Not all information gathered about people comes from merely observing behavior.
Sociologists, for example, also collect information about people through surveys or questionnaires by asking people to answer questions in specific categories. The results can then be used to report on people’s backgrounds, age, opinions, beliefs, eating
habits, or anything that the research focuses on.
34 CHAPTER 2
Working with a Survey
@ Copy the chart on a separate sheet of paper. Complete the chart by conducting a survey of all your classmates. If necessary, walk around the room to ensure that you speak to everyone.
1. Places People Are from Originally: China
Mexico
2. Birthplace (City, Town, or Village):
3. Number of Siblings :
4, First Language
5. Number of Languages Spoken
@ On the same sheet of paper, write two sentences reporting on the information you have gathered for each category. You may make general statements, cite statistics, or do both.
You can‘conduct a survey most efficiently on computers: The most popular online program for creating surveys is SurveyMonkey®, but there are
competitors, including apps for smart phones: and: tablets.
Writing a Thesis Statement
Using your sentences from Practice 5B, write a thesis statement for a
classification essay. Indicate how similar or dissimilar your classmates are and introduce the categories that the body of the essay will discuss.
For writing guides to help you with a classification thesis, see Appendix A on page 189.
Classification Essays 35
Using your sentences from Practice 5B and your thesis statement from Practice 6 on page 35, complete the plan for a classification essay.
Thesis Statement for Introductory Paragraph:
Paragraph 1:
Topic Sentence:
Supporting Information/Examples:
Paragraph 2:
Topic Sentence:
Supporting Information/Examples:
36 CHAPTER 2
Paragraph 3:
Topic Sentence:
Supporting Information/Examples:
a Applying Vocabulary: Using Collocations
As you work to improve the level of your academic vocabulary, it is important to include collocations that occur in formal academic writing. Before you begin your writing assignment, review the collocations you learned about on page 25.
Writing Collocations
Use the collocations to write a sentence about your family traditions.
1. believe in
2. base something on
3. go to great lengths
4. take place
5. revolve around
WRITING ASSIGNMENT — i :
In your assignment for this chapter, you will become a “sociologist” and conduct a survey of the behavior of friends, relatives, coworkers, or classmates. Your teacher may
choose to have you work in a group to prepare the questions and categories for the survey. You will write a five paragraph classification essay based on the information you have gathered. Follow the steps in the writing process.
JPOSSIBLE TOPICS
® Commuting habits to and from work or school (such as methods of transportation, number of daily trips, and time spent traveling) e Eating practices (number of meals and snacks each day, typical
diet, and number of meals spent with family members or others)
@ Frequency and type of exercise (how often, how long, with or without weights or special equipment)
@ Employment outside or in the home (types of occupations, number of hours at work, physical labor or other type of labor)
Classification Essays 37
STEP 1: Explore your topic, audience, and purpose.
* Choose your topic from the list on page 37. Prior to your observation, brainstorm a list of categories for the survey that you think will be important.
* Decide who will be your likely readers, or the readers that you imagine would find your essay most useful or interesting.
* Consider your purpose: Are you informing your audience by providing information they do not have? Are you interpreting the behavior of the people you observe in an interesting way? Or are you describing the categories in an amusing way?
STEP 2: Gather your information and prewrite.
e Conduct the survey and record the results.
© If you can, note specific examples that would support generalizations in each category.
STEP 3: Organize your ideas.
¢ Write a preliminary thesis statement.
¢ Prepare an outline with topic sentences for the body paragraphs and supporting details and examples.
STEP 4: Write the first draft.
Write an essay to report on the survey you have conducted.
e In the introductory paragraph, indicate which group you have surveyed and what general conclusions you can draw about their behavior—but do not make any judgments.
38 CHAPTER 2
® Ín the body of the essay, present your findings in each of the categories you have created, along with examples or further explanation.
¢ Conclude the essay with a brief summary or return to the main idea in the introductory paragraph.
STEP 5: Revise the draft.
ô Exchange papers with a partner, and give each other feedback on your papers. Use the Chapter 2 Peer Review on page 227 to guide your feedback.
Carefully consider your partner’s feedback. If you agree with it, revise your paper by marking the changes on the first draft.
STEP 6: Edit and proofread.
Use the Chapter 2 Writer’s Self-Check on page 228 to help you edit and proofread your paper.
Are the sentences clear and complete?
* Are quantifiers used correctly?
STEP 7: Write a new draft.
e Revise the draft, incorporating all the changes you made earlier.
® Proofread the draft so that it is error free.
® Make sure the draft is legible and follows the format your instructor has provided.
e Hand in the essay to your instructor.
In this chapter, you learned to:
Or Analyze a classification. essay
© Classify information based on observations, notes, and surveys O Use transition signals to write with unity and coherence
O Identify context and grammar clues for the use of quantifiers O Write, edit, and revise an essay that classifies people’s behavior Which ones can you do well? Mark, them S
ằ Which ones do you need to practice more? Mark them %
EXPANSION _ no : :