Classification
Exercise A. Identify genus and species
In this exercise, you will be given a pair of categories and asked to determine which one of them is the genus or which is the species. Please circle the appropriate letter.
Example: Which is the genus in the following pair of categories?
ANIMAL, DOG
a. ANIMAL is the genus
b. DOG is the genus.
1. Which is the genus in the following pair of categories?
PERFORMER, SINGER
a. PERFORMER is the genus.
b. SINGER is the genus.
Answer:
2. Which is the genus in the following pair of categories?
FROG, VERTEBRATE
a. FROG is the genus.
b. VERTEBRATE is the genus.
Answer:
3. Which is the genus in the following pair of categories?
MANUFACTURING, SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY
a. MANUFACTURINGis the genus.
b. SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY is the genus.
Answer:
4. Which is the species in the following pair of categories?
ARGON, INERT GASES
a. ARGON is the species.
b. INERT GASES is the species.
Answer:
5. Which is the species in the following pair of categories?
CELL PHONE, iPhone
a. CELL PHONE is the species.
b. iPHONE is the species.
Answer:
6. Which is the species in the following pair of categories?
MACHINE, COMPUTER
a. MACHINE is the species.
b. COMPUTER is the species.
Answer:
7. Which is the genus in the following pair of categories?
ART, MUSIC
a. ART is the genus.
b. MUSIC is the genus.
Answer:
8. Which is the species in the following pair of categories?
METAL, COPPER
a. METAL is the species.
b. COPPER is the species.
Answer:
9. Which is the genus in the following pair of categories?
GOVERNMENT, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
a. GOVERNMENT is the genus.
b. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION is the genus.
Answer:
10. Which is the species in the following pair of categories?
COUNTRY, CHINA
a. COUNTRY is the species.
b. CHINA is the species.
Answer:
Exercise B.Top-down classification
In this exercise, you will be given a category and asked to provide a top-down classification of it, using the diagram method. Please enlarge the space below the question to draw a diagram.
Example:Classify Nutrient (one level down).
Answer:
1. Classify the academic subject area Humanities (one level down).
2. Classify the academic subject area Arts (one level down).
3. Classify the academic subject area Sciences (two levels down).
4. Classify the academic subject area Business Management (one level down).
5. Classify the academic subject area Criminal Justice Systems (one level down).
Exercise C. Bottom-up classification
In this exercise, you will be given several categories and asked to provide a bottom-up classification of them, using the diagram method. Be sure to add a genus where it is necessary. Please enlarge the space below the question to draw a diagram.
Example:Classify Dandelion, Oak, Carrot, Pine, Lettuce, and Tulip.
Answer:
1. Classify Dog, Poodle, Cat, Horse, Pig, Tiger, and Mammal.
2. Classify Maple, Lily, Daisy, Orchid, Liverworts, and Grass.
3. Classify Gold, Antimony, Platinum, Silver, Arsenic, Copper, Bismuth, Diamond, Graphite, and Sulfur.
4. Classify Horizontal, Rectangular, Large, Round, Infinitesimal, and Vertical.
5. Classify Baptist, Methodist, Jewish, Religion, and Catholic.
6. Classify CD Player, Audio Equipment, CD, Wall Speaker, and Receiver.
7. Classify all the courses you take in the freshman year according to their academic subjects.
8. Classify all the things in one of the classrooms on campus.
Exercise D. Rules of Classification
In this exercise, you will be given a classification and asked to identify the problem it has in terms of violating the rules of classification. Please circle the appropriate letter.
Example:Identify which rule the following classification most clearly violates:
Biologists use three kinds of microscopes. The simple microscope uses a single lens. A compound microscope uses two lenses, and a stereomicroscope is used to study the external structure of specimens.
a. doesn't employ a consistent principle
b. the species of the classification are not mutually exclusive
c. the species of the classification taken together do not jointly exhaust all the objects in the genus
d. the classification doesn't use essential traits in its basis
Answer:
1. Identify which rule the following classification most clearly violates: Within living organism, there are proteins and then there are enzymes that serve to facilitate the biochemical reactions taking place within the organism.
a. doesn't employ a consistent principle
b. the species of the classification are not mutually exclusive
c. the species of the classification taken together do not jointly exhaust all the objects in the genus
d. the classification doesn't use essential traits in its basis
Answer:
2. Identify which rule the following classification most clearly violates: According to Aristotle, animals fell into three distinct groups: air-dwellers, land-dwellers, and water-dwellers.
a. doesn't employ a consistent principle
b. the species of the classification are not mutually exclusive
c. the species of the classification taken together do not jointly exhaust all the objects in the genus
d. the classification doesn't use essential traits in its basis
Answer:
3. Read the following passage and determine on what grounds the author is objecting to a classification: It has been thought that studies involving identical twins could help scientists determine to what extent behavior was influenced by heredity or by upbringing. New studies indicate that there might be an intra-uterine effect.
a. doesn't employ a consistent principle
b. the species of the classification are not mutually exclusive
c. the species of the classification taken together do not jointly exhaust all the objects in the genus
d. the classification doesn't use essential traits in its basis
Answer:
4. Read the following passage and determine what objection this critic is making to a classification: It has been acknowledged that there were two sides to Populism-a progressive and a dark side. It has been argued that McCarthyism was a movement in which the dark side of Populism predominated. However, voter records in Wisconsin showed that those who supported populist candidates did not support McCarthyism.
a. doesn't employ a consistent principle
b. the species of the classification are not mutually exclusive
c. the species of the classification taken together do not jointly exhaust all the objects in the genus
d. the classification doesn't use essential traits in its basis
Answer:
5. Read the following passage and determine what objection the author is making to a classification: Writing systems have been classified into pictorial and syllabic, depending upon whether they use pictures to represent objects or symbols to represents syllables. However, the Mayans used a highly pictorial sign system that could be used both pictorially and to represent consonant-vowel syllables.
