type of essay explains the results of a specific event

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Guide to Different Kinds of Essays

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An essay is a paper that discusses, describes or analyzes one topic. It can discuss a subject directly or indirectly, seriously or humorously. It can describe personal opinions, or just report information. An essay can be written from any perspective, but essays are most commonly written in the first person ( I ), or third person (subjects that can be substituted with the he, she, it, or they pronouns).

There are many different kinds of essays. The following are a some of the most common ones:

Descriptive Cause/Effect Argumentative Definition Narrative Critical Compare/Contrast Process

Descriptive:

Examples: A descriptive essay could describe . . .

The descriptive essay provides details about how something looks, feels, tastes, smells, makes one feel, or sounds. It can also describe what something is, or how something happened. These essays generally use a lot of sensory details. The essay could be a list-like description that provides point by point details. Or, it could function as a story, keeping the reader interested in the plot and theme of the event described.

Definition:

Examples: A definition essay may try and define . . .

A definition essay attempts to define a specific term. It could try to pin down the meaning of a specific word, or define an abstract concept. The analysis goes deeper than a simple dictionary definition; it should attempt to explain why the term is defined as such. It could define the term directly, giving no information other than the explanation of the term. Or, it could imply the definition of the term, telling a story that requires the reader to infer the meaning.

Compare/Contrast:

Examples:A compare/contrast essay may discuss . . .

The compare/contrast essay discusses the similarities and differences between two things, people, concepts, places, etc. The essay could be an unbiased discussion, or an attempt to convince the reader of the benefits of one thing, person, or concept. It could also be written simply to entertain the reader, or to arrive at an insight into human nature. The essay could discuss both similarities and differences, or it could just focus on one or the other. A comparison essay usually discusses the similarities between two things, while the contrast essay discusses the differences.

Cause/Effect:

Examples:A cause/effect essay may explain . . .

The cause/effect essay explains why or how some event happened, and what resulted from the event.

This essay is a study of the relationship between two or more events or experiences. The essay could discuss both causes and effects, or it could simply address one or the other. A cause essay usually discusses the reasons why something happened. An effect essay discusses what happens after a specific event or circumstance.

The example below shows a cause essay, one that would explain how and why an event happened.

If this cause essay were about a volcanic eruption, it might go something like this: “Pressure and heat built up beneath the earth’s surface; the effect of this was an enormous volcanic eruption.”

The next example shows an effect essay, one that would explain all the effects that happened after a specific event, like a volcanic eruption.

If this effect essay were about a volcanic eruption again, it might go something like this:

“The eruption caused many terrible things to happen; it destroyed homes, forests, and polluted the atmosphere.”

Examples:A narrative essay could tell of . . .

The narrative essay tells a story. It can also be called a “short story.” Generally, the narrative essay is conversational in style and tells of a personal experience. It is most commonly written in the first person (uses I ). This essay could tell of a single, life-shaping event, or simply a mundane daily experience.

Examples: A process essay may explain . . .

A process essay describes how something is done. It generally explains actions that should be performed in a series. It can explain in detail how to accomplish a specific task, or it can show how an individual came to a certain personal awareness. The essay could be in the form of step-by-step instructions, or in story form, with the instructions/explanations subtly given along the way.

Argumentative:

Examples: An argumentative essay may persuade a reader that . . .

An argumentative essay is one that attempts to persuade the reader to the writer’s point of view. The writer can either be serious or funny, but always tries to convince the reader of the validity of his or her opinion. The essay may argue openly, or it may attempt to subtly persuade the reader by using irony or sarcasm.

Examples: A critical essay may analyze . . .

A critical essay analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, and methods of someone else’s work. Generally, these essays begin with a brief overview of the main points of the text, movie, or piece of art, followed by an analysis of the work’s meaning. It should then discuss how well the author/creator accomplishes his/her goals and makes his/her points. A critical essay can be written about another essay, story, book, poem, movie, or work of art.

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10.8 Cause and Effect

Learning objectives.

• Determine the purpose and structure of cause and effect in writing.
• Understand how to write a cause-and-effect essay.

The Purpose of Cause and Effect in Writing

It is often considered human nature to ask, “why?” and “how?” We want to know how our child got sick so we can better prevent it from happening in the future, or why our colleague a pay raise because we want one as well. We want to know how much money we will save over the long term if we buy a hybrid car. These examples identify only a few of the relationships we think about in our lives, but each shows the importance of understanding cause and effect.

A cause is something that produces an event or condition; an effect is what results from an event or condition. The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena relate in terms of origins and results. Sometimes the connection between cause and effect is clear, but often determining the exact relationship between the two is very difficult. For example, the following effects of a cold may be easily identifiable: a sore throat, runny nose, and a cough. But determining the cause of the sickness can be far more difficult. A number of causes are possible, and to complicate matters, these possible causes could have combined to cause the sickness. That is, more than one cause may be responsible for any given effect. Therefore, cause-and-effect discussions are often complicated and frequently lead to debates and arguments.

Use the complex nature of cause and effect to your advantage. Often it is not necessary, or even possible, to find the exact cause of an event or to name the exact effect. So, when formulating a thesis, you can claim one of a number of causes or effects to be the primary, or main, cause or effect. As soon as you claim that one cause or one effect is more crucial than the others, you have developed a thesis.

Consider the causes and effects in the following thesis statements. List a cause and effect for each one on your own sheet of paper.

• The growing childhood obesity epidemic is a result of technology.
• Much of the wildlife is dying because of the oil spill.
• The town continued programs that it could no longer afford, so it went bankrupt.
• More young people became politically active as use of the Internet spread throughout society.
• While many experts believed the rise in violence was due to the poor economy, it was really due to the summer-long heat wave.

Write three cause-and-effect thesis statements of your own for each of the following five broad topics.

