Objectives fi nding a • basis for classifi cation

Model Paragraph: Movie Heroes
Heroes in American movies usually fall into types. One kind of hero 
is the tight-lipped loner, men like Clint Eastwood and Humphrey Bogart. 
Another movie hero is the quiet, shy, or fumbling type who has appeared 
in movies since the beginning. The main characteristic of this hero is 
lovableness, as seen in actors like Jimmy Stewart. Perhaps the most 
one-dimensional and predictable hero is the superman who battles tough 
odds. This kind of hero is best illustrated by Sylvester Stallone as Rocky 
and Rambo.
Topic sentence
People to Classify:
1. Politicians
2. Neurotics
3. Annoying people
4. Celebrities
5. Supervisors
6. Babysitters
7. Cheaters
8. Coworkers
9. People in the neighborhood
10. Relatives
Ten suggested topics
E x p l o r i n g O n l i n e
Go to 
www.cengage.com/devenglish/scarry/writersworkplace
 to fi nd 
the 
Writer’s Online Workplace,
a website designed for students using 
this book. You will fi nd links to handouts, interactive quizzes, and other 
online resources as you explore the following topic:
classifi cation techniques
• 
PART 4
CREATING EFFECTIVE PARAGRAPHS
494
Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.

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PORTFOLIO SUGGESTION
The paragraph you have written in class would make a good introductory paragraph 
for a full-length essay, in which you might devote an entire paragraph to each student 
type. Keep your paragraph as well as the brainstorming list developed in the class. 
You might fi nd this material useful when writing an essay in your current class or in 
another writing class in the future.
CLASSIFICATION: PERSONALITIES 
IN THE CLASSROOM
How could you categorize students in the classrooms you 
have known? Here are a few popular stereotypes that could 
be used when exploring this topic:
the class clown
the 
overachiever
the teacher’s pet
the quiet student
the inattentive student
Brainstorming
Brainstorm with the class for the names of other student types found in the classroom. 
Put all the possibilities on the board. Then decide which combinations would work 
well together for a classifi cation paragraph or essay, remembering that the categories 
should be distinct and complete. (Of course, there could be some fl exibility with the 
completeness of the categories if your intention is humorous.) How many different 
groupings can the members of the class arrange?
Writing
Each student should then write a classifi cation paragraph using one of the groupings 
in the class brainstorming session.
Peer Editing
After fi fteen minutes or so, pass the paragraphs around so that all students can read 
each other’s work. On a separate sheet of paper that travels with each paragraph, 
each student should make one positive criticism and one constructive criticism. 
Finally return the paragraph with its separate page of comments to the owner.
Working Together
495
Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.

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