Writing Cause and Effect Essays

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Writing Cause and Effect Essays

• Cristina Maldonado for
• the Writing Center
• Roxbury Community College

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What is a Cause and Effect Essay?

• A Cause and Effect Essay provides reasons and
  explanations for events, conditions, or
  behaviors.
• It involves tracing probable or known effects of
  a certain cause or examining one or more effects
  and discussing the reasonable or known cause(s).

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Understanding the Assignment

• Cause and Effect Essay assignments typically use
  the following language
• "What are the causes of X?"
• "What led to X?"
• "Why did X occur?"
• "Why does X happen?"
• "What would be the effects of X?"

Writing Essay Exams. The OWL at Purdue. 27 May
2008 lthttp//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print
/general/gl_essay.htmlgt.
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Example

• Define recession and discuss the probable effects
  a recession would have on American society.

Writing Essay Exams. The OWL at Purdue. 27 May
2008 lthttp//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print
/general/gl_essay.htmlgt.
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Essay Characteristics

• Presentation of the event or issue.
• The reader must first understand that a problem
  or issue exists. This explanation is key to your
  analysis.
• The use of strong, assertive language that shows
  neither negativity nor bias.
• The use of factual evidence to show the cause and
  effect relationship.

Jordan-Henley, Jennifer. A Brief Guide to
Writing Cause and Effect Essays. The RSCC Online
Writing Lab. Roane State Community College. 27
May 2008 lthttp//www.rscc.cc.tn.us/owlwritingcent
er/OWL/Cause.htmlgt.
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Presentation of the Issue

• It is important for your reader to understand why
  the issue exists.
• An explanation of the issue in combination with a
  cause/effect analysis will allow the reader to
  understand your point of view.

Jordan-Henley, Jennifer. A Brief Guide to
Writing Cause and Effect Essays. The RSCC Online
Writing Lab. Roane State Community College. 27
May 2008 lthttp//www.rscc.cc.tn.us/owlwritingcent
er/OWL/Cause.htmlgt.
7
Use Fact-Based Evidence to Support Claims

• Use the RCC Library website to search the
  research databases to locate data
• Search the internet for published studies and
  credible organizations
• For more information about library research,
  please see a Writing Center tutor or visit the
  RCC library weblink at this address
  http//www.rcc.mass.edu/lib/ and go to tutorials
  for doing research.

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Avoid Negative Statements and Bias

• Avoid biased statements or make negative
  statements to the reader
• The American public is too blind to see that the
  death penalty is wrong. Voter ignorance is one
  contributing factor that allows policies like the
  death penalty to come into law.
• More death penalty education is needed to provide
  the voting public with the information they need
  to make informed decisions.

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Use the 3rd Person

• I believe that the death penalty is wrong because
  it is a state sanctioned form of murder.
• The death penalty is wrong because it is a state
  sanctioned form of murder.
• The removal of the I believe that makes the
  sentence more forceful. The purpose of a cause
  and effect paper is to be as convincing as
  possible and to convince readers to accept the
  cause and effect as plausible.

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Brainstorming

• Complete some initial brainstorming to determine
  cause and effect relationships for your topic.
• As stated earlier, conduct research to find
  factual information.
• Determine if any of your cause/effect
  relationships are faulty. Your conclusions are
  faulty if the cause-and-effect relationship does
  not exist, if it is unreasonable, or not clearly
  established.

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Causal Relationships
The Cause and Effect Essay. Mount Hebron High
School. 27 May 2008 lthttp//www.howard.k12.md.us/m
th/english_dept/adv-comp/eng_effect.htmlgt.
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Important Questions to Ask

• Have I assumed only one cause when many causes
  may be appropriate?
• Have I incorrectly assumed a causal relationship
  between two events that immediately follow each
  other?
• Did I distinguish between long-term and
  short-term causes and effects. A short-term cause
  or effect is a single, immediately identifiable
  event a long-term cause or effect may be less
  easy to pinpoint but in the long run more
  important?
• Did I distinguish between primary (most
  important) and secondary (ancillary) effects?

The Cause and Effect Essay. Mount Hebron High
School. 27 May 2008 lthttp//www.howard.k12.md.us/m
th/english_dept/adv-comp/eng_effect.htmlgt.
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Creating a Thesis Statement

• Once you have ensured that your cause and effect
  relationships are not faulty, put together your
  Thesis Statement.
• A recession, which is a nationwide lull in
  business activity, would be detrimental to
  American society in the following ways it would
  A, it would B and it would C.

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Transitional Words

• Because
• Consequently,
• Therefore,
• For this reason
• As a result

Writing Essay Exams. The OWL at Purdue. 27 May
2008 lthttp//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print
/general/gl_essay.htmlgt.
15
Points to Remember

• Explain the issue, avoid negativity and bias, and
  use the 3rd person voice to make your assertions.
• Perform a causal relationship analysismake sure
  your cause and effect relationships are valid
  before you start writing.
• Transitional words will help pinpoint the
  similarities and differences for the reader be
  sure to use them.

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Last thought Beware of the Fallacy

• Dont fall into the trap of making a fallacious
  (incorrect and inaccurate) argument! Read about
  the fallacies and make sure that you know how to
  find them in your own writing.
• Go to the following website to read about
  fallacies www.unc.edu/depts/weweb/handouts/fallac
  ies