Classification Essay – Prewriting Template
NOTICE:
• There are 4 steps for this assignment: Planning (1), Rough Draft (2), Revised Draft (3), and Edited Draft
(4).
• In order to complete the writing assignment correctly and to receive the maximum amount of points for
your work, you must complete all 4 steps.
• Points will be deducted for any missing step.
• Review the assignment instructions and the grading rubric carefully to ensure that you have completed all
of the required elements before submitting your prewriting assignment.
Honor Statement
Read and sign this honor statement prior to submitting your assignment:
By typing my name in the space provided, I certify that all words and ideas in my writing assignment are
mine alone, and, if I used another person’s words or ideas (by summarizing, paraphrasing, or directly
quoting), I gave credit to that author, and I also put quotation marks around any direct quotations.
By signing my name, I also understand that, if I have copied someone else’s ideas or words, I have
plagiarized, and I understand that the penalty for plagiarism is course failure.
Student Name: _________________________________________
Step 1: Classification Essay Planning and Outline
Directions: Using the assigned topic, complete all of the elements of the planning; otherwise, the content of
your piece will not be accurate.
Topic: Types of College Students
Three categories:
Attitude/Point:
Audience:
Purpose:
Topic Sentence:
Thesis Statement:
Brainstorm Characteristics:
Classification Outline:
Step 2: Classification Essay Rough Draft
Directions: Write a rough draft that follows your outline, beginning with your introduction paragraph. As you
write your body paragraphs, do not worry about spelling or grammar; just let your thoughts flow. End with a
good concluding paragraph that restates your controlling idea or expresses a thought that restates the
significance of the categories of classification and shows how the parts contribute to the function of the
whole. It must be a 5-paragraph essay using 400-450 words.
Step 3: Classification Essay Revised Draft
Directions: Open your Classification Essay Rough Draft, click on “Tools” or “Review” if you are using
Microsoft Word, and hit “Track Changes.” This is so your instructor can see all the changes you make.
Begin reading through your rough draft and make changes to the content as you see fit. Add more details
to each type, kind or position, if needed or delete irrelevant details that do not help showing how the parts
relate to the whole. Add transitional words or phrases to help the essay flow in a logical order. Then, save
the draft with the changes.
Step 4: Classification Essay Edited Draft
Directions: Turn off the “Track Changes” feature. Copy your Revised Classification Essay Draft, paste it
below, click on “Tools” or “Review” if you are using Microsoft Word, and make sure you turn on the “TrackChanges” feature. Edit for any spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. Focus especially on the
concepts you have recently studied. Save these changes.
NOTE: Use of contractions (can’t, won’t, doesn’t, etc.) and second person (any form of the pronoun “you”)
is strictly prohibited and will result in loss of points on writing assignments