Cause and Effect Essays Overview

Cause and Effect Lecture Notes

• The lecture covered cause-and-effect essays.
• Cause-and-effect essays analyze the reasons for events and their outcomes.
• Examples include: why people overeat, or outcomes of overeating.
• Essays can focus on causes, effects, or both (balanced approach).
• The key is to clearly discuss causes and effects without mixing them up. Don't forget details for one or the other.

Defining Cause and Effect

• Causes of overeating: Stress, skipping meals, boredom.
• Effects of overeating: Obesity, health problems, fatigue.

Organizing the Essay

• Different organization structures are possible.
• Some essays focus on causes only, others on effects only, some need both.
• Consider these scenarios when organizing your essay:
  • A young couple buying a two-family house.
  • A new TV reality show becoming popular.
  • Assisted living residents discussing fees.

Organizing the Essay (continued)

• Essay structure depends on the topic and main point (like moving out or an event's impact).
• Structure includes Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.
• Use transition paragraphs.
• The purpose is to prove a thesis statement, which needs both causes and effects to fully prove.

Cause and Effect Reminders

• A cause makes something happen.
• An effect is a result of something.
• The cause always comes before the effect.
• Signal phrases to show causes: For, because, since, as, why, what is the cause of, another factor, due to.

Signal Phrases: To Show Effects

• Signal phrases to show effects: the result of, consequently, what is the impact of, one important effect, another result, outcome, as a result.

Structure (Block Organization)

• Structure for cause-and-effect essays (e.g., cause-and-effect essays) follows a block organization:
  • Introduction
  • Body: Cause 1, Cause 2, Cause 3, Effect 1, Effect 2, Effect 3
  • Conclusion

Structure (Chain Organization)

• Structure for cause-and-effect essays follows a chain organization:
  • Introduction
  • Body: Cause 1, Effect 1, Cause 2, Effect 2, Cause 3, Effect 3
  • Conclusion

The Basics of Cause and/or Effect (2)

• Purpose: Support the main point with examples explaining causes, effects, or both.
• Audience: Understands both causes and effects; might need a simple, accurate analysis.

Developing Cause and/or Effect through Prewriting

• Listing: Consider a subject; List ideas; Group similar ideas.
• Freewriting: Explore anecdotes showing cause and effect.

Developing Cause and/or Effect through Revision

• Review freewriting; Outline for better unity and organization.
• Share with peers for feedback.
• Set aside text for review and revise.
• Visit the campus writing center.