• Health and nutrition

The Structure of a Cause-and-Effect Essay

The cause-and-effect essay opens with a general introduction to the topic, which then leads to a thesis that states the main cause, main effect, or various causes and effects of a condition or event.

The cause-and-effect essay can be organized in one of the following two primary ways:

• Start with the cause and then talk about the effects.
• Start with the effect and then talk about the causes.

For example, if your essay were on childhood obesity, you could start by talking about the effect of childhood obesity and then discuss the cause or you could start the same essay by talking about the cause of childhood obesity and then move to the effect.

Regardless of which structure you choose, be sure to explain each element of the essay fully and completely. Explaining complex relationships requires the full use of evidence, such as scientific studies, expert testimony, statistics, and anecdotes.

Because cause-and-effect essays determine how phenomena are linked, they make frequent use of certain words and phrases that denote such linkage. See Table 10.4 “Phrases of Causation” for examples of such terms.

Table 10.4 Phrases of Causation

The conclusion should wrap up the discussion and reinforce the thesis, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of the relationship that was analyzed.

Be careful of resorting to empty speculation. In writing, speculation amounts to unsubstantiated guessing. Writers are particularly prone to such trappings in cause-and-effect arguments due to the complex nature of finding links between phenomena. Be sure to have clear evidence to support the claims that you make.

Look at some of the cause-and-effect relationships from Note 10.83 “Exercise 2” . Outline the links you listed. Outline one using a cause-then-effect structure. Outline the other using the effect-then-cause structure.

Writing a Cause-and-Effect Essay

Choose an event or condition that you think has an interesting cause-and-effect relationship. Introduce your topic in an engaging way. End your introduction with a thesis that states the main cause, the main effect, or both.

Organize your essay by starting with either the cause-then-effect structure or the effect-then-cause structure. Within each section, you should clearly explain and support the causes and effects using a full range of evidence. If you are writing about multiple causes or multiple effects, you may choose to sequence either in terms of order of importance. In other words, order the causes from least to most important (or vice versa), or order the effects from least important to most important (or vice versa).

Use the phrases of causation when trying to forge connections between various events or conditions. This will help organize your ideas and orient the reader. End your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and reinforces your thesis. See Chapter 15 “Readings: Examples of Essays” to read a sample cause-and-effect essay.

Choose one of the ideas you outlined in Note 10.85 “Exercise 3” and write a full cause-and-effect essay. Be sure to include an engaging introduction, a clear thesis, strong evidence and examples, and a thoughtful conclusion.

Key Takeaways

• The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena are related.
• The thesis states what the writer sees as the main cause, main effect, or various causes and effects of a condition or event.

The cause-and-effect essay can be organized in one of these two primary ways:

• Start with the cause and then talk about the effect.
• Start with the effect and then talk about the cause.
• Strong evidence is particularly important in the cause-and-effect essay due to the complexity of determining connections between phenomena.
• Phrases of causation are helpful in signaling links between various elements in the essay.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Writing an Essay Showing Cause and Effect Pattern

LESSON Cause and effect essays An essay that covers why and/or how something happened. This type of essay requires that an event or action led to one or more consequences. will be among the most common writing assignments you come across in college. You may be asked to examine a cause, in other words, a thing or person that is the source or origin of certain effects. For instance, you may be asked to write an essay A short piece of writing that focuses on at least one main idea. Some essays are also focused on the author's unique point of view, making them personal or autobiographical, while others are focused on a particular literary, scientific, or political subject. describing how World War II affected the stature of the United States as a world leader in the twentieth century.

Effects can take the form of actions A thing that is done, or the process of doing it. , phenomena Happenings or facts that can be observed. , states The condition that something is in. , problems, illnesses, environments, and so forth. Cause and effect essays are important examinations To observe closely and carefully. of what are often complex issues. They can challenge preconceived notions An opinion formed ahead of time, without benefit of facts and experiences. about ideas A thought, opinion, or impression. and opinions Point of view that shows a personal belief or bias and cannot be proven to be completely true. . Cause and effect essays also help the writer and the reader better understand the "whys" and "hows" behind their thinking.

Further, these assignments require you to closely examine the relationship(s) between cause(s) and effect(s). What is "cause" and what is "effect" is not always obvious. Keep in mind causal chains A series of events, each triggered by the one before. Causal chains have three parts: the initial cause, the final consequence, and all the steps that link the cause to the effect. Also called "the domino effect." , where what may begin as a cause becomes one of many further effects, and that what starts out as an effect may cause additional effects.

For example, showing how driving a car increases global warming is an example of a causal chain:

• Driving a car has the effect of releasing carbon dioxide.
• Carbon dioxide has the effect of trapping the sun's energy.
• The energy of the sun has the effect of raising the average global temperature.

So, driving a car leads to an increase in global warming.

In this lesson, you will learn eight steps to writing a cause and effect essay:

• Understand your assignment.
• Gather ideas.
• Create a working thesis.
• Develop an outline.
• Develop paragraphs that support your thesis.
• Write a conclusion.
• Write an introduction.
• Revise your essay.

Step 1: Understand your assignment.

When approaching an assignment, it is essential to understand what you are being asked to write. It is helpful to read any guidelines and instructions provided to you. Examine the essay prompt Instructions for a writing assignment given by an instructor. carefully. Do you need to address causes or effects? Are you being asked to write an essay in which you are looking at an issue where many effects stem from one cause ? Or are you tasked with writing about a situation where many causes lead to one effect ? Keywords Words that are important to understanding the meaning of a passage or reading. , also called signal words Words or phrases that connect ideas and alert a reader to important relationships between subjects. For example, signal words in a cause and effect essay could include first , second , then , next , later , because , after , and due to . Signal words in a compare/contrast essay could include also , but , similarly , in contrast , unlike , in the same way , as well as , or on the other hand . , such as why , factors , causes , effects , results , reasons , influences , consequences , and outcomes indicate that you need to write a cause and effect essay.

