Grouping Information into Categories

When you research a topic, you collect many facts. Some facts go together and some do not. Grouping information into categories means sorting all of your facts into clear groups, so each group holds only the facts that belong together. Tables, charts, and outlines are tools that help you build these groups and see how they connect.

A category is a group of facts that share the same topic. When you sort information into categories, you take a big pile of facts and split it into smaller, clearer groups. Each group answers one question about your topic.

Suppose you are writing a report about ocean animals. You could make a category for what each animal eats, a category for where each animal lives, and a category for how each animal has babies. Sorting facts this way makes your report much easier to read.

A table is one of the best tools for grouping facts. Each column stands for one category, and each row stands for one item you are describing. You write each fact in the box where its row and column meet.

The table below sorts facts about three ocean animals into three categories: Food, Home, and Babies.

Look across a row to learn everything about one animal. Look down a column to compare the same category across all three animals. A table lets you do both at the same time.

A category chart starts with your main topic in the center. Lines connect the main topic to each smaller category. Under each category, you can list one or two facts that belong there.

The chart below sorts facts about the seasons into four categories: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.

A chart like this helps you see all four categories at once, along with one key fact for each one. It works well when you want a quick picture of how your categories relate to a single main topic.

An outline uses Roman numerals and letters to show how categories and facts fit together. Each category gets its own Roman numeral. The facts that belong to that category are listed as letters underneath it.

An outline lets you check your whole plan before you write. You can look at each Roman numeral and ask, "Does every fact under this category truly belong here?"

Category: A group of facts that share the same topic, such as all the facts about an animal's food.

Table: A grid with rows and columns that sorts facts about several items into matching categories.

Chart: A diagram that connects a main topic to smaller categories using lines or shapes.

Outline: A plan that uses Roman numerals for categories and letters for the facts inside each category.

Supporting Fact: A detail that explains more about the category it belongs to.

First, read through all of your facts and notes. Ask yourself what each fact is mostly about. Second, give each idea a category name, such as Food, Home, or Babies. Third, choose a tool, a table, a chart, or an outline, to match each fact with its category. Fourth, check your work by reading one category at a time and making sure every fact in it truly belongs there.

If a fact does not fit any category you already have, you can create a brand new category for it. Grouping information is not about forcing facts to fit. It is about finding the categories that truly match your facts.

Related lessons

• Organizing Related Information Together