Cause and effect essays

Effect

Main causeContributory cause Effect

effect

immediate cause

remote cause

Chain of events

For cause and effect essays

It’s important to ask

HOW not WHY

A cause and effect thesis

1. It makes clear the causes or effects of the situation you are discussing

2. It tells your position on the relative importance of the causes

3. It makes clear the order in which you will discuss the causes or effects.

When deciding to cheat most students do not seriously consider effects like getting the wrong answers, losing a teacher’s trust, and compromising academic honor.

Sample thesis for cause and effect essay

Focus on HOW….not why

Organize your cause and effect essay

Assignment. Select a prompt and develop a flow chart of the causes /effect.

Sample prompts

How can power test a person’s character? What Is the effect of power on a person’s character?The effect of a parent, teacher, or friend on your life The effects of cramming for an examination The effects of peer pressure Why some students cheat The effects of growing up with a personal computer The effects of poverty on an individual Why one college course is more rewarding than another Why many people don't bother to vote in local elections The effects of racial, sexual, or religious discrimination Why people exercise Why people keep pets The effects of computers on our everyday lives Why some people choose not to carry a cell phone The environmental effects of bottled water Why reality shows are so popular

The effects of pressures on students to get good grades The effects of a coach or teammate on your life The effects of not keeping a personal budget Why so few students read newspapers Why baseball is no longer the national pastime The effects of stress on students in high school or college The effects of moving to a new town or city Why growing numbers of people shop online The effects of the steady increase in the cost of going to college Why students drop out of high school or college Why some roommates don't get along Why many teenagers run away from home The influence of a book or a movie on your life The effects of music downloading on the music industry

Sentence practice on sentence strips

Sentence beginnings

Introductions for cause and effect essay

Paragraph development

•Must be a debatable topic sentence. Without debate or controversy, you will hit a wall when trying to elaborate on a detail.

•There must be details from your own experiences, observations, and other media.

•Each detail must be accompanied by elaboration (also know as commentary, opinion and analysis.)

•Other methods of development may be included.

Assignment

Choose a favorite teacher and complete this sentence.

Mr./Mrs. __________ is a _____________teacher. debatable

Follow this with one or two sentences of opinion about how that detail shows the truth of the topic sentence.

Underline your opinion sentences to show me it’s opinion. (don’t do this on the test)

Paragraph 1 Intro (3 sentences, no more than 4)

•Introduce the EVENT to be discussed

•Give any necessary background information about the EVENT

•Thesis statement (sets up the outline or structure for the paper)

Ex. “ Three effects of … on …”

Paragraph 2 Body (4-6 sentences)

Write a sentence that identifies the first effect of the event.

Give 2-3 sentences of detail or explanation about the effect.

Transitional sentence using a cause/effect transition word from the list.

Paragraph 3 Body (4-6 sentences)

Write a sentence that identifies the second effect of the event.

Give 2-3 sentences of detail or explanation about the effect.

Transitional sentence using another (different)

cause/effect transition word from the list.

Paragraph 4 Body (4-6 sentences)

Write a sentence that identifies the third effect of the event.

Give 2-3 sentences of detail or explanation about the effect.

Transitional sentence using different cause/effect transition word from the list.

Paragraph 5 - Concluding paragraph (2-3 sentences)

Restate your thesis but use different words (do not copy word for word)

Choose 1 of the following ways to END your essay

Admonition or instruction: what the reader can do about the issue

Prediction: an insight into how the future might be different, better or worse.

Strong, punched statement: prehaps a one-sentence paragraph with powerful meaning.

Anecdote: a brief history that reiterates the essence of the issue or situaton.

Pointed question: leaves the reader thinking.

Echo: circles back to the lead

Causal essay formula

Paragraph 1 Intro (3 sentences, no more than 4)

•Introduce the EVENT to be discussed

•Give any necessary background information about the EVENT

•Thesis statement (sets up the outline or structure for the paper)

Ex. “ There are many causes of …”

Paragraph 2 Body (4-6 sentences)

Write a sentence that identifies the first cause of the event.

Give 2-3 sentences of detail or explanation about the cause.

Transitional sentence using a cause/effect transition word from the list.

Paragraph 3 Body (4-6 sentences)

Write a sentence that identifies the second cause of the event.

Give 2-3 sentences of detail or explanation about the cause.

Transitional sentence using another (different) cause/effect transition word from the list.

Paragraph 4 Body (4-6 sentences)

Write a sentence that identifies the third cause of the event.

Give 2-3 sentences of detail or explanation about the cause.

Transitional sentence using different cause/effect transition word from the list.

Paragraph 5 - Concluding paragraph (2-3 sentences)

Restate your thesis but use different words (do not copy word for word)

Choose 1 of the following ways to END your essay

Admonition or instruction: what the reader can do about the issue

Prediction: an insight into how the future might be different, better or worse.

Strong, punched statement: perhaps a one-sentence paragraph with powerful meaning.

Anecdote: a brief history that reiterates the essence of the issue or situation.

Pointed question: leaves the reader thinking.

Echo: circles back to the lead

Walter’s anger defines him. His inability to tolerate any other emotion causes him to be cruel to his family.