Cause: childhood obesity

Effects: A number of immediate and long-term health and psychosocial effects.

Effect: childhood obesity

Causes: cost and availability of healthy foods, changes in the education system (increased seat time and decreased recess/gym), changes in family structure, and perception of decreased safety.

Step 2: Gather ideas.

There are a number of idea-gathering strategies that may be helpful to you here. For example, a cause and effect graphic organizer Pictorial tools used to brainstorm and arrange ideas before writing, such as webbing diagrams, flow charts, story maps, and Venn diagrams. could work. Draw a circle. Place the one cause in that circle. Then put all of the effects around it. It essentially becomes a webbing A prewriting technique where the author creates an informal visual layout of possible ideas and then draws lines to connect them into a type of "web." The objective is to see connections between events and characters. or cluster A prewriting technique where the author creates an informal visual layout of possible ideas, grouping them together. The objective is to create visual clusters of information on which to base a writing. .

Conversely, you could place the effect in the circle and put all of the causes around it.

Other ideas could include creating a brainstorming A prewriting technique where the author lists multiple ideas as he or she thinks of them, not considering one more than another until all ideas are captured. The objective is to create one great idea, or many ideas, on which to base a writing. list. If you are working with a many causes lead to one effect essay, begin by writing the effect at the top of a piece of paper. Then spend some time freewriting A prewriting technique where the author begins writing without regard to spelling or grammar about ideas, topics, or even characters, descriptions of events, and settings. Often the writer will freewrite for a set period of time. The objective is to develop a storyline through the writing process itself. ideas about potential causes. You may find that additional causes branch off of other causes. The same can be done for a many effects stem from one cause essay.

Step 3: Create a working thesis.

Creating a working or tentative thesis statement An early form of a thesis statement that can be developed into a more formal thesis statement by creating supporting details. is vital to the development and organization of your ideas and your essay. Your thesis An overall argument, idea, or belief that a writer uses as the basis for a work. is what you are setting out to demonstrate through your writing. A working thesis is one that may need to be revised somewhat later as you develop the sound reasoning, examples, and illustrations to support it.

Your working thesis should fit the characteristics of a good thesis in general: it must be specific, clearly state your main idea The most important or central thought of a reading selection. It also includes what the author wants the reader to understand about the topic he or she has chosen to write about. , and demonstrate for your reader why the topic is important. For a cause and effect essay, your thesis also needs to alert your reader that he or she will learn about the causes OR the effects.

Many effects stem from one cause :

Thesis statement: Today's parents have an obligation to help their children maintain a healthy weight because childhood obesity presents a number of negative health and psychosocial effects, both immediately and in the future.

Many causes lead to one effect :

Thesis statement: While many are quick to blame fast food and television for juvenile obesity, the actual causes are more varied and complex.

Step 4: Develop an outline.

Sometimes it is useful to simply sketch a rough outline A preliminary plan for a piece of a writing, often in the form of a list. It should include a topic, audience, purpose, thesis statement, and main and supporting points. listing the causes or effects you plan on incorporating into your essay and create a more detailed outline after you have written the rough draft The first version of a writing that will undergo rewriting, additions, and editing before it becomes the final draft. . This allows the outline to be used as a way of developing your essay and organizing your ideas as well as a revision tool that helps you check whether or not your organizational strategy makes sense.

Here is an example of a rough outline developed for this purpose on the topic of childhood obesity.

Cause: Childhood obesity

Effects: A number of immediate and long-term health and psychosocial effects

• Thesis statement A brief statement that identifies a writer's thoughts, opinions, or conclusions about a topic. Thesis statements bring unity to a piece of writing, giving it a focus and a purpose. You can use three questions to help form a thesis statement: What is my topic? What am I trying to say about that topic? Why is this important to me or my reader? : Today’s parents have an obligation to help their children maintain a healthy weight because childhood obesity presents a number of negative health and psychosocial effects, both immediately and in the future.
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease and stroke
• Depression and loneliness
• Childhood obesity contributes to a number of dangerous, damaging, and potentially unavoidable short- and long-term physical and psychosocial effects. Parents have the opportunity to encourage and foster healthful eating and exercise habits in their children so they can avoid the devastating consequences of childhood obesity.

If you choose to organize your essay in this manner, it is important to clarify for your reader that while there could be multiple causes for the topic, in this case, childhood obesity, your essay is focused on the effects of that condition.

Step 5: Develop paragraphs that support your thesis

Once you have developed your thesis and sketched an outline, you can begin writing body paragraphs The part of an essay that comes after the introduction and before the conclusion. Body paragraphs lay out the main ideas of an argument and provide the support for the thesis. All body paragraphs should include these elements: a topic sentence, major and minor details, and a concluding statement. Each body paragraph should stand on its own but also fit into the context of the entire essay, as well as support the thesis and work with the other supporting paragraphs. that support your thesis. Paragraphs should adhere to the MEAL concept An acronym that describes a method of organizing the paragraphs in an essay. Under this plan, each paragraph should have a M ain point, E vidence, A nalysis, and a L ink to the next paragraph. :

Main Idea The most important or central thought of a reading selection. It also includes what the author wants the reader to understand about the topic he or she has chosen to write about. :  your topic sentence, identifying one of the many causes (or effects) supporting the thesis.

Evidence Facts, statistics, or expert testimony that supports a claim. :  facts, expert opinion, or anecdotal evidence proving the causal relationship described in the topic sentence.

Analysis To analyze is to make a thoughtful and detailed study of something. An analysis is the end result of analyzing. :  explaining how the evidence supports the topic sentence.

Link To connect ideas together within a paragraph or to create a transition from one paragraph to the next, as well as back to the thesis. :  a transition Tying two events, passages, or pieces of information together in a smooth way. In writing, transitions are sometimes called links. from one paragraph to the next, as well as back to the thesis.

