UNIVERSIDAD METROPOLITANA VICERRECTORÍA ASOCIADA DE DESARROLLO Y RETENCIÓN
Programa de Tutorías
Cause & Effect Essay
Definition • What is a Cause and Effect essay ? – This essay shows the relationship between a situation and its consequences. A cause is the reason an event happens. To determine causes, ask "Why did this happen?”. While an effect is the result of the cause. To identify effects, ask "What happened because of this?" For example, in a History course, you may need to know the causes – and the results – of a war. – The purpose is to explain the reader : 1. The cause of a particular event 2. The effects of a of an event or a situation 3. A combination of both
Researching and organizing • Research on the chosen topic and deeply analyze the information. • Explore your ideas by clustering or brainstorming a list of causes (or effects). • Then, choose at least three reasons for your decision – the most important, clearest reasons – to develop your essay. • When you begin your first draft, write a topic sentence or thesis statement to introduce and summarize the causes (or effects) to be discussed. • Explain the reasons on the body of the essay and support them with evidence.
Two sides of “cause & effect” Effect
cause Cause
Cause Effect
Effect
effect Cause
•These graphics show the two ways one can write a cause & effect essay. It may be developed by three causes of an effect or the three effects of a cause.
Continued Cause
Cause
Cause
Effect
Effect
Effect
•This also can happen in a Cause and Effect essay. As seen on this graphic, every cause can have an effect.
Arranging information • You can arrange the information in one of the orders that are presented below: 1. Chronological: Details are arranged in the order in which the events occurred. 2. Order of importance or Climax: Details are arranged from least to most important or vice versa. 3. Categorical: Details are arranged by dividing the topic into parts or categories.
How to write about causes • Topic sentence: – Statement or effect and overview of the causes.
• Body: – Causes, arranged in chronological , climax order or categorical 1. Cause 2. Cause 3. Cause
• Conclusion: – Restatement of effect, summary of causes (call for action)
How to write about effects • Topic sentence: – Statement or effect and overview of the effects.
• Body: – Effects arranged in chronological , climax order or categorical 1. Effect 2. Effect 3. Effect
• Conclusion: – Restatement of cause summary of effects (call for action)
The structure of the essay • The structure of the essay is as follows: 1. Introduction (usually one paragraph) 2. Body (one to four paragraphs) 3. Conclusion (usually one paragraph)
Writing the introduction • When writing a cause & effect essay, you have to consider carefully what is your purpose and who is your audience. When you have decided what is the main point, consider writing the introduction through narration, description, or process analysis. • Example: – Narration: I wasn’t very interested when I began my first computer class. But that changed the day a guest lecturer from one of the large firms downtown came… – Description: The company where I had a summer job occupies a large, modern brick building. I worked in a spacious office with marble floor, polished metal furniture, a wall of windows overlooking the river, and the latest computer equipment.. – Process analysis: My experience in Web design developed in three stages…
Writing the introduction • Do not forget; when writing an introduction you must have all the elements that are required in an introduction: Introduction
The hook
Connecting the information
Thesis statement
Writing the Development • The body of the essay is the largest part. It is made of three or more paragraphs. They are used to develop the author’s idea. It gives explanations, details ,examples, definitions, etc. The organization of the body varies on the kind of essay you are writing. You can write an outline to organize ideas from the main points, to notes or even the smallest pieces of information. The following is an example of the causes of an event: – Body of the essay “The mystery of Custer’s last stand”: A. Cause 1: Custer ignored his commanding officer. B. Cause 2: He did not take seriously the advice of his own scouts. C. Cause 3: He misinterpreted the movements of Sioux D. Cause 4: After his groups separated, they lost communication.
Writing the Conclusion • Writing the conclusion is relatively easy. The author restates the idea of the essay and offers the author’s opinion. This is the last paragraph. Sometimes returning to the idea of the topic sentence, but rephrasing it, so it does not sound repetitive or boring.
• You can conclude with a quotation, a joke, an example or a question.
Practice • Instructions: Read the essay “The joys of an old car” and answer the reading comprehension questions. – When people see my beat-up old car, they sometimes laugh at it. But I tell them that owning a twenty-year-old Toyota has its good points.
– One obvious reward is economy. My husband and I bought the car when we were newly married. We paid $4,200 for it. That seemed like a lot of money then, but today we’d spend four times that much for a similar car. We also save money on insurance . In the twenty years we’ve had it, the Toyota has needed only a few repairs. It even gets good gas mileage.
Continued – I like the familiar feel of a car. I’m so used to it that driving anything else feels very strange. When I visited my sister recently, I drove her new Prius to the grocery store. Everything was so unfamiliar! I couldn’t even figure out how to turn on the radio. I was relieved to get back to my own car. – Finally, my car is very dependable. No matter how cold and snowy it is, I know the Toyota will start quickly and get me where I need to go. Unfortunately, one day it didn’t start, and naturally that day I had a final exam. But otherwise it just keeps on going and going. – My Toyota reminds me of a favorite piece of clothing that you wear forever and can’t bear to throw away.
References • Langan, J. (2007). College Writing Skills. The McGraw-Hill Companies. • Meyers, A. (2005). Gateways to academic writing. Ney York: Longman.
Created by: • Prof. María Isaac – English Coordinator • Cristabel R. Ocasio Ilarraza – English Tutor
December 2010