How to Write a Classification Essay on Agricultural Economics

Writing guide
Posted on April 12, 2016

The field of agricultural economics originated in the early parts of the twentieth century to deal with analysis of issues related to food resources, production, trade, and relationships between the agricultural sector and overall economy. Since it saw the light, this subject has deepened and broadened in scope. Therefore, what you learn during your course will not cover everything. That is why instructors tend to give assignments, motivating students to delve further in the subject.

One of the assignments you may have to write is a classification essay. This academic piece of writing is exactly what it sounds like – it classifies things into distinct groups/categories. You can classify Ideas, people, concepts, objects, approaches, or characteristics. For instance, you can classify according to:

  • The influence of agricultural economics on different governmental policies (agricultural, food, environmental, etc.)
  • Countries in which modern agriculture techniques have been successfully implemented
  • The types of statistical techniques used for optimization of agricultural yield

If you have been instructed to write a classification essay, you may have a tough time around it if this is your first time. Luckily, you are on the right page. Use the following sections to write a great essay which your teacher will enjoy reading and grade highly.

Research and Pre-Writing

The very first thing you need to do is come up with a great topic related to agricultural economics. This is something that most students have trouble with, which is why they prefer to have a topic assigned by the instructor. However, if you absolutely must come up with your own essay’s topic, you can refer to our handy list of 20 agricultural economic topics to write about for a classification essay. If you are still at a loss for ideas, check out our list of 10 facts on agricultural economics for a classification essay for inspiration.

Once you have decided what you need to write about, you should start your research. Gather relevant facts and decide on an organizing principle to categorize things. This principle should be logical and must be relevant to all the categories. Each of these categories will later become a part of the main essay. Therefore, it is important to ensure that each item is a related component of your classification principle. If you include an irrelevant item, you will end up throwing off the balance of the entire essay.

Once this is done, it is time to draft the essay.

Introduction

The first paragraph serves as the introduction to your essay. It contains the central idea (called a thesis) of your paper. Clearly state the topic, the classification principle you have used, and the categories you have delineated. You should also include a description of how your main points (which are written in the main body of the essay) are arranged. The ordering criteria can be best to worst, the most common to the most obscure, smallest component to the largest, chronological, etc.

Follow this formula:

Topic, Classification principle, [Category 1], [Category 2], [Category 3].

Main Body of the Essay

The next task is to write the main body paragraphs. Each of these will deal with one main point. You can arrange these paragraphs in any logical manner you want. All main points must have equal importance and must not overlap between categories.

Each point will be stated in its own dedicated paragraph. Support each category with examples and facts to lend credence to your point and illustrate your classification criteria sharply.

Here is a formula for each body paragraph:

State your point, then explain, [Example 1], [Example 2], [Example 3].

Usually, three to five body paragraphs should suffice. If your word requirement length is more, add more main points.

Conclusion

The next step is to summarize your essay in a conclusion paragraph. In this paragraph, clearly state the purpose of your classification, sum up your thesis, and tie up the different threads. You can even recommend a particular approach/idea/solution over others, but make sure to describe the reasoning behind your choice.

Review and Editing

Review your essay to check for logical and language inconsistencies. Make the necessary adjustments and then finalize the draft.

Writing a classification essay on agricultural economics will be a lot easier if you follow these guidelines. Best of Luck!

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