Step 6: Write a conclusion

The conclusion The end portion of a writing that contains a summary or synthesis of the idea in the work. This includes a recap of key points and reminders of the author's purpose and thesis statement. needs to summarize To give a short version of the main points of a text. and synthesize To combine ideas, as in the writing at the end of an essay that ties all the discussion and evidence together into a unified concept. , or bring together, the most important details Individual items or ideas that are part of a larger whole. of your essay. It should also give your reader a new way of looking at your main idea. It reminds the reader of your thesis and reinforces the main points you have made.

Step 7: Write an introduction

There are four elements of an effective introduction The first paragraph of an essay. It must engage the reader, set the tone, provide background information, and present the thesis. :

• Hook In writing, a device used to grab a readers' attention, often in the form of interesting, surprising, or provocative information.
• Tone The feeling or attitude that a writer expresses toward a topic. The words the writer chooses express this tone. Examples of tones can include: objective, biased, humorous, optimistic, and cynical, among many others.
• Background Information that describes the history or circumstances of a topic.
• Thesis An overall argument, idea, or belief that a writer uses as the basis for a work.

An effective introduction hooks the reader with a compelling idea, sets the tone for the rest of the essay, provides any necessary background or context for the reader, and presents the thesis.

Step 8: Revise your essay.

When you have a draft of your essay, revise The process of making changes to a work by editing and proofreading it to improve, correct, and increase clarity. it by asking yourself these questions:

• Have I followed the assignment?
• Is this a many effects stem from one cause essay or a many causes lead to one effect essay? What is my main cause or what is my main effect?
• Do my body paragraphs support my thesis?
• Is all my support relevant?
• Do I need more or less support?
• Have I included the transitions necessary to guide the reader from point to point?
• Does my conclusion summarize and synthesize the most important details?
• Does my introduction hook the reader and provide adequate background/introduction to my topic?

This is also where developing a more formal outline An outline that is traditional and structured, follows a set pattern, and uses a combination of Roman numerals, letters, and numbers to show a hierarchy of information based on the major and minor details or ideas. based on what you actually have written in the draft can help you discover weaknesses or areas in need of more detail and support.

A more detailed outline of this essay on childhood obesity might look something like this:

Formal Outline

• Thesis statement: Today’s parents have an obligation to help their children maintain a healthy weight because childhood obesity presents a number of negative health and psychosocial effects, both immediately and in the future.
• Obesity can result in the development of cardiovascular diseases, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
• Obesity can put children in danger of pre-diabetes, a condition linked to increased potential for development of diabetes.
• Obesity is linked to sleep apnea, a condition that contributes to insomnia, fatigue, and mental illness.
• Obesity is known to negatively impact bones and joints.
• Obesity contributes to a child’s inability to participate in vital physical activities.
• Obesity has the potential to bring on sadness, low self-esteem, and depression.
• Obesity (and its related effects of hypertension and sleep apnea) can lead to anxiety.
• Obesity may influence and impact the forming of essential peer groups and a difficulty forming friendships.
• Obesity may give rise to feelings of isolation due to inability to participate in vital physical activities with schoolmates or peers.
• Obese children are more likely to be bullied by their schoolmates or peers.
• Obesity is associated with higher rates of heart disease later in life.
• Obese children are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes as adults
• Obesity increases the likelihood of adult stroke.
• Obesity is linked to the adult development of osteoarthritis.
• Children who are obese are at greater risk for continued obesity as adults.
• Obesity increases the risk of long-term depression.
• Obesity increases the risk for long-term anxiety.
• Obese individuals experience increased loneliness due to difficulty in forming and sustaining long-term relationships.
• Obese individuals are more likely to experience social isolation.
• Obesity often invites criticism and judgment from peers, coworkers, family members, and communities at large.

Remember, you may need to add information, remove information, or reorganize your writing. Being a careful reviewer of your own work is key to a quality essay. When you have completed this step, be sure to go back one more time to verify that your grammar A set of rules about how words are used in a particular language. , spelling, and punctuation Marks such as such as a comma (,), period (.), question mark (?), and exclamation mark (!), among others, that help break a writing into phrases, clauses, and sentences. Different types of punctuation marks give the reader different impressions of the writer’s purpose in that sentence. are correct.

One of the most valuable skills you will learn in college and then continue to use throughout your career is the writing of a cause and effect essay. Crafting this particular kind of essay requires a keen eye for signal words, attention to detail, and the ability to decipher To figure out something confusing or complicated. and explain causal relationships, and then translate that all into a well-reasoned essay with a strong thesis. In your career, your boss may ask you to take a look at certain financial outcomes of the organization and determine causes and/or subsequent effects. Most actions or decisions in the workplace—and in life—should be done with consideration of their effects; knowing how to carefully examine and write about these relationships will help you in your decision-making.

Using the eight-step process described in this lesson, here is an example of how to create a cause and effect essay.

Essay prompt: In a four- to six-paragraph essay, describe in detail the multiple causes of widespread panic around contagious influenza.

Step 1. Understand your assignment.

The assignment is to write a four- to six-paragraph essay examining the multiple causes of the widespread panic associated with contagious influenza.

Step 2. Gather ideas.

In this example, the writer has used a cause and effect graphic organizer to gather ideas and organize thoughts.

Step 3. Create a working thesis.

Here is a tentative thesis based on the ideas gathered: While fear of catching pandemic flu is certainly frightening, there are additional causes for the panic effect often triggered by public knowledge of a new flu strain.

Step 4. Develop an outline.

This rough outline lists a number of causes in a linear fashion.

• Thesis statement: While fear of catching pandemic flu is certainly frightening, there are additional causes for the panic effect often triggered by public knowledge of a new flu strain.
• Doctors and first responders get them first.
• Some cities and hospitals have them while others don’t.
• Risks of recent "pandemics" overstated.
• Movies and TV shows portray quarantines and other drastic measures.
• When next faced with a pandemic situation, we should be mindful of these additional causes of potentially unreasonable panic.

