Cause and Effect

1
Cause and Effect

• A cause-and-effect essay may focus on causes of
  an event, effects of an event, or both.
• It is formatted much like an expository essay.

2
Thesis

• Thesis- your thesis is not your topic, but what
  you want to say about it.
•  
• The thesis statement, which is usually a
  one-sentence summary, should indicate the focus.
• The following thesis sentences show three
  different focuses on the same situation
• Causes  Three major factors prompt teenagers to
  sign up for volunteer work in the community.
• Effects  While the number of teenage volunteers
  may be small the impact of their service is
  large.
• Causes and Effects  Teenagers have different
  reasons for doing volunteer work, but the effects
  of their work are generally significant.

3
Causes

• Ask the question Why did this Happen? and list
  every likely cause that you uncover.  Later when
  you have completed your investigation, you can
  select the causes you think merit discussion. 
  The following questions might help you
  investigate causes.
•  
• What are the obvious causes?
• Is there a main, or most important, cause?  What
  is it?
• What is the most recent cause?
• What causes occurred in the distant past?

4
Effects

• When you investigate effects, ask yourself, What
  are the results?  And list every possible effect
  you can think of.  As with causes, wait until you
  have completed you investigation, then select the
  effects you think merit discussion. The following
  questions might help you investigate causes.
• What are the most obvious effects?
• Are there any hidden effects?  What are they?
• What was (or will be) the first effect?
• What might be the future effects?

5
Cause-and-Effect Chains

• During your investigation of the situation, you
  also need to look for a possible cause-and-effect
  chain. In such a chain one event or situation
  causes an effect, then the effect becomes a cause
  for an additional effect, and so on.
• For example, a fire produces dangerous gases that
  cause health problems.  The health problems cause
  people to move away, and their moving in turn
  cause a recession in the local economy. 
• If such a chain exists, it may become an
  important part of you explanation.

6
False Cause and Effect (avoid this!)

• You cant assume that a cause-and-effect
  relationship exists just because one thing
  precedes another there must be a valid
  connection between them.
• Example
• My computer broke the day after I bought those
  new disks.  The disks must have caused the
  problem.

7
Believable Support

• Sufficient Evidence- Whatever it takes to prove
  your point. Your task is to be sensitive to your
  audience, with evidence that consists of facts,
  statistics, examples, or anecdotes.
• Accurate Evidence- Take notes accurately, and be
  sure you get both the numbers and the words
  right.
• Reliable Evidence- Reliable evidence comes from a
  trustworthy source.  Dont assume everything
  that is printed is reliable. Make sure that your
  source has a reputation for being reliable.

8
Outline for Cause-Effect

• Introduction
• Attention grabber
• Background info
• Controlling Idea
• Thesis
• Body Paragraph 1- Causes (or effects)
• Major - one cause
• minors (2) - specific details or quotes
• Commentary - discuss significance and
  relationship to event
• Major- second cause
• minors (2)
• Commentary
• Body Paragraph 2- Effects (or causes) (same
  format as above)
• Conclusion
• Restate Thesis
• Sum up best points
• Satisfying concluding sentence

9
Cause-Effect graphic organizer
Effect 1 reason (and quotes)
Cause 1 reason (and quotes)
Event
Effect 2 reason (and quotes)
Cause 2 reason (and quotes)
Effect 3 reason (and quotes)
Cause 3 reason (and quotes)
Effect 4 reason (and quotes)
Cause 4 reason (and quotes)
10
Homework

• Write an essay of causes and effects of Macbeth
  becoming king.
• 4 paragraphs
• Use specific examples from the play
• Commentary should examine causes and effects
  significance
• Due 11-30 (but you can turn it in sooner)