50 Writing Topics on Classification

Classification allows writers to assemble thoughts in an organized manner, especially when writers block may strike. It is particularly useful in identifying and illustrating different types, varieties, and methods. Classification pieces  can become essays or articles in themselves, or they can also be useful as prewriting exercises for something longer, such as exploring a character being developed for a fiction piece. While classification has been used...as a method for organizing essays and paragraphs, classification and other  traditional  methods of organization [also]  have come to be used as tools of invention, of systematically exploring subjects in order to develop ideas for an essay. — David Sabrio Prewriting: Brainstorming Making stream-of-consciousness lists can be a useful way to explore a topic. Dont let yourself pause for a few minutes, just write  down whatever comes into your head about the topic. Dont censor  yourself, either, as tangents may come in handy as  surprising details to include or lead you down a path to a discovery that you may not have found otherwise.   If you prefer visuals, use the mind map method where you write the topic in the middle of the page and connect concepts to it and whatever else you write down, radiating outward. These types of prewriting exercises get your brain working on the topic so you have less to fear from that empty white  page, and  the prewriting can be a resource to mine at times when you might feel stuck for a direction. Having a scraps document  can also help you store paragraphs or turns of phrase  that you like but dont really fit—it feels better to relocate them rather than just delete them—when  you realize that  getting them out of your draft file helps you move forward with the piece overall.   Classification Paragraph Start your classification paragraph with a topic sentence to let the reader know what the paragraph will be about. This will likely include a list of the items you are classifying. Follow up with sentences that show how the items in the group are similar, how they differ or give some kind of exposition about how they are used or are observed. Finish with a concluding sentence. If the paragraph is intended to be the introduction to an essay, make sure there is a smooth transition into the main body of the essay. Classification Essay When broadening a piece into a classification essay use the classification paragraph mentioned above as an introductory paragraph. Add three or more body paragraphs. Each of these will take a different category and explore its strengths and weaknesses. Finally, a conclusion paragraph will summarize the body paragraphs, and perhaps make a judgment over which is the better option. Classification Speech A classification speech is different than a paragraph or essay. In such a talk, the speaker is likely looking for ways to tell an audience something in an organized manner. Rotary advises its members to give such speeches as ways to introduce themselves to fellow members. Some of its advice for organizing thoughts: Why you chose your business or professionParts of your job you find most rewarding and most difficultAdvice you would give those entering your career 50 Topic Suggestions These 50  topic  suggestions should help you discover a subject that particularly interests  you. If 50 isnt enough, try 400 Writing Topics. Students in a library  RoommatesHobbiesMusic on your phone or MP3 playerStudy habitsStand-up comediansSelf-centered peopleOnline educational resourcesGardenersDrivers in a traffic jamReality shows on televisionSales clerksFictional detectivesRoad tripsDancing stylesVideo gamesCustomers at your workplaceWays of boring peopleCheatersShoppersRides at an amusement parkFirst datesVideos on YouTubeStores in the mallPeople waiting in lineChurchgoersAttitudes toward exercisingReasons for attending (or not attending) collegeBaseball pitchers, football quarterbacks, or soccer goaliesStyles of eating in the cafeteriaWays of saving moneyTalk-show hostsVacationsMethods of studying for a final examinationFriendsComediansWays of quitting smokingAttitudes toward moneyTelevision comediesDietsSports fansOn-campus jobs for studentsWays of coping with a coldNote-taking strategiesAttitudes toward tipping in restaurantsPolitical activistsPortable music playersDifferent uses of social networking sites (s uch as Facebook and Twitter)High school teachers or college professorsWays of protecting the environment Model Paragraphs and Essays Some examples to get some inspiration on the form: Draft Classification Essay: Types of ShoppersE.B. Whites New YorkOf Studies by Francis BaconConversation by Samuel Johnson Sources Sabrio, David. The Encyclopedia of Rhetoric and Composition. Collins, Christopher, executive editor, Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York, 1996.How to Prepare a Rotary Classification Talk https://www.rotaryroom711.org/portfolio/how-to-prepare-a-rotary-classification-talk-presentation/