Step 5. Develop paragraphs that support your thesis.

Using the framework of the outline and the MEAL concept, develop supporting paragraphs that make the body of your essay. Remember, you will write the conclusion and introduction later.

The dissemination of vaccinations is often a topic that causes not just fear, but anger. Typically, first responders, such as EMTs (emergency medical technicians), nurses, doctors, firefighters, police officers, military, and so forth, are also first in line for vaccinations. While it is a logical maneuver, as these are the people best suited to protect and treat individuals and provide large-scale public health initiatives, it often feels unfair to the average citizen. Furthermore, certain hospitals and cities get access to vaccines earlier than others, making people suspicious that those in charge are playing favorites. This perception of unfairness makes it difficult for people to trust the government to protect their interests. Neither of these issues is made better by the coverage they get in the media.

Public knowledge of an impending or current pandemic is often gained through the media, which does not do a very good job of sharing information without frightening people. Just the knowledge of the H1N1 flu strain and bird flu was enough to send some into panic mode, but the sensationalistic reporting on the two pandemics added fuel to the fire.

People also fear drastic measures often portrayed in films and television shows, giving the public the perception that they may be separated from their loved ones and never see them again. News media and popular entertainment do just as much as the actual pandemics to increase panic in populations facing the threat of a new flu strain.

Step 6. Write a conclusion.

Next, write the conclusion of your essay. Make sure it brings together your supporting points and reminds the reader of your thesis.

• Therefore, while pandemic flu is frightening in and of itself, there are many reasons other than fear of contagion why the public panics: miscommunication, lack of control in decision making, potential threat of quarantine, and the possibility of not having access to vaccinations. When next faced with a pandemic situation, the authorities should be mindful of these additional causes of the well-known reaction of public panic.

Step 7. Write an introduction.

Finally, write the introduction, keeping in mind the four-step approach of hook, tone, background, and thesis.

Pandemic influenza is a flu virus that has either a) not circulated in the population before or b) has not been seen among the general public in a very long time. It is a flu strain for which people have no preexisting immunity. One recent example would be a recent pandemic scare involving the H1N1 flu strain. While fear of catching pandemic flu is certainly frightening, there are additional causes for the panic effect often triggered by public knowledge of a new flu strain.

Step 8. Revise your essay.

A good technique for revising your essay is to create a more formal outline at this time to make sure there are no weaknesses, especially in terms of missing evidence and/or analysis.

• Hook: While popular media may portray widespread panic among populations in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak, there are, in fact, other causes for the alarm, fear, and anger that people feel.
• Tone: Persuasive/Informative
• Background: There have been several historically significant pandemic influenzas throughout history.
• Thesis: While fear of catching pandemic flu is certainly frightening, there are additional causes for the panic effect often triggered by public knowledge of a new flu strain.
• Doctors and first responders get them first, which can seem unfair.
• Some hospitals and cities get them before others, making it seem like government officials play favorites.
• Coverage of H1N1 and bird flu created panic.
• Public perception is skewed due to television and film.

Using the formal outline above, the revision below makes for a stronger draft of the essay.

Contagious Influenza and Widespread Panic

Even though popular media may portray that fear of getting sick is what causes widespread panic in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak, there are, in fact, other causes for the alarm, fear, and anger that people feel. This essay is focused on pandemic influenza, rather than the seasonal flu that most of us get at one time or another, and the media hysteria that accompanies these events. While fear of catching pandemic flu is certainly frightening, there are additional causes for the panic often experienced by people with the knowledge of a new flu strain.

The dissemination of vaccinations is often a topic that elicits not just fear, but anger. Typically, first responders, such as EMTs (emergency medical technicians), nurses, doctors, firefighters, police officers, military, and so forth, are also first in line for vaccinations. While it is a logical maneuver as these are the people best suited to protect and treat individuals and provide large-scale public health initiatives, it often feels unfair to the average citizen. Furthermore, certain hospitals and cities get access to vaccines earlier than others, making peoples suspicious that those in charge are playing favorites. This perception of unfairness makes it difficult for people to trust the government to protect their interests. Neither of these issues is made better by the coverage they get in the media.

Public knowledge of an impending or current pandemic is often gained through the media, which does not do a very good job of sharing information without frightening people. Just the knowledge of the H1N1 flu strain and bird flu was enough to send some into panic mode, but the sensationalistic reporting on the two pandemics added fuel to the fire. People also fear drastic measures often portrayed in films and television shows, giving the public the perception that they may be separated from their loved ones and never see them again. News media and popular entertainment do just as much as the actual pandemics to increase panic in populations facing the threat of a new flu strain.

Therefore, while pandemic flu is frightening in and of itself, there are many reasons other than fear of contagion that the public panics: miscommunication, lack of control of decision making, potential threat of quarantine, and the possibility of not having access to vaccinations. When next faced with a pandemic situation, the authorities should be mindful of these additional causes of the well-known reaction of public panic.

Follow the eight steps to write a cause and effect essay.

Essay Prompt:

Write a four- to six-paragraph essay on one of these topics:

A) Explain either the causes of the increased divorce rate in the United States or the effects of divorce on the children of divorced parents.

B) Describe the effects of an influential person in your life.

C) Describe either the causes of teens dropping out of high school or the effects of dropping out of high school on teens who choose to do so.

Sample Answer

The assignment is to write a four- to six-paragraph essay examining the multiple effects of an influential person in my life.

In this example, I used a cause and effect graphic organizer in order to gather ideas.

Many teachers had an impact on my education as I went through school, but my ninth grade social studies teacher had the greatest influence on my life, affecting everything from the type of student I was to the career I have chosen.

