Cause/Effect Essays

“For every action, there is an equal and

opposite reaction.”
1. Overview
 Definition

The “why” and the “what”

 Cause & Effect

What happened
Why did this happen?
because of this?
 Types of Causes and Effects
• Primary - most important
• Contributory - less important (secondary)
• Immediate - direct, seen very clearly
• Remote - not as obvious, long term
2. Organization
 2 Types of Cause/Effect
Organization
1. Block Organization

Multiple causes effect

e.g. air pollution
Cause multiple effects
e.g. Watching too much TV
Individual Events (Block organization)
 2 Types of Cause/Effect
Organization
1. Block Organization

Multiple causes effect

e.g. air pollution
Cause multiple effects
e.g. Watching too much TV

2. ***Causal chain***
Causal events (Chain organization)
Page 123
 Causal Chain Example
I. Chlorofluorocarbon gases are released.

2. The Ozone layer becomes thinner.

3. Unfiltered UV rays of the sun cause overheating in the poles of the earth.

4. The icebergs start to melt.

5. The huge amount of water released from the poles leads to a rise in the sea-level.

6. More flooding and tsunamis will happen; people will lose homes and land (immediate effect). Remote effect:
the sea will cover the whole Earth.
Introduction: Think of a Situation

● Has the situation always been this way?

Has it changed?
● Have things gotten better or worse?
● Causes: Why is this situation happening?
● Effects: What will happen in the future if
this situation continues?

What do I already know about the topic?

What should I research?
Step 1: Personally Connect to your Topic
What do I know about? & What do I care about?

↓
Recall personal opinions or interests
Consider reliable articles you have read/sources you have learned from

What are some personal situations you can think of that makes this topic interesting?

Make a claim about something. “I bet this is true because…” or “The consequence of this would be…..”
↓
Final Goal—Looking for Sources:
What do others say? What does the research say?
Step 2: Thinking On
the Page

● Identify causes and effects, and then

arrange them to show their
relationships or their relative
importance.

● Take a picture or write in the document.

Clustering Examples – Making Connections
Step 3: Organize Ideas
First, figure out the basic
causal relationships.

Then focus on making more

complex relationships.
Use a chart like this to help you separate ideas.

Remote Cause Immediate Cause Immediate Effect Remote Effect

 Example

Let's pretend
that my topic
is the effect of
elephant
poaching.

(Poaching is
hunting animals
illegally.)
 Remote Cause Immediate Cause Immediate Effect Remote Effect

Ivory is very Elephants are Poachers hunt ??? ??? What will happen
expensive targeted and kill if elephants become
around the because they elephants. extinct? →
world. have tusks research time!
made of ivory. If all elephants
die, they will
become
extinct.
 Remote Effect
https://news.mongabay.com/2018/10/loss-of-forest-e
lephant-may-make-earth-less-inhabitable-for-humans/

Loss of forest elephants may make Earth

less habitable for humans

● Forest elephants create destruction, but

allow trees to grow larger and bear more
fruit.
● Elephants carry seeds under their feet, and
disperse them throughout the forest.
● Ifelephants die, the forests will lose trees,
and earth will become uninhabitable for
humans (the end of the world).
 You, as the writer, decide the chain of events
Cause Cause/Effect Cause/Effect Cause/Effect Cause/Effect Effect

Remote cause: Immediate Cause: Many elephants Elephants Immediate Effect: Remote effect:
There is a high Poachers want die become extinct
demand for money. Trees are lost; The Earth
ivory around forests are lost becomes
the world. Poachers kill uninhabitable
elephants to get their for humankind.
ivory tusks.

Cause Cause/Effect Cause/Effect Cause/Effect Effect

Remote cause: Immediate Cause: Many elephants die Trees are lost; Remote effect:
There is a high Poachers want forests are lost
demand for money. Remote Effect: The Earth
ivory around Elephants become becomes
the world. Poachers kill extinct uninhabitable
elephants to get their for humankind.
ivory tusks.
 Depending on your ideas, you can:

- Devote an entire paragraph to one link (one cause and effect)

- Choose several links (cause/effect & cause/effect) in one
paragraph ending on a specific result
If we were to write an essay, our essay structure would look like this:

Introduction - Background information poaching and elephant

danger. Thesis: One future consequence of elephant poaching is that
Earth will be unlivable for humankind.

Body Paragraph 1 - High demand for ivory tusks (why? where?)

Body Paragraph 2 - Poachers kill elephants (why? how? where?)
Body Paragraph 3 - Many elephants die; Elephants become extinct
(how? which ways?)
Body Paragraph 4 - Forests lose trees (why? how?), which leads to
Earth as uninhabitable.

Conclusion - Summarize what was previously said, can make a

prediction about the hope for elephants or why we should save the
elephants for the Earth
 "Do causal chains always end in a negative result?" No. They can
have a happy ending. The remote effect could be this:

Cause Cause/Effect Cause/Effect Cause/Effect Cause/Effect Effect

Remote cause: Immediate Cause: Strict poaching laws More elephants live Immediate Effect: Remote effect:
There is a high Poachers want are enforced. and kept protected in Trees are restored The Earth has
demand for money their forests. and forests can a better natural
ivory around This saves thrive. habitat.
the world. Poachers kill elephants.
elephants to get their
ivory tusks.

Cause Cause/Effect Cause/Effect Cause/Effect Effect

Remote cause: Immediate Cause: More elephants live Remote effect:

There is a high Poachers want Strict poaching laws and kept protected in The Earth has
demand for money are enforced. their forests. a better natural
ivory around habitat.
the world. Poachers kill This saves Immediate Effect:
elephants to get their elephants. Trees are restored
ivory tusks. and forests can
thrive.
Some causes/effects are more important

Devoting equal space to all

possible causes and effects will
either overwhelm your readers or
put them to sleep.

Decide what you want to show your

readers — and then emphasize the causal
relationships that help achieve this
purpose.
3. Transitions
 Cause
◦ Why did this happen?
 Cause Signal Words
for the effect of
because
to be the result of
since
the consequence of
as
due to to result from

because of as a result of
as a consequence of
 Cause Signal words

2. Many department stores rely on computers due to their ability to keep records of sales
and inventory.

4. War, famine, and ethnic violence have caused a flood of refugees in the past 50 years.

5. Hollywood movies are known for their special effects because U.S. audiences seem to
demand them.

8. John’s promotion is the result of his brilliant management skills and company loyalty.
 Effect
All major
◦ What happened classes
because are taught in English
of this?
 Effect Signal Words
as a result to result in
as a consequence to have an effect on
therefore the cause of
thus to cause
consequently to affect
hence the reason for
so
thereby
 Effect Signal Words
1. The purchase price of electric cars is far greater than the price of cars with conventional
internal combustion engines; consequently, the price must be lowered if they are to
become popular.

4. Unfortunately, the operating cost of electric cars only begins to make up for the higher
purchase price if a car owner keeps the car for more than eight years; as a result, most
people still prefer gasoline-powered vehicles.

5. His patient diplomacy resulted in the successful negotiation of a peace treaty.

Page 125 Practice 4
Page 126 Practice 5

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