Technical Writing Classifying

1
Technical Writing- Classifying
PROVIDENCE UNIVERSITY
College of Management

• Wu-Lin Chen (wlchen_at_pu.edu.tw)
• Department of Computer Science and Information
  Management

2
Classification

• A classification includes
• A general class
• A specific item or items
• A basis for classification (frequently not
  stated)
• For example
• All matter (general class) may be classified as
  either solid, liquid, or gas (specific items).

3
Classifying From General To Specific

• All matter may be classified as either solid,
  liquid, or gas.
• Solids may be further divided into two classes
  crystalline and amorphous.

4
Classifying From Specific To General

• Rubber, wood, glass, iron, cotton, and sand are
  all classified as solids.

5
Classifying From Specific To General

• Rocks, wood, paper, and cotton are crystalline
  solids.

6
Sentence Patterns

• Classifying from general to specific

classified grouped divided arranged categorized
divisions. groups. types. classes. categories. cla
ssifications.
into
is/are may be can be could be
Matter
classified categorized classed grouped
as
solids, liquid, or gas.
types kinds classes categories
There are three
of matter.
7
Sentence Patterns (cont.)

• Classifying from specific to general

may be can be could be is/are
classified classed categorized
Oxygen
as a gas.
an example of a a type of a kind of a form of a
gas.
Oxygen is
8
Note

• A classification is like an upside-town tree.
• The passive form is used frequently in sentence
  of classification.
• Scientists classify mercury as a metal. (active)
• Mercury is classified as a metal. (passive)
• The present simple tense is the commonly used
  tense in science writing because it expresses
  universals.

9
Structure

• An article can be divided into several
  paragraphs.
• A paragraph can be further divided into
  sentences.
• Each paragraph contains a main concept and
  material that supports the concept.
• The central though or idea is usually stated in a
  topic sentence.

10
Structure (cont.)

• The topic sentence is frequently but not always
  the first sentence of the paragraph. (announce)
• Sometimes the topic sentence is the second
  sentence of a paragraph, or the last sentence.
  (summarize)
• The paragraph should cover everything about the
  topic sentence and only what is in the paragraph.