• Many teachers had an impact on my education as I went through school, but my ninth grade social studies teacher had the greatest influence on my life, affecting everything from the type of student I was to the career I have decided to pursue.
• I changed from being a "C" student to an "A" student.
• I moved from non-academic classes like shop to honors classes in English and physics.
• My confidence as a student influenced me to be first in my family to attend college.
• I am working hard to become a professor at a community college; I want to model my teaching style after his.
• Overall, the impact of one person changed the course of my life.

The immediate effect that Mr. Zola had on me was boosting my confidence as a student. This new confidence was apparent in my grades as I moved from being a "C" student to an "A" student. This was because I had always been somewhat disinterested in school up until I took his class, sometimes being engaged with a class or a topic, sometimes not. I didn't turn in all of my homework and didn't always participate in class discussions. After taking Mr. Zola's class, I learned that it wasn't the topic that made a class interesting, but my understanding and viewpoint on the topic. This immediately changed how I thought about homework assignments and participating in class. This increased confidence was also displayed in the types of classes I chose to take, moving from non-academic electives to eventually taking advanced placement (AP) classes in my senior year. Becoming an "A" student and taking AP classes were the direct result of Mr. Zola's influence on me as a student.

The more long-term effect that Mr. Zola had on me was in my career choice. I want to become a teacher, just like him. To do this, I became the first person in my family to attend college. This was an extension of the confidence he inspired in my ability to do well in education. And when I complete my degree, I eventually want to become a professor at a community college, teaching adult students instead of high school students, but still employing the same teaching strategies that he had modeled for me in my youth. In fact, his influence was so impactful on my career choice that I contacted him on Facebook to tell him what I was doing and why I had decided to become a professor.

Some influential people help change the course of your life in one particular moment, helping you through crisis and turmoil. Others transform your character, creating effects that last through the rest of your life. Mr. Zola had this latter impact on me. And even though there is always a certain individual fate involved in all of our lives, I feel fortunate to have had a teacher like Mr. Zola to help steer me in the direction my life is going.

School can be one of the most torturous experiences for many students, from being bullied and chastised for no reason to spending long hours in boring classes where the hands on the clock seem to move through molasses. Sometimes, though, a certain class or special teacher can come along and change that experience. That person can even inspire students to work harder in other classes, graduate high school, and even go on to college. For me, this person was my ninth grade social studies teacher, Mr. Zola. Many teachers had an impact on my education as I went through school, but Mr. Zola had the greatest influence on my life, affecting everything from the type of student I was to the career I have decided to pursue.

The Difference One Teacher Can Make

School can be one of the most torturous experiences for many students, from being bullied and chastised for no reason to spending long hours in boring classes where the hands on the clock seem to move through molasses. Unfortunately, this bad experience can have a lasting impact on people's lives, closing doors of opportunity that are typically only opened through education. Sometimes, though, a certain class or special teacher can come along and change that experience, making at least part of a day or part of a year more bearable and even enjoyable. That person can even inspire students to work harder in other classes, graduate high school, and even go on to greater success in college. For me, this person was my ninth grade social studies teacher, Mr. Zola. Many teachers had an impact on my education as I went through school, but Mr. Zola had the greatest influence on my life, affecting everything from the type of I student I was to the career I have decided to pursue.

The more long-term effect that Mr. Zola had on me was my career choice. I want to become a teacher, just like him. To do this, I became the first person in my family to attend college. This was an extension of the confidence he inspired in my ability to do well in education. And when I obtain my degree, I eventually want to become a professor at a community college, teaching adult students instead of high school students, but still employing the same teaching strategies that he had modeled for me in my youth. In fact, his influence was so impactful on this career choice that I contacted him on Facebook to tell him what I was doing and why I had decided to become a professor.

There are various things that will signal to me that I am being asked to write a cause and effect essay. For example, the language used in the question may spell out that the instructor is looking for an analysis of many effects stemming from one cause or many causes leading to one effect. In other examples, the language may not be so specific but it will present causal relationships and then ask for an explanation.

Copyright ©2022 The NROC Project

2.9 Cause and Effect

[1] the purpose of cause and effect in writing.

It is often considered human nature to ask, “why?” and “how?” We want to know how our child got sick so we can better prevent it from happening in the future, or why our colleague received a pay raise because we want one as well. We want to know how much money we will save over the long term if we buy a hybrid car. These examples identify only a few of the relationships we think about in our lives, but each shows the importance of understanding cause and effect.

A cause is something that produces an event or condition; an effect is what results from an event or condition. The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena relate in terms of origins and results. Sometimes the connection between cause and effect is clear, but often determining the exact relationship between the two is more complex. For example, the following effects of a cold may be easily identifiable: a sore throat, runny nose, and a cough. But determining the cause of the sickness can be far more difficult. A number of causes are possible, and to complicate matters, these possible causes could have combined to cause the sickness. That is, more than one cause may be responsible for any given effect. Therefore, cause-and-effect discussions are often complicated and frequently lead to debates and arguments.

Use the complex nature of cause and effect to your advantage. Often it is not necessary, or even possible, to find the exact cause of an event or to name the exact effect. So, when formulating a thesis, you can claim one of a number of causes or effects to be the primary, or main, cause or effect. As soon as you claim that one cause or one effect is more crucial than the others, you have developed a thesis.

Consider the causes and effects in the following thesis statements. List a cause and effect for each one on your own sheet of paper.

• The growing childhood obesity epidemic is a result of technology.
• Much of the wildlife is dying because of the oil spill.
• The town continued programs that it could no longer afford, so it went bankrupt.
• More young people became politically active as use of the Internet spread throughout society.
• While many experts believed the rise in violence was due to the poor economy, it was really due to the summer-long heat wave.

Write three cause-and-effect thesis statements of your own for each of the following five broad topics.

• Health and nutrition

The Structure of a Cause-and-Effect Essay

The cause-and-effect essay opens with a general introduction to the topic, which then leads to a thesis that states the main cause, main effect, or various causes and effects of a condition or event.

The cause-and-effect essay is typically organized in one of the following ways:

• Start with the cause and then discuss the effects.
• Start with the effect and then discuss the causes.

For example, if your essay were on childhood obesity, you could start by discussing the effect of childhood obesity and then the cause or you could start the same essay by discussing the cause of childhood obesity and then move to the effect.

Regardless of which structure you choose, be sure to explain each element of the essay fully and completely. Explaining complex relationships requires the full use of evidence, such as scientific studies, expert testimony, statistics, and anecdotes.

Because cause-and-effect essays determine how phenomena are linked, they make frequent use of certain words and phrases that denote such linkage. See List 2.9.1 “Phrases of Causation” for examples of such terms.

List 2.9.1  Phrases of Causation

• As a result
• consequently

Be careful of resorting to empty speculation. In writing, speculation amounts to unsubstantiated guessing. Writers are particularly prone to such trappings in cause-and-effect arguments due to the complex nature of finding links between phenomena. Be sure to have clear evidence to support the claims that you make.

Look at some of the cause-and-effect relationships from “Exercise 2.” Outline the links you listed. Outline one using a cause-then-effect structure. Outline the other using the effect-then-cause structure.

Practicing Peer Review

Share your outlines with a peer. Is the outline you chose most effective for the discussion? Should you have used the other layout? What is particulary clear about the connection? What seems vague/underdeveloped?

Writing a Cause-and-Effect Essay

Choose an event or condition that you think has an interesting cause-and-effect relationship. Introduce your topic in an engaging way. End your introduction with a thesis that states the main cause, the main effect, or both.

Organize your essay by starting with either the cause-then-effect structure or the effect-then-cause structure. Within each section, you should clearly explain and support the causes and effects using a full range of evidence. If you are writing about multiple causes or multiple effects, you may choose to sequence either in terms of order of importance. In other words, order the causes or effects from least to most important (or vice versa).

Use the phrases of causation when trying to forge connections between various events or conditions. This will help organize your ideas and orient the reader. End your essay with a conclusion that connects your main points and reinforces your thesis.

Key Takeaways

• The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena are related.
• The thesis states what the writer sees as the main cause, main effect, or various causes and effects of a condition or event.
• Start with the cause and then discuss the effect.
• Start with the effect and then discuss the cause.
• Strong evidence is particularly important in the cause-and-effect essay due to the complexity of determining connections between phenomena.
• Phrases of causation are helpful in signaling links between various elements in the essay.
• 2.9 (except where otherwise noted) was borrowed with edits and additions from Writing for Success which was adapted from a work produced and distributed under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA) in 2011 by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author not receive attribution. This adapted edition is produced by the University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. ↵

Composition 1: Introduction to Academic Writing Copyright © by Brittany Seay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Cause and Effect Essay

Writing for success: cause and effect.

This section will help you determine the purpose and structure of cause and effect in writing.

The Purpose of Cause and Effect in Writing

It is often considered human nature to ask, “why?” and “how?” We want to know how our child got sick so we can better prevent it from happening in the future, or why a colleague received a pay raise because we want one as well. We want to know how much money we will save over the long term if we buy a hybrid car, or how long we will live if we exercise daily. These examples identify only a few of the relationships we think about in our lives, but each shows the importance of understanding cause and effect.

A cause is something that produces an event or condition; an effect is what results from an event or condition. The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena relate in terms of origins and results. Sometimes the connection between cause and effect is clear, but often determining the exact relationship between the two is very difficult. For example, the following effects of a cold may be easily identifiable: a sore throat, runny nose, and a cough. But determining the cause of the sickness can be far more difficult. A number of causes are possible, and to complicate matters, these possible causes could have combined to cause the sickness. That is, more than one cause may be responsible for any given effect. Therefore, cause-and-effect discussions are often complicated and frequently lead to debates and arguments.

Use the complex nature of cause and effect to your advantage. Often it is not necessary, or even possible, to find the exact cause of an event or to name the exact effect. So, when formulating a thesis, you can claim one of a number of causes or effects to be the primary, or main, cause or effect. As soon as you claim that one cause or one effect is more crucial than the others, you have developed a thesis.

The Structure of a Cause and Effect Essay

The cause-and-effect essay opens with a general introduction to the topic, which then leads to a thesis that states the main cause, main effect, or various causes and effects of a condition or event.

The cause-and-effect essay can be organized in one of the following two primary ways:

• Start with the cause and then talk about the effects.
• Start with the effect and then talk about the causes.

For example, if your essay were on childhood obesity, you could start by talking about the effect of childhood obesity and then discuss the cause or you could start the same essay by talking about the cause of childhood obesity and then move to the effect.

Regardless of which structure you choose, be sure to explain each element of the essay fully and completely. Explaining complex relationships requires the full use of evidence, such as scientific studies, expert testimony, statistics, and anecdotes.

Because cause-and-effect essays determine how phenomena are linked, they make frequent use of certain words and phrases that denote such linkage.  Certain  transitional words and phrases  aid in keeping the reader oriented in the sequencing of a story. Some of these phrases are listed here:

Phrases of Causation

The conclusion should wrap up the discussion and reinforce the thesis, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of the relationship that was analyzed.

Be careful of resorting to empty speculation. In writing, speculation amounts to unsubstantiated guessing. Writers are particularly prone to such trappings in cause-and-effect arguments due to the complex nature of finding links between phenomena. Be sure to have clear evidence to support the claims that you make.

Writing an Cause and Effect Essay

Choose an event or condition that you think has an interesting cause-and-effect relationship. Introduce your topic in an engaging way. End your introduction with a thesis that states the main cause, the main effect, or both.

Organize your essay by starting with either the cause-then-effect structure or the effect-then-cause structure. Within each section, you should clearly explain and support the causes and effects using a full range of evidence. If you are writing about multiple causes or multiple effects, you may choose to sequence either in terms of order of importance. In other words, order the causes from least to most important (or vice versa), or order the effects from least important to most important (or vice versa).

Use the phrases of causation when trying to forge connections between various events or conditions. This will help organize your ideas and orient the reader. End your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and reinforces your thesis.

Cause and Effect Essay Example

Effects of Video Game Addiction

By Scott McLean

Video game addition is a serious problem in many parts of the world today and deserves more attention. It is no secret that children and adults in many countries throughout the world, including Japan, China, and the United States, play video games every day. Most players are able to limit their usage in ways that do not interfere with their daily lives, but many others have developed an addiction to playing video games and suffer detrimental effects.

An addiction can be described in several ways, but generally speaking, addictions involve unhealthy attractions to substances or activities that ultimately disrupt the ability of a person to keep up with regular daily responsibilities. Video game addiction typically involves playing games uncontrollably for many hours at a time—some people will play only four hours at a time while others cannot stop for over twenty-four hours. Regardless of the severity of the addiction, many of the same effects will be experienced by all.

One common effect of video game addiction is isolation and withdrawal from social experiences. Video game players often hide in their homes or in Internet cafés for days at a time—only reemerging for the most pressing tasks and necessities. The effect of this isolation can lead to a breakdown of communication skills and often a loss in socialization. While it is true that many games, especially massive multiplayer online games, involve a very real form of e-based communication and coordination with others, and these virtual interactions often result in real communities that can be healthy for the players, these communities and forms of communication rarely translate to the types of valuable social interaction that humans need to maintain typical social functioning. As a result, the social networking in these online games often gives the users the impression that they are interacting socially, while their true social lives and personal relations may suffer.

Another unfortunate product of the isolation that often accompanies video game addiction is the disruption of the user’s career. While many players manage to enjoy video games and still hold their jobs without problems, others experience challenges at their workplace. Some may only experience warnings or demerits as a result of poorer performance, or others may end up losing their jobs altogether. Playing video games for extended periods of time often involves sleep deprivation, and this tends to carry over to the workplace, reducing production and causing habitual tardiness.

Video game addiction may result in a decline in overall health and hygiene. Players who interact with video games for such significant amounts of time can go an entire day without eating and even longer without basic hygiene tasks, such as using the restroom or bathing. The effects of this behavior pose significant danger to their overall health.

The causes of video game addiction are complex and can vary greatly, but the effects have the potential to be severe. Playing video games can and should be a fun activity for all to enjoy. But just like everything else, the amount of time one spends playing video games needs to be balanced with personal and social responsibilities.

Key Takeaways

• The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena are related.
• The thesis states what the writer sees as the main cause, main effect, or various causes and effects of a condition or event.
• The cause-and-effect essay can be organized in one of these two primary ways:
• Start with the cause and then talk about the effect.
• Start with the effect and then talk about the cause.
• Strong evidence is particularly important in the cause-and-effect essay due to the complexity of determining connections between phenomena.
• Phrases of causation are helpful in signaling links between various elements in the essay.
• Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : http://lumenlearning.com/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Successful Writing. Provided by : Anonymous. Located at : http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/s14-08-cause-and-effect.html . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Effects of Video Game Addiction. Authored by : Scott McLean. Located at : http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/s19-09-cause-and-effect-essay.html . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Unit 03: Reasons and Results – The Cause-and-Effect Essay

“Why did that happen?” “What were the effects?”

These are common questions about many events, actions, conditions in the world. That’s what this unit is all about: reason and result. Or, as writing instructors say, cause and effect. It’s a very useful — and very common — writing strategy both in school and out of school.  In this unit, you will study use the same topic from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , but you’ll take a look at the issue from a new angle. To do this, you’ll learn more about common cause-and-effect essay structures as well as the grammar and vocabulary to support them.

Key academic vocabulary in this unit

• clause /klɔz/  noun  – a group of words with a subject and a verb
• create  /kriˈeɪt/  verb –  to make something new
• discrimination /dɪˌskrɪmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/ noun – unfair treatment of someone
• format / ˈfɔrˌmæt / noun –  the arrangement, organization, or structure of something
• involve /ɪnˈvɑlv/ verb – to include something or someone as a part of an activity, event, or situation
• isolate /ˈaɪsəˌleɪt/  verb  –  to keep someone or something away
• potential /pəˈtenʃ(ə)l/  noun and adjective  – possible in the future
• predict /prɪˈdɪkt/  verb – to say what will happen in the future
• significant  / sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt / adjective – large, noticeable, important, or meaningful
• summary  /ˈsʌməri/ noun – a short description that gives only the most important information without all the details

Coalescence Copyright © 2023 by Timothy Krause is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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6.2: The Structure of a Narrative Essay

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• Page ID 6257

• Amber Kinonen, Jennifer McCann, Todd McCann, & Erica Mead
• Bay College Library

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Major narrative events are most often conveyed in chronological order, the order in which events unfold from first to last. Stories typically have a beginning, a middle, and an end, and these events are typically organized by time. Certain transitional words and phrases aid in keeping the reader oriented in the sequencing of a story. Some of these phrases are listed in Table 6.1.

The following are the other basic components of a narrative:

• Plot. The events as they unfold in sequence.
• Characters. The people who inhabit the story and move it forward. Typically, there are minor characters and main characters. The minor characters generally play supporting roles to the main character, or the protagonist.
• Conflict. The primary problem or obstacle that unfolds in the plot that the protagonist must solve or overcome by the end of the narrative. The way in which the protagonist resolves the conflict of the plot results in the theme of the narrative.
• Theme. The ultimate message the narrative is trying to express; it can be either explicit or implicit

writing at work

When interviewing candidates for jobs, employers often ask about conflicts or problems a potential employee has had to overcome. They are asking for a compelling personal narrative. To prepare for this question in a job interview, write out a scenario using the narrative mode structure. This will allow you to troubleshoot rough spots, as well as better understand your own personal history. Both processes will make your story better and your self-presentation better, too.