a. doesn't employ a consistent principle
b. the species of the classification are not mutually exclusive
c. the species of the classification taken together do not jointly exhaust all the objects in the genus
d. the classification doesn't use essential traits in its basis
Answer:
6. Read the following passage and determine what objection is being raised by the author of the following argument to a classification: One of the most offensive kinds of noises was left out of your discussion of hearing loss-action movies.
a. doesn't employ a consistent principle
b. the species of the classification are not mutually exclusive
c. the species of the classification taken together do not jointly exhaust all the objects in the genus
d. the classification doesn't use essential traits in its basis
Answer:
7. Read the following passage and determine what objection this critic is making to a classification: Two stages in the development of underdeveloped countries have been distinguished. The initial stage is one of traditional authority based on custom and kinship. This is replaced by a modern one based on legal-rational authority. Using this classification, though, the Ibo would have to be classified as modern before they even had any contact with colonists.
a. doesn't employ a consistent principle
b. the species of the classification are not mutually exclusive
c. the species of the classification taken together do not jointly exhaust all the objects in the genus
d. the classification doesn't use essential traits in its basis
Answer:
8. Read the following passage and determine what objection this critic is making to a classification: According to Christian dualism, a person has a body and a soul. We from the African tradition find this unacceptable, because a person is composed of an earthly body, a soul, and a body spirit, which remains on earth when the soul leaves the body.
a. doesn't employ a consistent principle
b. the species of the classification are not mutually exclusive
c. the species of the classification taken together do not jointly exhaust all the objects in the genus
d. the classification doesn't use essential traits in its basis
Answer:
9. Read the following passage and determine on what grounds the following classification is being objected to: Chemists used to distinguish spirit of niter and aqua fortis. However, it turns out that they were both nitric acid. They just were prepared in two different manners.
a. doesn't employ a consistent principle
b. the species of the classification are not mutually exclusive
c. the species of the classification taken together do not jointly exhaust all the objects in the genus
d. the classification doesn't use essential traits in its basis
Answer:
10. Read the following dialogue and identify which rule Jen's classification most clearly violates:
Jack: Why did you put salad dressing and pickles on the same shelf when you re-arranged my cupboard?
Jen: I put them both under "J" because they are both in jars.
a. doesn't employ a consistent principle
b. the species of the classification are not mutually exclusive
c. the species of the classification taken together do not jointly exhaust all the objects in the genus
d. the classification doesn't use essential traits in its basis
Answer:
Exercise E. Rules of Classification
In this exercise, you will be given a classification and asked to determine which rule of classification that it violates.Please circle the appropriate letter.
Example:Sharp declines in employment were found in the manufacturing, service, financial, and construction sectors as well as in the Northeast.
a. the dividing members must be mutually exclusive
b. the dividing members must be jointly exhaustive
c. a consistent principle must be employed
d. essential attributes must be employed
Answer:
1. Rebellion has imposed human, economic, political and psychological costs on the government.
a. the dividing members must be mutually exclusive
b. the dividing members must be jointly exhaustive
c. a consistent principle must be employed
d. essential attributes must be employed
Answer:
2. There are three kinds of plants. Those that are dangerous, those that are harmless, and those with no effects on humans.
a. the dividing members must be mutually exclusive
b. the dividing members must be jointly exhaustive
c. a consistent principle must be employed
d. essential attributes must be employed
Answer:
3. People are men, women, or children.
a. the dividing members must be mutually exclusive
b. the dividing members must be jointly exhaustive
c. a consistent principle must be employed
d. essential attributes must be employed
Answer:
4. Photosynthesis requires carbon dioxide and sunlight in order to produce oxygen. It took a series of different types of studies to identify each of these components. One kind of study showed that green plants produce a substance that supports a flame in a closed container, while another showed that a plant must be exposed to light in order to produce the flame-sustaining substance.
a. the dividing members must be mutually exclusive
b. the dividing members must be jointly exhaustive
c. a consistent principle must be employed
d. essential attributes must be employed
Answer:
5. Magnesium carbonate and manganese dioxide are different because one is white and the other is black.
a. the dividing members must be mutually exclusive
b. the dividing members must be jointly exhaustive
c. a consistent principle must be employed
d. essential attributes must be employed
Answer:
6. Animals can be classified into land animals, aquatic animals, and aerial animals.
a. the dividing members must be mutually exclusive
b. the dividing members must be jointly exhaustive
c. a consistent principle must be employed
d. essential attributes must be employed
Answer:
7. Books are either ones with hard covers or one with paper covers.
a. the dividing members must be mutually exclusive
b. the dividing members must be jointly exhaustive
c. a consistent principle must be employed
d. essential attributes must be employed
Answer:
8. Security comes from a body alarm, a gun, a condom, a credit card, and true principles.
a. the dividing members must be mutually exclusive
b. the dividing members must be jointly exhaustive
c. a consistent basis must be employed
d. essential attributes must be employed
Answer:
9. There are several genre of fiction-romance, horror, science fiction, action-adventure.
a. the dividing members must be mutually exclusive
b. the dividing members must be jointly exhaustive
c. a consistent basis must be employed
d. essential attributes must be employed
Answer:
10. There are three kinds of pies. Some have only one crust and the top is open. Another has both an upper and a lower crust with a filling in between. Mud pies have no crust.
a. the dividing members must be mutually exclusive
b. the dividing members must be jointly exhaustive
c. a consistent basis must be employed
d. essential attributes must be employed
Answer: