good thesis statement cause and effect

WRITE A THESIS STATEMENT FOR A CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY

If you are a student at college or university, you know that there are certain particularities in formulating a cause and effect essay thesis statement. But, it can be a real challenge for one to understand the essence of that phrase. Or, even if you do so, on practice, things may go differently. Many students are sweating over the issue of how to express their main thought, show the relevance of the subject matter, and engage the reader by only one sentence. And, since we are talking about a cause-effect assignment, we should remember about meeting its purpose as well. This way, the thesis statement should also reflect the interdependence of events or phenomena that you are going to discuss and, what's important, prove throughout the writing.

In this article, we will dwell on the role of the thesis statement in the process of writing this specific type of essay. In our guide, we will discuss the main features of a strong thesis and provide you with several examples. With our recommendations, you can be confident in the highest rate for your writing assignment.

But first things first, and let us remind ourselves of the general definition of the thesis statement. It is your one main idea, a central claim of an academic paper you are working on. In cause-effect writing, this statement establishes an interconnection between a phenomenon or event and its effects. Or, it can highlight the interdependence of consequences and their reasons. Through a solid thesis statement, you clarify that the impact (effects) you focus on have particular sources (causes), or you show that the subject of the text may develop and result in a certain way and have specific outcomes. To illustrate the theory, let us consider one particular phenomenon. For instance, you have to write an essay on drug addiction. Here, a good thesis statement will claim that this issue is a cause of various problems in society. You will have to gather reliable information to prove your point. Then, the task is to arrange the details that clear any "what if's." Or, you can emphasize certain aspects of our lives that can lead to drug addiction.

Core Idea of Cause and Effect Statements

Let's recall the major aspect of thesis statement development. Are there any formal criteria that you will need to meet for preparing a relevant and clear main idea? Well, there are. Your thesis statement needs to:

• Be precise and coherent. That should be a message which you can develop and support throughout the text.
• Show an interconnection between one cause and its effects or one effect and its causes.
• Be well-organized(one sentence long). The reader should be able to understand the focus of your writing from one phrase.
• Be academically arguable. There should be space for the discussion - you cannot just provide obvious things in your topic sentence.

Now, you have recalled the specifics and requirements you need to meet for formulating a sound idea. But, applying theoretical knowledge in practice is, in many perspectives, quite a challenging task. Below, we would like to offer you several examples of good thesis statements for effect and cause assignment.

Examples of Statements for Cause and Effect Writings

Look through the following essay ideas. With the help of those, you can formulate a perfect statement for a cause-effect assignment and decide what the crucial message of your assignment will look like.

We have developed six thesis statements that are focused on different issues. Some of them emphasize the consequences, and others show the reasons for a certain phenomenon development.

There can be other claims made about various subjects, their effects, or causes - that's all about your imagination, academic specialty, and professor's requirements. But the main idea should become clear to you through these thesis statement examples. The crucial message of your essay ought to be based on a relation of a cause to its effects or vice versa. The discussion of such relationships can be conducted through different strategies, and the major thing to remember is providing relevant and trustworthy evidence. Your thesis should be academically provable through various research, experiment, and other studies. Otherwise, the entire paper cannot be assessed well.

Hopefully, this has made things a bit clearer to you. Creating a good cause and effect thesis statement is a fundamental stage of any academic writing. Without formulating such a statement, you will hardly be able to come up with a relevant assignment. The quality of that one sentence is also a significant point for grading rubrics for your essay. So, you cannot just fail at this stage.

Topics to Consider

Also, we would like to offer a few cause and effect topics for your assignment. If you don't know how to formulate a central statement for your essay, look through the prompts below - may be, some of them will inspire you to come up with a brilliant idea or theory that you are ready to prove.

• Bulling in school causes mental issues in children.
• Today's industries' philisophy ruins the reasonable perception of real beauty.
• Video-games are the reason for aggressive behavior in children and teenagers.
• The development of online marketplaces makes it easy to deceive customers.
• Low moral principles cause homelessness in the country.

If you still doubt, don't forget that we are always online to lend you a helping hand. On WayWriting.com, you can cooperate with experts who know how to prepare the best thesis for a cause-effect essay and can provide you with professional academic assistance you deserve.

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Composing a good thesis statement for a cause and effect essay.

While it may only be one or two sentences, the thesis statement of any paper is an absolutely vital part of that paper. And, it is especially important in a cause and effect essay, as the rest of the paper follows from it. This informative article will explain to you how to compose a great thesis statement for a cause and effect essay.

What is a cause and effect essay?

Obviously, it’s always important to know what you need to do before you try to do it. Therefore, you should learn a bit about cause and effect essays before you start working on yours. This type of paper is a formal academic work in which you’re supposed to describe an event (the cause) and the results of that event (the effect). In addition, you’re expected to support your point of view by providing supporting facts and examples. If you decide that you still need some more information on the topic, you can read a decent book about academic writing, or look on a reputable website online.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement (also called the hypothesis) is a sentence that gives a very short summary of the main point of the paper. It may be in the form of two sentences, or even a question, depending on the type of paper. The hypothesis is usually the last sentence of the introduction, and it helps explain to the reader exactly what the rest of the paper will be about.

How do you write a thesis statement?

In order to write your thesis statement, you need to know what the topic of your cause and effect essay is. When you have your topic, you need to take the causes and the effects and condense them into one concise sentence. This basically means that you need to state that A resulted in B. Once you’ve written that sentence, you need to refine it as much as possible. Once you’re satisfied with it, you’ll have your hypothesis.

What are the characteristics of a good thesis statement?

Now that you know how to compose your hypothesis, you need to be aware of the characteristics of a good hypothesis to ensure that yours is good. A good hypothesis has three main characteristics. Firstly, in this case, it is your opinion, so express it boldly. Secondly, it must be clear and concise. Thirdly, it should only contain one main idea. If you stick to these characteristics, you’ll have an excellent hypothesis.

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4.3: Cause and Effect

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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 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. Indeed, you can 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. 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.

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 of Phrases of Causation for examples of such terms.

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

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.

Choose a local issue or topic that concerns you. Examine both the causes and effects of this issue or topic, and write a paragraph that outlines these using the components of a cause and effect essay.

Contributors and Attributions  

Adapted from  Successful College Composition (Crowther et al.) . Sourced from  LibreTexts , licensed under  CC BY-NC-SA  .

Adapted from  Let's Get Writing (Browning, DeVries, Boylan, Kurtz and Burton) . Sourced from  LibreTexts , licensed under  CC BY-NC-SA  .

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

9.1 Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement

Learning objectives.

• Develop a strong, clear thesis statement with the proper elements.
• Revise your thesis statement.

Have you ever known a person who was not very good at telling stories? You probably had trouble following his train of thought as he jumped around from point to point, either being too brief in places that needed further explanation or providing too many details on a meaningless element. Maybe he told the end of the story first, then moved to the beginning and later added details to the middle. His ideas were probably scattered, and the story did not flow very well. When the story was over, you probably had many questions.

Just as a personal anecdote can be a disorganized mess, an essay can fall into the same trap of being out of order and confusing. That is why writers need a thesis statement to provide a specific focus for their essay and to organize what they are about to discuss in the body.

Just like a topic sentence summarizes a single paragraph, the thesis statement summarizes an entire essay. It tells the reader the point you want to make in your essay, while the essay itself supports that point. It is like a signpost that signals the essay’s destination. You should form your thesis before you begin to organize an essay, but you may find that it needs revision as the essay develops.

Elements of a Thesis Statement

For every essay you write, you must focus on a central idea. This idea stems from a topic you have chosen or been assigned or from a question your teacher has asked. It is not enough merely to discuss a general topic or simply answer a question with a yes or no. You have to form a specific opinion, and then articulate that into a controlling idea —the main idea upon which you build your thesis.

Remember that a thesis is not the topic itself, but rather your interpretation of the question or subject. For whatever topic your professor gives you, you must ask yourself, “What do I want to say about it?” Asking and then answering this question is vital to forming a thesis that is precise, forceful and confident.

A thesis is one sentence long and appears toward the end of your introduction. It is specific and focuses on one to three points of a single idea—points that are able to be demonstrated in the body. It forecasts the content of the essay and suggests how you will organize your information. Remember that a thesis statement does not summarize an issue but rather dissects it.

A Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement contains the following qualities.

Specificity. A thesis statement must concentrate on a specific area of a general topic. As you may recall, the creation of a thesis statement begins when you choose a broad subject and then narrow down its parts until you pinpoint a specific aspect of that topic. For example, health care is a broad topic, but a proper thesis statement would focus on a specific area of that topic, such as options for individuals without health care coverage.

Precision. A strong thesis statement must be precise enough to allow for a coherent argument and to remain focused on the topic. If the specific topic is options for individuals without health care coverage, then your precise thesis statement must make an exact claim about it, such as that limited options exist for those who are uninsured by their employers. You must further pinpoint what you are going to discuss regarding these limited effects, such as whom they affect and what the cause is.

Ability to be argued. A thesis statement must present a relevant and specific argument. A factual statement often is not considered arguable. Be sure your thesis statement contains a point of view that can be supported with evidence.

Ability to be demonstrated. For any claim you make in your thesis, you must be able to provide reasons and examples for your opinion. You can rely on personal observations in order to do this, or you can consult outside sources to demonstrate that what you assert is valid. A worthy argument is backed by examples and details.

Forcefulness. A thesis statement that is forceful shows readers that you are, in fact, making an argument. The tone is assertive and takes a stance that others might oppose.

Confidence. In addition to using force in your thesis statement, you must also use confidence in your claim. Phrases such as I feel or I believe actually weaken the readers’ sense of your confidence because these phrases imply that you are the only person who feels the way you do. In other words, your stance has insufficient backing. Taking an authoritative stance on the matter persuades your readers to have faith in your argument and open their minds to what you have to say.

Even in a personal essay that allows the use of first person, your thesis should not contain phrases such as in my opinion or I believe . These statements reduce your credibility and weaken your argument. Your opinion is more convincing when you use a firm attitude.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a thesis statement for each of the following topics. Remember to make each statement specific, precise, demonstrable, forceful and confident.

• Texting while driving
• The legal drinking age in the United States
• Steroid use among professional athletes

Examples of Appropriate Thesis Statements

Each of the following thesis statements meets several of the following requirements:

• Specificity
• Ability to be argued
• Ability to be demonstrated
• Forcefulness
• The societal and personal struggles of Troy Maxon in the play Fences symbolize the challenge of black males who lived through segregation and integration in the United States.
• Closing all American borders for a period of five years is one solution that will tackle illegal immigration.
• Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony in Romeo and Juliet spoils the outcome for the audience and weakens the plot.
• J. D. Salinger’s character in Catcher in the Rye , Holden Caulfield, is a confused rebel who voices his disgust with phonies, yet in an effort to protect himself, he acts like a phony on many occasions.
• Compared to an absolute divorce, no-fault divorce is less expensive, promotes fairer settlements, and reflects a more realistic view of the causes for marital breakdown.
• Exposing children from an early age to the dangers of drug abuse is a sure method of preventing future drug addicts.
• In today’s crumbling job market, a high school diploma is not significant enough education to land a stable, lucrative job.

You can find thesis statements in many places, such as in the news; in the opinions of friends, coworkers or teachers; and even in songs you hear on the radio. Become aware of thesis statements in everyday life by paying attention to people’s opinions and their reasons for those opinions. Pay attention to your own everyday thesis statements as well, as these can become material for future essays.

Now that you have read about the contents of a good thesis statement and have seen examples, take a look at the pitfalls to avoid when composing your own thesis:

A thesis is weak when it is simply a declaration of your subject or a description of what you will discuss in your essay.

Weak thesis statement: My paper will explain why imagination is more important than knowledge.

A thesis is weak when it makes an unreasonable or outrageous claim or insults the opposing side.

Weak thesis statement: Religious radicals across America are trying to legislate their Puritanical beliefs by banning required high school books.

A thesis is weak when it contains an obvious fact or something that no one can disagree with or provides a dead end.

Weak thesis statement: Advertising companies use sex to sell their products.

A thesis is weak when the statement is too broad.

Weak thesis statement: The life of Abraham Lincoln was long and challenging.

Read the following thesis statements. On a separate piece of paper, identify each as weak or strong. For those that are weak, list the reasons why. Then revise the weak statements so that they conform to the requirements of a strong thesis.

• The subject of this paper is my experience with ferrets as pets.
• The government must expand its funding for research on renewable energy resources in order to prepare for the impending end of oil.
• Edgar Allan Poe was a poet who lived in Baltimore during the nineteenth century.
• In this essay, I will give you lots of reasons why slot machines should not be legalized in Baltimore.
• Despite his promises during his campaign, President Kennedy took few executive measures to support civil rights legislation.
• Because many children’s toys have potential safety hazards that could lead to injury, it is clear that not all children’s toys are safe.
• My experience with young children has taught me that I want to be a disciplinary parent because I believe that a child without discipline can be a parent’s worst nightmare.

Writing at Work

Often in your career, you will need to ask your boss for something through an e-mail. Just as a thesis statement organizes an essay, it can also organize your e-mail request. While your e-mail will be shorter than an essay, using a thesis statement in your first paragraph quickly lets your boss know what you are asking for, why it is necessary, and what the benefits are. In short body paragraphs, you can provide the essential information needed to expand upon your request.

Thesis Statement Revision

Your thesis will probably change as you write, so you will need to modify it to reflect exactly what you have discussed in your essay. Remember from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” that your thesis statement begins as a working thesis statement , an indefinite statement that you make about your topic early in the writing process for the purpose of planning and guiding your writing.

Working thesis statements often become stronger as you gather information and form new opinions and reasons for those opinions. Revision helps you strengthen your thesis so that it matches what you have expressed in the body of the paper.

The best way to revise your thesis statement is to ask questions about it and then examine the answers to those questions. By challenging your own ideas and forming definite reasons for those ideas, you grow closer to a more precise point of view, which you can then incorporate into your thesis statement.

Ways to Revise Your Thesis

You can cut down on irrelevant aspects and revise your thesis by taking the following steps:

1. Pinpoint and replace all nonspecific words, such as people , everything , society , or life , with more precise words in order to reduce any vagueness.

Working thesis: Young people have to work hard to succeed in life.

Revised thesis: Recent college graduates must have discipline and persistence in order to find and maintain a stable job in which they can use and be appreciated for their talents.

The revised thesis makes a more specific statement about success and what it means to work hard. The original includes too broad a range of people and does not define exactly what success entails. By replacing those general words like people and work hard , the writer can better focus his or her research and gain more direction in his or her writing.

2. Clarify ideas that need explanation by asking yourself questions that narrow your thesis.

Working thesis: The welfare system is a joke.

Revised thesis: The welfare system keeps a socioeconomic class from gaining employment by alluring members of that class with unearned income, instead of programs to improve their education and skill sets.

A joke means many things to many people. Readers bring all sorts of backgrounds and perspectives to the reading process and would need clarification for a word so vague. This expression may also be too informal for the selected audience. By asking questions, the writer can devise a more precise and appropriate explanation for joke . The writer should ask himself or herself questions similar to the 5WH questions. (See Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” for more information on the 5WH questions.) By incorporating the answers to these questions into a thesis statement, the writer more accurately defines his or her stance, which will better guide the writing of the essay.

3. Replace any linking verbs with action verbs. Linking verbs are forms of the verb to be , a verb that simply states that a situation exists.

Working thesis: Kansas City schoolteachers are not paid enough.

Revised thesis: The Kansas City legislature cannot afford to pay its educators, resulting in job cuts and resignations in a district that sorely needs highly qualified and dedicated teachers.

The linking verb in this working thesis statement is the word are . Linking verbs often make thesis statements weak because they do not express action. Rather, they connect words and phrases to the second half of the sentence. Readers might wonder, “Why are they not paid enough?” But this statement does not compel them to ask many more questions. The writer should ask himself or herself questions in order to replace the linking verb with an action verb, thus forming a stronger thesis statement, one that takes a more definitive stance on the issue:

• Who is not paying the teachers enough?
• What is considered “enough”?
• What is the problem?
• What are the results

4. Omit any general claims that are hard to support.

Working thesis: Today’s teenage girls are too sexualized.

Revised thesis: Teenage girls who are captivated by the sexual images on MTV are conditioned to believe that a woman’s worth depends on her sensuality, a feeling that harms their self-esteem and behavior.

It is true that some young women in today’s society are more sexualized than in the past, but that is not true for all girls. Many girls have strict parents, dress appropriately, and do not engage in sexual activity while in middle school and high school. The writer of this thesis should ask the following questions:

• Which teenage girls?
• What constitutes “too” sexualized?
• Why are they behaving that way?
• Where does this behavior show up?
• What are the repercussions?

In the first section of Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , you determined your purpose for writing and your audience. You then completed a freewriting exercise about an event you recently experienced and chose a general topic to write about. Using that general topic, you then narrowed it down by answering the 5WH questions. After you answered these questions, you chose one of the three methods of prewriting and gathered possible supporting points for your working thesis statement.

Now, on a separate sheet of paper, write down your working thesis statement. Identify any weaknesses in this sentence and revise the statement to reflect the elements of a strong thesis statement. Make sure it is specific, precise, arguable, demonstrable, forceful, and confident.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

In your career you may have to write a project proposal that focuses on a particular problem in your company, such as reinforcing the tardiness policy. The proposal would aim to fix the problem; using a thesis statement would clearly state the boundaries of the problem and tell the goals of the project. After writing the proposal, you may find that the thesis needs revision to reflect exactly what is expressed in the body. Using the techniques from this chapter would apply to revising that thesis.

Key Takeaways

• Proper essays require a thesis statement to provide a specific focus and suggest how the essay will be organized.
• A thesis statement is your interpretation of the subject, not the topic itself.
• A strong thesis is specific, precise, forceful, confident, and is able to be demonstrated.
• A strong thesis challenges readers with a point of view that can be debated and can be supported with evidence.
• A weak thesis is simply a declaration of your topic or contains an obvious fact that cannot be argued.
• Depending on your topic, it may or may not be appropriate to use first person point of view.
• Revise your thesis by ensuring all words are specific, all ideas are exact, and all verbs express action.

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.

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How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay: Writing Guide

Are you struggling with how to write a cause and effect essay? Worry no more! This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of creating a compelling and well-structured essay that demonstrates critical thinking and persuasive argumentation. Let’s dive into the world of cause and effect essays and transform your writing skills!

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Cause and effect essays are a type of expository writing which explore the relationship between a particular condition and its resulting effects.
• Crafting an effective cause and effect essay outline requires understanding logical organization, critical thinking skills, structure selection based on topic focus, evidence from reliable sources, strong thesis statements & clear transitions.
• Common mistakes to avoid include using weak evidence or inadequate organization that can lead to confusion for the reader.

Cause and Effect Essays and Their Peculiarities

Cause and effect essays are a unique form of academic writing that focuses on the reasons and consequences of a particular issue or event. These essays require a clear thesis statement, logical organization, and critical thinking skills to effectively present cause and effect arguments.

As opposed to other forms of essays, cause and effect essays aim to explain complex relationships in an orderly, rational format, utilizing an impartial, analytical tone.

Defining Cause and Effect Essays

A cause and effect essay, also known as an effect essay, is a type of expository writing that explores the relationships between particular conditions and their resultant effects. The effect essay definition helps readers understand the correlation between occurrences or situations and their results, as these essays delve into how one event (the cause) gives rise to another event (the effect).

Some common examples of cause and effect essays include topics such as the effects of climate change, the causes of poverty, and the effects of technology on society. These topics often lead to engaging cause and effect discussions, allowing readers to better understand the connections between various factors.

Objectives of Cause and Effect Essays

The main objectives of cause and effect essays are to:

• Examine the causes and consequences of a particular issue
• Instruct the reader regarding the relationship between two or more occurrences or circumstances
• Identify and discuss events that lead to certain outcomes

These essays not only elucidate the cause and effect relationships between events or circumstances, but also help cultivate critical thinking and persuasive writing aptitudes.

Examples of cause and effect essays include “The Causes of Global Warming” and “The Effects of Social Media on Teenagers”. By understanding the objectives and structure of cause and effect essays, you can effectively analyze complex relationships and present your arguments in a clear, logical manner.

Crafting a Cause and Effect Essay Outline

Creating an outline for your cause and effect essay is an essential step in the writing process. An effective outline will help you organize your ideas, choose the appropriate structure, and ensure that your essay follows a logical flow.

This section will guide you through the process of crafting a cause and effect essay outline that includes an introduction, body paragraphs for each point, and a conclusion summarizing the main points of your essay.

Choosing the Right Structure

Selecting the right structure for your essay is crucial. Depending on your topic and focus, you may choose to focus on causes, effects, or a combination of both. For instance, an effect essay structure that examines causes elucidates how one or typically more causes lead to a single effect, with each cause being scrutinized in a distinct paragraph.

On the other hand, an essay that focuses on multiple effects involves analyzing how one or more effects result from a particular cause, with each effect examined in a separate paragraph.

Another option for structuring your essay is to explain the “domino effect,” where each body paragraph is dedicated to an event caused by some other event and resulting in one more event. This structure necessitates that causes assemble a chain, uniting the initial and final event in a logical sequence, elucidating the cause and effect process.

Developing Your Outline

When developing your cause and effect essay outline, consider the essay’s structure, the major topics to be addressed, and the data to be employed to sustain the topics. Moreover, it is essential to ensure that your essay is arranged in a rational fashion, and that the topics are clearly interrelated.

A well-constructed outline will include:

• An engaging introduction that elucidates the issue
• Pertinent body paragraphs that examine ideas related to the topic
• An unambiguous conclusion that synthesizes everything without introducing fresh ideas.

By following these guidelines, you can create a detailed outline that will ensure your essay is well-organized, persuasive, and easy to follow.

Writing the Cause and Effect Essay

Now that you have a solid outline, you can begin writing your cause and effect essay. This section provides a step-by-step guide on how to write a cause and effect essay, including:

• Brainstorming ideas and topics
• Formulating a thesis statement
• Constructing body paragraphs
• Revising and editing your essay

By following these steps, you will be well on your way to crafting a compelling and well-structured cause and effect essay.

Brainstorming Ideas and Topics

The first step in writing a cause and effect essay is brainstorming potential topics and ideas. Consider your personal interests, the relevance of the topic to your audience, and the presence of clear causal relationships to guide your brainstorming process. Some possible areas to explore include:

• Natural phenomena
• Cultural movements
• The development of ideas
• The interconnectedness of characters, settings, and events in a work of literature

Remember that the goal of a cause and effect essay is to educate readers on the links between conditions and their repercussions, so it’s important to select a topic that allows for a clear understanding of these relationships.

Formulating a Thesis Statement

Once you have chosen your topic and brainstormed ideas, you need to create a strong thesis statement that identifies the cause-and-effect relationship you will explore in your essay. A good thesis statement should express an opinion about the topic, and the claims you make should uphold the opinion expressed in the thesis statement. For example, a thesis statement for an essay on social media addiction might be: “Social media addiction has a negative impact on mental health, as it leads to increased anxiety, depression, and isolation.”

With a strong thesis statement in place, you can proceed to construct well-organized body paragraphs that explore specific aspects of the causal relationship. Explaining complex relationships requires a clear and concise approach to ensure the reader’s understanding.

Constructing Body Paragraphs

When writing your body paragraphs, ensure that each paragraph focuses on one specific aspect of the cause-and-effect relationship, using clear topic sentences, transitions, and evidence from reputable sources to support your claims. For example, in an essay about social media addiction, one paragraph might explore the negative effects of virtual interactions on face-to-face communication, while another paragraph might discuss the link between social media use and increased anxiety levels.

Appropriate transitions and topic sentences are essential to maintain coherence and readability in your essay, so be sure to incorporate them throughout your body paragraphs.

Revising and Editing the Essay

After completing your first draft, take some time to revise and edit your essay to ensure clarity, logic, and persuasive argumentation. Begin by identifying major areas of concern, such as a lack of clear thesis statement or insufficient evidence to support your claims. Utilize peer reviews and editing checklists to receive feedback from others and identify any flaws in your essay.

Revise your essay for content, structure, and organization, ensuring that your essay is properly organized and that the content is clear and concise. Edit for sentence-level issues and typos, checking for grammar, spelling, or punctuation mistakes.

As a final step, proofread your essay by reading it aloud to detect any problems with continuity or coherence.

Examples of Cause and Effect Essays

Analyzing and learning from examples of cause and effect essays can greatly improve your own writing. By examining these examples, you can gain a better understanding of different organization patterns, structures, and writing styles commonly used in cause and effect essays.

In this section, we will explore how analyzing essay examples can help you refine your writing skills and apply the lessons learned to your own cause and effect essay.

Analyzing Essay Examples

When examining cause and effect essay examples, pay close attention to the organization, structure, and writing style employed by the author. This will help you understand how different organization patterns, such as the cause then effect structure or effect then cause structure, can be used in your own essay. By analyzing these examples, you can also learn how to effectively use evidence from reputable sources to support your claims and strengthen your argument.

Applying the lessons learned from analyzing essay examples can help ensure that your own cause and effect essay is well-structured, logical, and persuasive.

Applying Lessons from Examples

Now that you have analyzed examples of cause and effect essays, it’s time to apply the lessons learned to your own writing. Use the insights gained from examining these examples to create a strong thesis statement, organize your essay effectively, and present persuasive cause and effect arguments.

By incorporating the lessons learned from analyzing examples, your cause and effect essay will be well-structured, logically organized, and supported by strong, relevant evidence from reputable sources. This will ensure that your essay is not only compelling and engaging, but also informative and educational for your readers.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced writers can make mistakes when crafting cause and effect essays. By being aware of common pitfalls and knowing how to avoid them, you can ensure that your essay is strong, logical, and well-supported.

In this section, we will discuss some common mistakes and provide guidance on how to avoid them in your cause and effect essay.

Logical Fallacies

One common mistake in cause and effect essays is the use of logical fallacies, which are errors in reasoning that render an argument invalid. Examples of logical fallacies include false cause, hasty generalization, and straw man arguments. To avoid logical fallacies in your essay, ensure that your arguments are based on sound reasoning and supported by strong evidence from reputable sources.

By being aware of logical fallacies and ensuring that your arguments are based on sound reasoning, you can create a persuasive and logical cause and effect essay that effectively demonstrates the relationships between events or conditions and their outcomes.

Weak Evidence

Another common mistake in cause and effect essays is the use of weak or anecdotal evidence to support claims. This can undermine the credibility of your argument and make it less persuasive to your readers. To avoid using weak evidence, ensure that your claims are supported by:

• Strong, relevant evidence from reputable sources
• Statistical data
• Expert opinions
• Case studies

By using strong evidence, you can strengthen your argument and make it more convincing to your readers.

By using strong, relevant evidence to support your claims, you can create a compelling and well-supported cause and effect essay that effectively demonstrates the relationships between events or conditions and their outcomes.

Inadequate Organization

Inadequate organization is another common mistake in cause and effect essays. A poorly organized essay can be difficult to follow and may lead to confusion for your reader. To avoid this issue, organize your essay effectively using clear transitions, topic sentences, and a logical flow of ideas, especially when discussing multiple causes in cause and effect essays.

By organizing your essay effectively, you can maintain coherence and readability, ensuring that your cause and effect essay is both engaging and informative for your readers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you start off a cause and effect essay.

To begin a cause and effect essay, start with an engaging introduction that introduces the topic and provides a clear thesis statement which states the main cause, main effect, or both.

Following this, organize the essay by presenting either the cause-then-effect structure or the effect-then-cause structure.

How do you write cause and effect examples?

Cause and Effect examples can be written in sentences by presenting either the cause first followed by the effect, or the effect first followed by the cause.

For example, “I ate tons of junk food, so now I feel sick” or “I feel sick because I ate tons of junk food.”

What is cause and effect essay?

A cause and effect essay is an expository essay that analyzes the relationships between specific conditions and their consequences, often within a larger issue.

It examines how one event (the cause) can lead to another event (the effect).

How do I choose the right structure for my cause and effect essay?

When deciding which structure to use for your cause and effect essay, consider the topic and focus of your writing. You could opt for focusing solely on causes or effects, or a mixture of both depending on the subject matter.

For example, if you are writing about the causes of global warming, you may want to focus on the effects of human activities on the environment. On the other hand, if you are writing about something, you are writing about something.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a cause and effect essay?

Avoid logical fallacies, weak evidence, and inadequate organization when writing a cause and effect essay to ensure your argument is convincing and clear.

In conclusion, writing a cause and effect essay can be a rewarding and educational experience. By following the steps outlined in this comprehensive guide, you can create a well-structured, logically organized, and persuasive essay that effectively demonstrates the relationships between events or conditions and their outcomes. Apply the lessons learned from analyzing examples, avoid common mistakes, and use strong evidence to support your claims, and you will be well on your way to crafting a compelling and engaging cause and effect essay.

Chapter 10 Rhetorical Modes

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.
• 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.
• Successful Writing. Authored by : Anonymous. Provided by : Anonymous. Located at : http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/ . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay: Full Guide

Ever wondered how things are connected in our world? Think of the butterfly effect—where a butterfly's wings in Brazil can set off a tornado in Texas. It's a quirky idea, but it shows how events are intertwined. Writing a cause and effect essay is like unraveling these connections, connecting the dots to reveal how things influence each other and shape our experiences.

In this guide, experts from our paper writing service will explore the concept of causality and share practical tips for creating great cause and effect essays. These essays won't just provide information—they'll leave a lasting impression on your readers.

What Is a Cause and Effect Essay

A cause and effect essay is a form of writing that aims to explore and explain the relationships between different events, actions, or circumstances. The central idea is to investigate why certain things happen (causes) and what results from those occurrences (effects). It's like peeling back the layers to reveal the interconnectedness of events, understanding the domino effect in the narrative of life.

Here's a breakdown of the key components:

• Causes: These are the factors or events that initiate a particular situation. They are the reasons behind why something occurs. For instance, if you're exploring the cause of obesity, factors like unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity could be identified as causes.
• Effects: The effects are the outcomes or consequences that result from the identified causes. Following the obesity example, effects could include health issues, reduced quality of life, or increased healthcare costs.
• Connection: The heart of a cause and effect essay lies in demonstrating the link between causes and effects. It's not just about listing events but explaining how one event leads to another in a logical and coherent manner.

When crafting such an essay, you're essentially acting as a storyteller and investigator rolled into one. Your goal is to guide the reader through the web of interconnected events, providing insights into the 'why' and 'what happens next.'

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay with Easy Steps

Understanding how to write a cause and effect essay is like putting together a puzzle. Here are ten simple steps to help you write an engaging essay that looks into how things are connected.

1. Select a Specific Topic

• Choose a cause and effect relationship that sparks your interest.
• Ensure your topic is focused and manageable for a thorough exploration.

2. Explore Causal Links

• Conduct thorough research to uncover hidden connections and supporting evidence.
• Look beyond the obvious to identify intricate relationships between causes and effects.

3. Craft a Clear Thesis Statement

• Develop a precise thesis that clearly articulates the main cause and the resulting effects.
• Your thesis serves as the roadmap for your essay, guiding readers through your analysis.

4. Organize Chronologically or by Significance

• Structure your essay in a logical order, either chronologically or by the significance of events.
• This organization enhances clarity and helps readers follow the cause-and-effect progression.

5. Utilize Transitional Phrases

• Employ transition words and phrases to ensure seamless flow between causes and effects.
• Clear transitions enhance readability and strengthen the coherence of your essay.

6. Support Arguments with Credible Evidence

• Back up your claims with relevant data, examples, and statistics.
• Strong evidence adds credibility to your analysis and reinforces the cause-and-effect relationships you present.

7. Illustrate Chain Reactions

• Show how a single cause can trigger a chain of effects, and vice versa.
• Illustrate the ripple effects to emphasize the complexity of the relationships.

8. Analyze Root Causes

• Move beyond surface-level explanations and explore the underlying factors contributing to the cause-and-effect scenario.
• Deep analysis adds depth and nuance to your essay.

9. Consider Alternative Causes

• Address potential counterarguments to showcase a comprehensive understanding.
• Acknowledging alternative causes strengthens your essay's overall credibility.

10. Conclude with Impact

• Summarize key points and emphasize the broader significance of your analysis.
• Leave your readers with a thought-provoking conclusion that ties together the cause-and-effect relationships explored in your essay.

Cause and Effect Essay Structure Types

When setting up your essay, you can choose from different structures to make it organized. Let's look at two common types of cause and effect essay structures:

• Block Structure:

The block structure is a clear and organized way to present causes and effects in your essay. Here, you dedicate one section to discussing all the causes, covering multiple causes within each category. After that, you have another section to explore all the effects. This separation makes your ideas easy to understand.

Using the block structure allows you to dive deep into each category, thoroughly looking at causes and effects separately. It's handy when you want to give a detailed analysis and show the importance of each part of the causal relationship. This way, readers can fully grasp each element before moving on.

• Chain Structure:

On the other hand, the chain structure focuses on how events are connected and create ripple effects. It highlights how one cause leads to a specific effect, and that effect becomes the cause of more effects in an ongoing chain. This method is potent for illustrating the complexity of causal relationships.

The chain structure works well when you want to emphasize the sequence of events or deal with intricate cause-and-effect scenarios. It allows you to show how actions trigger a series of reactions, displaying the domino effect that leads to a specific outcome.

Regardless of the structural style you choose, if you require assistance with your academic paper, reach out to us with your ' write my paper for me ' request. Our experienced team is ready to tailor your paper to your specific requirements and ensure its excellence.

Cause and Effect Essay Outline

Creating an effective cause and effect essay begins with a well-structured outline. This roadmap helps you organize your thoughts, maintain a logical flow, and ensure that your essay effectively conveys the causal relationships between events. Below, we'll outline the key components of the essay along with examples:

I. Introduction

• Hook: Start with an engaging statement or fact. Example: 'Did you know that stress can significantly impact your overall health?'
• Background Information: Provide context for your topic. Example: 'In today's fast-paced world, stress has become an increasingly prevalent issue.'
• Thesis Statement: Clearly state the main cause and its corresponding effects. Example: 'This essay will explore the causes of stress and their profound negative effects on physical and mental health.'

II. Body Paragraphs

• Topic Sentence: Introduce the first cause you'll discuss. Example: 'One major cause of stress is heavy workload.'
• Supporting Details: Provide evidence and examples to support the cause. Example: 'For instance, individuals juggling multiple job responsibilities and tight deadlines often experience heightened stress levels.'
• Transition: Link to the next cause or move on to the effects.
• Topic Sentence: Introduce the first effect. Example: 'The effects of chronic stress on physical health can be devastating.'
• Supporting Details: Present data or examples illustrating the impact. Example: 'Studies have shown that prolonged stress can lead to cardiovascular problems, including hypertension and heart disease.'
• Transition: Connect to the next effect or cause.

C. Causes (Continued)

• Topic Sentence: Introduce the next cause in a new cause and effect paragraph. Example: 'Another significant cause of stress is financial strain.'
• Supporting Details: Explain how this cause manifests and its implications. Example: 'Financial instability often results in anxiety, as individuals worry about bills, debts, and their financial future.'
• Transition: Prepare to discuss the corresponding effects.

D. Effects (Continued)

• Topic Sentence: Discuss the effects related to financial strain. Example: 'The psychological effects of financial stress can be profound.'
• Supporting Details: Offer real-life examples or psychological insights. Example: 'Depression and anxiety are common consequences of constant financial worries, affecting both mental well-being and daily life.'

III. Conclusion

• Restate Thesis: Summarize the main cause and effects. Example: 'In summary, the heavy workload and financial strain can lead to stress, impacting both physical and mental health.'
• Closing Thoughts: Reflect on the broader significance of your analysis. Example: 'Understanding these causal relationships emphasizes the importance of stress management and financial planning in maintaining a balanced and healthy life.'

Cause and Effect Essay Examples

To help you grasp cause and effect essay writing with clarity, we have prepared two distinct essay examples that will guide you through the intricacies of both block and chain structures. Additionally, should you ever find yourself requiring assistance with academic writing or descriptive essays examples , simply send us your ' write my research paper ' request. Our expert writers are here to provide the support you need!

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Cause and Effect Essay Topics

Choosing a good topic starts with recognizing cause and effect key words. Here are 10 interesting topics that let you dig into fascinating connections and their important consequences:

• The Relationship Between Lack of Exercise and Mental Health in Older Adults
• Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Workplace Productivity
• The Impact of Cyberbullying on Adolescents' Emotional Well-being
• Influence of Social Media Advertising on Consumer Purchasing Decisions
• Consequences of Oil Spills on Coastal Ecosystems
• How Noise Pollution Affects Concentration and Academic Performance in Schools
• The Connection Between Fast-Food Marketing and Childhood Obesity
• Effects of Urbanization on Water Quality in Local Rivers
• The Relationship Between Indoor Plants and Air Quality in Homes
• Impact of Plastic Pollution on Wildlife in Urban Environments
• The Effect of Meditation on Stress Reduction in College Students
• How Increased Screen Time Affects Teenagers' Attention Span
• The Impact of Single-Use Plastics on Marine Microorganisms
• The Relationship Between Smartphone Use and Sleep Quality in Adults
• Effects of High-Fructose Corn Syrup on Metabolic Health
• The Consequences of Deforestation on Local Biodiversity
• Influence of Social Media Comparison on Body Dissatisfaction in Adolescents
• The Connection Between Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Urban Areas
• Effects of Excessive Gaming on Academic Performance in High School Students
• The Impact of Fast Food Consumption on Childhood Obesity Rates

Final Words

Knowing what a cause and effect essay is and how to write it helps you uncover connections in different topics. With this guide, you can share your ideas in a clear and impactful way.

Meanwhile, if you're in need of a reaction paper example , rest assured we have you covered as well. So, seize this opportunity, put your thoughts on paper logically, and witness your essays leaving a lasting and influential mark.

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Related Articles

How to Write a Cause & Effect Essay: Examples, Outline, & Tips

You don’t need to be a nerd to understand the general idea behind cause and effect essays. Let’s see! If you skip a meal, you get hungry. And if you write an essay about it, your goal is achieved!

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However, following multiple rules of academic writing can be a tough task. But don’t worry; this guide can help you finish your cause and effect writing assignment on time and with little to no stress. By the end of this article by Custom-Writing.org experts, you will know the structure and variations of this essay type. Long story short, it’s a full guide on how to write a cause and effect essay (with examples!).

❓ What Is a Cause and Effect Essay?

✍️ how to write a cause and effect essay.

• 💡 Choose Your Topic
• 🎓 Create a Thesis Statement
• 📑 Outline Your Essay
• 📝 Develop the Paragraphs
• 👀 Essay Examples

🔗 References

A cause and effect essay’s main focus is to work through the relationship between two events . Specifically, it highlights how one event leads to the second one. The writing structure changes depending on the ratio of causes to effects that you choose. Read the examples below for more detail.

As mentioned, this article can be considered the ultimate guide to writing a perfect cause and effect essay. It consists of smooth and clear instructions with examples.

• First, it tells you how to choose a suitable topic. This is vital as it becomes the foundation for your essay.
• Then, there is some information on how to choose the outline that is appropriate for your essay’s primary focus.
• Finally, you will learn what language you should use to hit the best score! It concludes with a cause and effect essay sample, which you may use as an example.

💡 Choose Your Cause and Effect Essay Topic

In order to find a good topic for your cause and effect essay, you should choose what to focus on: the causes or the effects? Not only does the whole structure of your paper depend on it, but you also need to pick a suitable topic based on that decision. Let’s see how the topic would change depending on the focus.

Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• How does noise pollution affect your physical and mental health?
• What were the main reasons of the Great Depression ?
• What does a high sugar consumption do to our health?
• The impact of social media on children’s mantal health.
• Reasons and effect of gender segregation in the labor market.
• What induces people to take drugs ?
• The main reasons for parking shortage in big cities .
• How can regular exercises add to our physical and mental wellbeing?
• How did World War II affect social and political structure of the world?
• The main factors that caused the global poverty .

🎓 Create a Cause and Effect Thesis Statement

The best cause and effect essays also have a well-prepared thesis statement . Generally, the thesis statement would point out your point of view and your essay’s main ideas. Here, however, you should also not forget to highlight whether the focus is on causes or effects. You can use a thesis statement generator for essay to speed up the creation process. For instance, this statement highlights the effects of daily walks, states that the author supports this idea, and presents one thing that causes three effects:

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Walking for at least half an hour every day can bring numerous positive benefits for your health: it improves blood circulation, strengthens joints, and helps with weight loss.

📑 Outline Your Cause and Effect Essay

Like the topic, your cause and effect essay outline is affected by your writing focus. The structure depends on how many relations you choose to highlight. For instance, there may be only one leading cause or multiple. The same is with effects. Moreover, there is one additional type.

Many Causes, One Effect

In this kind of essay, you would focus on discussing as many related causes as you can think of. An additional advantage would be if you could select various causes from different areas. But remember to prove that they all lead to one effect.

This cause and effect essay structure reflects the general outline you are used to (remember that conclusion is usually a paraphrase of a thesis statement from the introduction).

Many Causes, One Effect Essay Outline Example

1. Introduction

1.1. Thesis statement: Bullying begins with personal desires or family issues and leads to increased numbers of suffering children.

2. Main body

2.1. Cause 1: Bullies want to be noticed.

2.2. Cause 2: They want to feel superior.

2.3. Cause 3: There are issues at home.

2.4. Effect: Many innocent kids become victims of bullying.

3. Conclusion

One Cause, Many Effects

The outline of this type of essay would look a lot like the previous one, except that the ratio of causes and effects is mirrored. You should be quite competent in the topic you’re working on to produce a quality essay.

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One Cause, Many Effects Essay Outline Example

1.1. Thesis Statement: Overusing social media can lead to adverse psychological and emotional effects.

2.1. Cause: Spending too much time on social media, watching other users’ lives.

2.2. Effect 1: Users become more self-conscious about their appearance or quality of life.

2.3. Effect 2: It takes up time that could have been used for more useful activities.

2.3. Effect 3: Real-life relationships and other commitments suffer.

Cause-Effect Chain

It may be more challenging than the other essays. The structure of this type of writing reflects a chain reaction. The effect of the initial cause leads to another cause and effect cycle. You will need to be careful and very attentive in order to maintain the logical order.

1.1. Thesis Statement: Through the chain of causes and effects, it can be observed that the use of hair spray may lead to a global catastrophe.

2.1. Cause and effect chain #1: Chlorofluorocarbons were used to make hairsprays 50 years ago, but they are harmful to the ozone layer – some of them are still in the atmosphere ruining ozone molecules.

2.2. Cause and effect chain #2: Less ozone layer causes icebergs to melt faster.

2.3. Cause and effect chain #3. Melting ice causes the sea level to rise and flood the land.

📝 Develop Your Cause and Effect Paragraphs

Since we are talking about academic writing here, it’s essential to keep your language appropriate. The most commonly used word, in this case, is “because .” However, you shouldn’t overuse it.

There are quite a few ready-to-use phrases that are most suitable for this type of essay. Include these in your cause and effect paragraphs to make the transition between ideas smoother and your writing more coherent:

• As a consequence, …
• It leads to…
• (The cause) results in / causes / influences (the effect)
• The key factors are…
• One of the results is…
• The primary effect of (the cause) is…

Don’t forget to use sentence connectors, such as:

• In addition
• Furthermore
• Consequently

After completing the first draft, you should proofread your writing and carefully check that there are no sentence fragments, like this:

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Because I haven’t slept in two days before the exam.

Sometimes, rushing through the writing process may lead your thoughts astray, and you leave the ending of the sentence unfinished. However, it’s a severe mistake, so try to avoid it.

In addition, you should not mix the verb tenses. If you are describing a past event, stick to the past tense. Of course, it may depend on the situation. For instance, the present tense is used to talk about universal truth, while different tenses can be used for writing a report.

👀 Cause and Effect Essay Examples

We have gone step by step through the process of writing a good cause and effect essay. Now, finally, you can check out how it should look altogether. The following writing follows the template of the outline about bullying that we introduced earlier. It has all the necessary elements, such as the structure, vocabulary, and the thesis statement highlighted. It is a great example of a cause and effect essay, so go ahead and read it through!

Bullying in Schools (Cause & Effect Essay Sample)

Want more samples? We’ve got you covered! Here’s a bonus list of cause and effect essay examples.

• Causes and Effects of Divorce
• Causes and Effects of Drug Addiction
• Sophocles’ Antigone: Cause & Effect Essay
• Child Abuse and Health of Nation: Cause & Effect
• Cause and Effect: Living with Pets Improves Their Owners’ Health
• American Society Police Brutality Causes and Effects
• Civil War in the US: Causes and Effects
• Causes and Effects of Fast-Food Addiction
• Diabetes: Causes and Effects of Disease
• Tsunamis in Australia: Causes and Adverse Effects
• Cause-and-effect | Definition of Cause-and-effect at Dictionary.com
• Causes and Effects – Harvard Business Review
• Cause and effect | Nature Methods
• Cause and Effect – SAGE Research Methods
• Cause and Effect in Epidemiology | SpringerLink
• Patterns in the Landscape – Analyses of Cause and Effect
• Cause and Effect Diagram – Clinical Excellence Commission
• Explaining Causality – Academic Phrasebank
• Cause and Effect Essay Examples (Your Dictionary)
• Cause and Effect – Writing for Success
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How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay

Writing essays is inevitable for all students. And while many of them consider this kind of academic assignment difficult and boring, others truly enjoy writing their essays on the widest array of topics. Do you want to know their secret? It’s simple: they just know how to write essays well! And those who don't also have a solution – they are ready to pay for essay best services to get completed paper without a hassle. Finding the essay writing service out there to fall back on is great but honing your own writing skills will never go amiss.

If you are reading this article, then you’re already on your way to start loving essay writing. By the time you finish reading it, you will have all the necessary instruments at hand to craft an impressive essay of one particular type – that is, a cause and effect essay (sometimes also called cause-effect or reason and result essay).

What Is a Cause and Effect Essay?

It is impossible to do something well without knowing what exactly it is that you have to do. So, let’s start with the basics – the cause and effect essay definition.

A cause and effect essay (also called cause-effect or reason and result essay) is a type of an analytical academic paper in which the relationship between causes and effects of a particular event or phenomenon is being analyzed. It usually answers the questions, “why?” (cause) and “what is the result?” (effect), and utilizes subjunctive mood extensively. If already at this moment you feel you're unlikely to be able to cope with writing an essay yourself – relax and get help from professional dissertation writing services .

How to Make a Correct Cause and Effect Essay Structure

Now that we know what a cause and effect essay is, we can start working on its structure. Having a clear structure is essential for the successful completion of your assignment. So, it’s highly important to devote enough time to this part of the task. If you think it's pretty challenging for you or you simply don't want to spend time on it, you can always look for coursework writing help , custom essay writing and get help from experts in the field.

There are two main ways to structure a cause and effect essay – using a block or a chain pattern. Your essay outline will differ depending on what option you choose.

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Cause and Effect Essay Outline

A cause and effect essay outline consists of a minimum of four sections – an introduction, at least two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each section, in turn, consists of several parts, and their contents vary depending on what pattern – block or chain – you choose.

Let’s start with a block structure.  This is how it will look like:

• Introduction;
• Body paragraph I: cause;
• Body paragraph II: effect;
• Conclusion.

Depending on your topic and approach, you can focus more on the effects or the causes and have various numbers of both. For example, if you put the main focus on the effects, your outline may look like this:

• Body paragraph I: effect #1;
• Body paragraph II: effect #2;
• Body paragraph III: cause;

If you choose the chain pattern, it will mean that in your body paragraphs, every cause will be immediately followed by its effect. The outline will then be as follows:

• Body paragraph I: cause #1 -> effect #1;
• Body paragraph II: cause #2 -> effect #2;   

In this case, too, the numbers of causes and effects may vary – it is their sequence that matters.

Now, let’s look closer at every section of the structure.

Introduction

Every essay starts with an introduction. In this section, you must introduce your topic to the reader, give some background information, and explain how you’re going to approach the discussion.

This is what an introduction section of a cause and effect essay must include:

• Background information;
• Thesis statement.

If you’re wondering how to start a cause and effect essay, you can use some of the proven techniques like using a quote, a rhetorical question, or a statement that is surprising or paradoxical. Then, after giving some background information, move on to a thesis statement.

A thesis is the part of your essay in which the main point of discussion is stated. It should be clear and concise and allow no ambiguity.

Example: “The gender gap is still very far from being closed. Globally, gender parity stands at 68.6%, according to the Global Gender Gap Report (2020). In this essay, we’ll look closely at some of the causes and effects of this phenomenon”.

Body Paragraphs (Causes)

Depending on what type of structure you choose, your body paragraphs may be slightly different. But, in any case, they should contain the following elements:

• thesis (main cause or effect);
• arguments (evidence);
• conclusion, and transition to the next section.

These may be arranged in a different way, but their presence is essential. Let’s again turn to our gender inequality topic and see how it works. In the causes section, we will list the various causes of the discussed phenomena:

• Cause #1 – societal mindset;
• Cause #2 – lack of sufficient childcare;
• Cause #3 – lack of political representation.

Each of these causes should be supported by evidence to be persuasive to the reader. This is how it may be put in a paragraph:

“One of the main causes of such inequality is the societal mindset that still regards women as primarily being responsible for providing home comfort and childcare. Most men still expect their wives to stay at home and sacrifice their careers in order to take the majority of household responsibilities (support with evidence – statistical figures, etc.).

Treat the next causes in the same manner.

Body Paragraphs (Effects)

This paragraph is basically the same as the previous one, with the only difference that here, we will discuss the effects of the phenomenon. Let’s continue with our topic:

• Effect #1 – higher levels of frustration;
• Effect #2 – lower income;
• Effect #3 – feelings of insecurity and vulnerability.

Keep in mind that the effects must be direct consequences of your causes – you can’t just pick random facts. You should also make that connection clear in your text.

Example: “Such prejudiced societal mindset regarding women and their role in the society results in higher levels of frustration among women. They feel that they have reached their glass ceiling just because of the fact that they have been born female – i.e., something they just couldn’t affect in any way (support with evidence)”.

Then, go on in the same manner in the next body-effects paragraphs.

After you’ve discussed all the causes and effects that you planned, continue with making a short conclusion. It must contain the following points:

• Reiteration of your thesis;
• Short summary of the essay’s key points;
• Concluding afterthoughts.

This is what it will look like in our case:

“As we see, gender inequality is still a pressing issue in the modern world, and it’s far from being solved. This phenomenon has multiple causes, the most obvious of which are society’s prejudiced attitude, lack of childcare, and lack of political representation for women. The effects of these problems are plausible: women end up feeling frustrated, having lower income, and being generally vulnerable. In order to change the situation, we mustn’t avoid discussions of this issue and should try to find solutions to the problems that cause it”.

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Interesting Cause and Effect Essay Topics

If you’re looking for an interesting topic for cause and effect essay, this section is for you. Listed below are some good cause and effect essay topics on various popular themes – history, politics, society, and more. Use them as examples to brainstorm ideas of your own.

History and politics:

• The economic consequences of the Civil War in the U.S.
• The collapse of the Soviet Union and its effect on the world’s power balance.
• World War II and its effect on the world economy.
• Brexit: was it necessary and how it will affect the U.K.
• Gender inequality as a major source of stress for modern women.
• How having children changes the life of a family.
• Social media as the major source of procrastination for students.
• Why do people commit crimes?
• How outstanding writing skills can help your future career.
• Burnout at work as a major career threat.
• Why it is important to go to college.
• Starting a business as a student. How it can affect your studies and future career.  

Environment:

• Air pollution as one of the main threats to public health.
• The effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the environment.
• How melting glaciers in the Arctic affect climate change on our planet.
• Multiple effects of global warming on the Earth’s population.
• Why we all need to go green right now.

Cause and Effect Essay Examples

Now that you have all the tools necessary to create a good cause and effect essay of your own let’s look at an example to see how all the components work together. Let’s assume that our topic is “Procrastination among college students.” Here, we will use a block structure, and this is how our example cause and effect essay will look like.

Procrastination Among College Students.

Our first paragraph is an introduction. Here we introduce our topic with a hook statement, give some background information, and make a thesis statement. 

Procrastination is dangerous for college students. At the same time, it’s extremely common among them: various studies show that up to 95% of college students engage in it from time to time, and almost 50% do this systematically. The causes of this phenomenon are multi-faceted and profound, and it’s vital to discover them in every particular case to be able to fight procrastination effectively. But to start treating procrastination as a problem, students must be aware of its harmful consequences. There are many of them, but one of the most acute ones for college students is its negative effect on their academic performance.

Here, the topic suggests that we have to focus more on the effects than on the causes, so the first body paragraph will be about an effect mentioned in the title. First, we will name the effect and then bring arguments and evidence to support our claim.

Procrastination is putting off things one has to do till the last minute and spending one’s time on some other, less important occupations. When students procrastinate instead of doing their academic assignments, they usually end up not having enough time to complete their tasks properly by the deadline. As a result, they only do what they can in the amount of time left, and the quality of their work may suffer. For most students, it means receiving lower grades than they could have achieved had they spent their time more wisely. And this is not a mere assumption: a study conducted by Warwick Business School has proven that procrastination leads students to lower grades (2019). One may argue that it depends largely on how gifted a student is, but even the talented ones may get to the point when the assignment is so difficult that they cannot do it well quickly.

Our second body paragraph will be about another effect. We will write it using the same scheme as in the previous paragraph.

What’s worse, procrastination can also cause mental health problems among students (Source, year). When a person finds out that they only have several hours to complete an assignment that requires several days to be done well, they are most likely to succumb to anxiety. Science proves this, too: for example, a 2010 study titled “I’ll Go to Therapy, Eventually” found a clear connection between procrastination and poorer mental health. Then, worries about failing to do a task properly resulted in even more anxiety and stress, and if a student eventually gets a lower grade than expected, it may lead to a feeling of guilt, regret, and even to depression, especially if the situation is repeated often.

In the third body paragraph, we will talk about the causes. 

It may be tempting to just label students who keep putting off their assignments as sluggards, but there are more complex and profound reasons for procrastination than mere laziness. As A. Chris Heath, MD, a psychiatrist from Dallas, says, procrastination usually happens because the task seems too difficult. It can also be an issue of self-esteem, he adds, – when a person thinks he or she is not good enough to cope with a demanding task. There are many other causes for procrastination among students, like having trouble concentrating or not possessing enough organizational skills. But whatever the reasons are, the results procrastination leads to are always devastating.

Conclusion. Here, we reiterate our thesis, site the significance of the topic, and add some afterthoughts.

As we see now, procrastination is a huge problem for college students. Being considered a result of pure laziness by many, it is often overlooked as a common problem. But this approach can be very dangerous.

In reality, procrastination has deeper roots, and the effects it causes are quite harmful. If treated lightly, systematic procrastination eventually leads college students to lower grades, mental health problems, and poorer overall academic performance.

So, it’s essential for every college student not to ignore the problem and find the causes of procrastination in their particular case as early as possible to be able to avoid its dreadful consequences.

That’s it! Feel free to use this essay as a model to generate your unique cause and effect essay ideas. If you need another example, download cause and effect essay sample here.   

Wrapping Up

In this article, we’ve covered all the important issues on how to write a cause and effect essay. After reading it thoroughly, you should know what a cause and effect essay is, how to structure it well, and make an outline that will work. We’ve also explained how to work on every paragraph of your text and provided some good essay topics as well as examples of a cause and effect essay with commentary. 

Still puzzled about how to write your cause and effect essay properly? Get instant write a paper for me help from professional editors and writers.  With such detailed instruction, you cannot fail, if you are diligent enough to practice writing essays on your own using the information given. Don’t get downhearted if you won’t be able to write a flawless paper from the first try; remember: practice makes perfect. So, put effort into your essay writing, and this will pay you back in the future – not only with excellent marks but with better critical thinking and logical skills, too.

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You need to write a cause and effect essay for your assignment. Well, where should you start?

Establishing a relationship between causes and effects is no simple task. You need to ensure logical connections between variables with credible evidence.

However, don't get overwhelmed by the sound of it. You can start by reading some great cause and effect essay examples. 

In this blog, you can read cause and effect essays to get inspiration and learn how to write them. With these resources, you'll be able to start writing an awesome cause and effect paper.

Let’s dive in!

• 1. What is a Cause and Effect Essay?
• 2. Cause and Effect Essay Examples for Students
• 3. Free Cause and Effect Essay Samples
• 4. Cause and Effect Essay Topics
• 5. Tips For Writing a Good Cause and Effect Essay

What is a Cause and Effect Essay?

A cause and effect essay explores why things happen (causes) and what happens as a result (effects). This type of essay aims to uncover the connections between events, actions, or phenomena. It helps readers understand the reasons behind certain outcomes.

In a cause and effect essay, you typically:

• Identify the Cause: Explain the event or action that initiates a chain of events. This is the "cause."
• Discuss the Effect: Describe the consequences or outcomes resulting from the cause.
• Analyze the Relationship: Clarify how the cause leads to the effect, showing the cause-and-effect link.

Cause and effect essays are common in various academic disciplines. For instance, studies in sciences, history, and the social sciences rely on essential cause and effect questions. For instance, "what are the effects of climate change?", or "what are the causes of poverty?"

Now that you know what a cause and effect is, let’s read some examples.

Cause and Effect Essay Examples for Students

Here is an example of a well-written cause and effect essay on social media. Let’s analyze it in parts to learn why it is good and how you can write an effective essay yourself. 

The essay begins with a compelling hook that grabs the reader's attention. It presents a brief overview of the topic clearly and concisely. The introduction covers the issue and ends with a strong thesis statement , stating the essay's main argument – that excessive use of social media can negatively impact mental health.

The first body paragraph sets the stage by discussing the first cause - excessive social media use. It provides data and statistics to support the claim, which makes the argument more compelling. The analysis highlights the addictive nature of social media and its impact on users. This clear and evidence-based explanation prepares the reader for the cause-and-effect relationship to be discussed.

The second body paragraph effectively explores the effect of excessive social media use, which is increased anxiety and depression. It provides a clear cause-and-effect relationship, with studies backing the claims. The paragraph is well-structured and uses relatable examples, making the argument more persuasive. 

The third body paragraph effectively introduces the second cause, which is social comparison and FOMO. It explains the concept clearly and provides relatable examples. It points out the relevance of this cause in the context of social media's impact on mental health, preparing the reader for the subsequent effect to be discussed.

The fourth body paragraph effectively explores the second effect of social comparison and FOMO, which is isolation and decreased self-esteem. It provides real-world consequences and uses relatable examples. 

The conclusion effectively summarizes the key points discussed in the essay. It restates the thesis statement and offers practical solutions, demonstrating a well-rounded understanding of the topic. The analysis emphasizes the significance of the conclusion in leaving the reader with a call to action or reflection on the essay's central theme.

This essay follows this clear cause and effect essay structure to convey the message effectively:

Read our cause and effect essay outline blog to learn more about how to structure your cause and effect essay effectively.

Free Cause and Effect Essay Samples

The analysis of the essay above is a good start to understanding how the paragraphs in a cause and effect essay are structured. You can read and analyze more examples below to improve your understanding.

Cause and Effect Essay Elementary School

Cause and Effect Essay For College Students

Short Cause and Effect Essay Sample

Cause and Effect Essay Example for High School

Cause And Effect Essay IELTS

Bullying Cause and Effect Essay Example

Cause and Effect Essay Smoking

Cause and Effect Essay Topics

Wondering which topic to write your essay on? Here is a list of cause and effect essay topic ideas to help you out.

• The Effects of Social Media on Real Social Networks
• The Causes And Effects of Cyberbullying
• The Causes And Effects of Global Warming
• The Causes And Effects of WW2
• The Causes And Effects of Racism
• The Causes And Effects of Homelessness
• The Causes and Effects of Parental Divorce on Children.
• The Causes and Effects of Drug Addiction
• The Impact of Technology on Education
• The Causes and Consequences of Income Inequality

Need more topics? Check out our list of 150+ cause and effect essay topics to get more interesting ideas.

Tips For Writing a Good Cause and Effect Essay

Reading and following the examples above can help you write a good essay. However, you can make your essay even better by following these tips.

• Choose a Clear and Manageable Topic: Select a topic that you can explore thoroughly within the essay's word limit. A narrowly defined topic will make it easier to establish cause-and-effect relationships.
• Research and Gather Evidence: Gather relevant data, statistics, examples, and expert opinions to support your arguments. Strong evidence enhances the credibility of your essay.
• Outline Your Essay: Create a structured outline that outlines the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. This will provide a clear roadmap for your essay and help you present causes and effects clearly and coherently.
• Transitional Phrases: Use transitional words and phrases like "because," "due to," "as a result," "consequently," and "therefore" to connect causes and effects within your sentences and paragraphs.
• Support Each Point: Dedicate a separate paragraph to each cause and effect. Provide in-depth explanations, examples, and evidence for each point.
• Proofread and Edit: After completing the initial draft, carefully proofread your essay for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Additionally, review the content for clarity, coherence, and flow.
• Peer Review: Seek feedback from a peer or someone familiar with the topic to gain an outside perspective. They can help identify any areas that need improvement.
• Stay Focused: Avoid going off-topic or including irrelevant information. Stick to the causes and effects you've outlined in your thesis statement.
• Revise as Needed: Don't hesitate to make revisions and improvements as needed. The process of revising and refining your essay is essential for producing a high-quality final product. 

To Sum Up , 

Cause and effect essays are important for comprehending the intricate relationships that shape our world. With the help of the examples and tips above, you can confidently get started on your essay. 

If you still need further help, you can hire a professional writer to help you out. At MyPerfectWords.com , we’ve got experienced and qualified essay writers who can help you write an excellent essay on any topic and for all academic levels.

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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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Chapter 4: What Are You Writing, to Whom, and How?

4.9 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 may 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 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.

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 is 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 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 words and phrases that denote such linkage. See below Phrases of Causation for examples of such terms.

Phrases of Causation

• as a result
• consequently

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

Self-Practice Exercise 4.8

H5P:  Cause and Effect Writing Practice

Exercise Preamble

In this exercise, we will think through the steps of a cause and effect essay. This can be tricky. We’ll start by choosing a topic. You want to pick something you know enough about to make claims about the relationships between cause and effect. For this in-class exercise, there’s no need to do external research, but remember that in a more formal assignment, you’ll want to have good sources for all your claims and to avoid speculation.

Some areas where cause and effect thinking is common include:

• Health and nutrition

For example, you might write a cause and effect essay about whether violent video games cause children to act out, or whether universal basic income programs cause people to live more stable lives. Choose something you can argue from a position of confidence.

Set a timer and freewrite for five minutes about the topic you have chosen.

Can you identify a potential thesis statement from your freewriting? Remember: 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. In other words, you don’t need to claim the only cause or effect — we know that ideas are complex.

Organizing Your Draft

Which makes the most sense for what you are trying to argue in your thesis statement?

Using point form, sketch out the structure of your essay: how many paragraphs, what will each one focus on, and how will you support it?

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 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  Appendix 1: Readings: Examples of Essays  to read a sample cause and effect essay.

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 to signal links between various elements in the essay.

Essay 1: Expository essay (15%)

In week 7, you will need to submit an expository essay on one of the following topics. Consider these topics as you work through the rest of this chapter and the next. You will need to choose one topic from one of the rhetorical modes below and write a 750- to 900-word essay. You will need to produce a logically organized essay with a thesis statement, well developed and logically organized paragraphs (with topic sentences), and an introduction and conclusion. You will need to support your ideas using one to three sources and include an APA reference list and citations as outlined in the JIBC APA Style Guide. You need to also demonstrate appropriate use of grammar and correct spelling. Remember, your essay should not just be a story; it should demonstrate logical organization and idea development.

Choose any one of the exercises you have completed for Self-Practice 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, or 4.9 and develop it into your Expository Essay. Consult with your instructor or your classmates if you are having a hard time deciding which activity to develop further.

You need to submit this assignment to your instructor for marking . (15%)

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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

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Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

• An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
• An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
• An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

• Explain the analysis of the college admission process
• Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

• Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

• Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college