1. Cause & Effect Essay Process describes how something happens
Cause and Effect analyzes why something happens.
Cause and Effect essays examine causes and describe effects.

2. Like Narrative Essays Links situations and events together in time
Causes precedes effects
It is more than a sequence
It explains why something happened or is happening
Predicts what probably will happen

3. Sometime Many Causes Can Be Responsible for One Effect
FOR EXAMPLE: WHAT ARE THE CAUSES FOR IMMIGRATION
POLTICAL REPRESSION
DESIRE TO FURETER EDUCATION
DESIRE TO JOIN FAMILY MEMEBERS
DESIRE FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
DESIRE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
EFFECT: IMMIGRANTS COME TO THE UNITED STATES

4. Sometimes, a Single Cause Can Produce Many Effect.
Immigrants come to the United States
Effect
More diverse culture
Demand for new goods and services
Increased competition for jobs
Challenges to educational system
New political agendas

5. Causes and Effects are Rarely Simple
Many points to consider
Research a credible source
Opinion must be provable

6. Main Causes versus Contributory Causes
Main cause is the MORE IMPORTANT
IDENTIFY IT FIRST
RESEARCH
FACT BASED
Contributory is LESS IMPORTANT but still contributes to the effect

7. Case of Hartford Roof Collapse
During one winter several years ago, an unusually large amount of snow accumulated on the roof of the Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and the roof fell in. Newspapers reported that the weight of the snow had caused the collapse, and they were partly right. Other buildings, however, had not been flattened by the snow, so the main cause seemed to lie elsewhere. Insurance investigators eventually determined that the roof design, not the weight of the snow was the main cause of the collapse
MAIN CAUSE
Roof Design
EFFECT
Roof Collapse
CONTRIBUTORY CAUSE
Weight of snow

8. Immediate and Remote Causes
Immediate cause closely precedes an effect and is usually easy to
Remote cause is less obvious because it occurred in the past or far away
Assuming that the most obvious cause is always the most important one can be dangerous and ill-advised.
POSSIBLE REMOTE CAUSES
Roof design
Roof materials
Improper maintenance
Repairs not made
IMMEDIATE CAUSE
Weight of Snow
EFFECT
Roof Collapse

9. Causal Chains The result of one action is the cause of another
Leaving out any link in the chain, or failing to place any link in its proper orders, destroys the logic and the continuity of the chain.
Global warming might be a threat to US national security A
CAUSE
Global Warming
Could
cause worldwide
climate changes,
such as droughts C
EFFECT
(CAUSE)
Could create an atmosphere
For terrorists E
EFFECT
These terrorists
threaten US security B
EFFECT
(CAUSE)
Could create a refugee crisis
as people leave their homelands
in search of clean water.

10. AVOIDING POST HOC REASONING
Post hoc reasoning is assuming just because event A precedes (comes before ) event B, event A has caused event B
It equates a chronological sequence with causality
It is an ILLOGICAL assumption
For Example:
Mary failed an exam because a black cat crosser her path the day before.
You are assuming that the because A (the black cat) precedes Event B (her failing the exam), that the black cat has caused her failing the exam.

11. Strong Evidence Strong, clear evidence supports the connection
Don’t confuse words because, therefore, consequently with words like then, next, subsequently, later, and aftewrd.
When you use the word BECAUSE, you are signaling to readers that you are telling WHY something happened; when you use a word like THEN, you are only showing WHEN it happened

12. Planning a Cause and Effect Essay
Three options
Focus on FINDING CAUSES
Focus on describing or predicting EFFECTS
Focus on both CAUSES AND EFFECT.
WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON BOTH CAUSES AND EFFECTS.

13. Using previous Writing Process Skills Begin
Select prompt
Conduct an informal internet search noting citations
Brainstorm using a cluster
Formulate a strong thesis with subject, opinion, three points
Outline
1st body paragraph addresses two causes (main then contributory)
2nd body paragraph addresses two effects (main then contributory)
3rd body paragraph addresses potential changes
1st draft SE PE TE

14. EXAMPLE--Prompt: What are the causes and effects of anorexia nervosa?
Anorexia Nervosa can be caused by distorted role modeling and biased advertising resulting in the effects of poor health conditions and stressful situations, however, possible solutions may include public education as well as psychological counseling.
Anorexia Nervosa can be caused by distorted role modeling and biased advertising resulting in the effects of poor health conditions and stressful situations. Possible solutions to this tragic malady may include public education as well as psychological counseling.
Anorexia Nervosa can be caused by distorted role modeling and biased advertising resulting in the effects of poor health conditions and stressful situations.

15. EFFECTS ANOREXIA SOLUTIONS CAUSES Poor health conditions Stressful
Situations
ANOREXIA
Education
Advertising
SOLUTIONS
CAUSES
Therapy
Role Models

16. TIMELINE FOR CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY
10/3 : Lecture Video Cause and Effect part 1 & selecting a topic
10/4: Brainstorming
10/5: Thesis
10/7: Outline
10/9: 1st Draft
10/10: Lecture Video Cause and Effect part 2
10/11: 1st Draft/SE
10/13: PE/Revision
10/15: TE