Cause and Effect

Cause & Effect

·                     Causal Argument

·                     Outline Sample--Cause and Effect

·                     Cause & Effect Outline (Introduction)

·                     Cause & Effect Outline (Body Paragraphs--Prove Cau...

·                     Cause & Effect Outline (Body Paragraph--Refute Cou...

·                     Cause & Effect Outline (Conclusion and Title)

Causal Analysis

·                     Outlines (Basics)

·                     Outline (Causal Analysis)

·                     Pre-writing (Fill-in-the-Box Handout) Causal Analy...

·                     Pre-Writing (Introduction) Causal Analysis

·                     Pre-Writing (All Body Paragraphs) Causal Analysis

·                     Pre-Writing (Body Paragraph 1) Causal Analysis

·                     Pre-Writing (Body Paragraph 2) Causal Analysis

·                     Pre-Writing (Body Paragraph 3) Causal Analysis

·                     Pre-Writing (Body Paragraph 4) Causal Analysis

·                     Pre-Writing (Conclusion Paragraph) Causal Analysis...

Getting Started

Cause and effect issues and arguments are all around us.  As Americans, we are bombarded by advertising every day, opinionated co-workers at the water cooler, and confrontational teenagers asserting that A equals B or rather that A does NOT equal B.

To know about the world around you, what makes it tick, adjust, and function, you need to be able to easily sort through the 'causes' of the 'effects' in your world.

When assigned a cause and effect essay, you should take time to memorize the steps to arguing a sound cause and effect relationship.  After all, your advertisers, co-workers, and teenagers will always try to convince you of something, and it is your duty to know if their assertions are valid or if you can see the alternatives to their claim and assert your own cause and effect relationship.

While a cause and effect essay is not extremely complicated, it does take time.  

1. You need to work through the effects you believe are caused by a certain stimulant. 
2. Then you need to locate research that supports your beliefs.  
3. From there, you will do additional research on what others argue causes your topic.
4. Finally, as the last step in your preparation process, you need to write out an outline to cleverly organize your presentation, delivery, refutations, and wrap-up.

Structure your outline so that you are sure that your eventual essay covers all high points.

(What do you want to prove?)  THESIS: _____________________________________

INTRODUCTION TO ASSERT YOUR CAUSAL ARGUMENT

• "HOOK"
• TRANSITIONAL CONTENT ABOUT TOPIC
• THESIS: ASSERTION THAT A CAUSES B, C, AND D

BODY PARAGRAPH TO PRESENT EVIDENCE THAT A CAUSES B

• TOPIC SENTENCE asserting that A CAUSES B
• Introduce the content of A and B
• Paraphrase, summarize, or quote source material to defend your causal argument asserted in the topic sentence.
• Explain how the source defended your point. 
• Analyze the source and its content.
• Closing sentence that ties the paragraph assertion and proof together.  This closing sentence should reflect to the paragraph’s topic sentence.

BODY PARAGRAPH TO PRESENT EVIDENCE THAT A CAUSES C

• TOPIC SENTENCE asserting that A CAUSES C
• Introduce the content of A and C
• Paraphrase, summarize, or quote source material to defend your causal argument asserted in the topic sentence.
• Explain how the source defended your point. 
• Analyze the source and its content.
• Closing sentence that ties the paragraph assertion and proof together. 
• This closing sentence should reflect to the paragraph’s topic sentence.

BODY PARAGRAPH TO PRESENT EVIDENCE THAT A CAUSES D

• TOPIC SENTENCE asserting that A CAUSES D
• Introduce the content of A and D
• Paraphrase, summarize, or quote source material to defend your causal argument asserted in the topic sentence.
• Explain how the source defended your point. 
• Analyze the source and its content.
• Closing sentence that ties the paragraph assertion and proof together. 
• This closing sentence should reflect to the paragraph’s topic sentence.

BODY PARAGRAPH TO REFUTE THE COUNTER-ARGUMENTS

TOPIC SENTENCE asserting that not everyone agrees with your cause and effect argument

• That A causes B      OR
• That A causes C      OR
• That A causes D
• Introduce the counter-arguments to your causal assertions
• The counter-arguments in the counter-argument body paragraph need to focus on only one of your previous body paragraph assertions: A, B, or C
• Do not address all your arguments and their counter-arguments in one body paragraph.
• Each counter-argument—to one of your arguments—will be a paragraph unto itself.
• You can provide multiple sources on that counter-argument, but the whole paragraph will stay focused on that one counter-argument for A, B, or C.
• Paraphrase, summarize, or quote source material to refute the counter-arguments
• Locate additional, different support to defend your causal argument asserted in the thesis statement
• Explain how the source defended your point. 
• Analyze the source and its content.
• If you have additional counter-argument sources that all relate to the same overall issue…
• You may have to go through steps 2-5 a few times to cover the counter-arguments for that one point.
• However, if each counter-argument is on completely different points, relating to your overall Thesis, you may have to end up with two or three counter-argument paragraphs.
• Closing sentence that ties the paragraph assertion and proof together. 
• This closing sentence should reflect to the paragraph’s topic sentence.

CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH TO WRAP IT ALL UP AND ASSERT YOUR CAUSAL ARGUMENT

• Topic sentence asserting the thesis statement—but in a new way.
• Tie together all the main points from the essay…
• Consider your topic sentences from each body paragraph. 
• Your topic sentences should address the main points from the essay.
• Do not simply re-post the topic sentences.  Pull the main points together in a meaningful and assertive way to make sure that your readers are fully convinced of your overall thesis statement.
• Closing sentence that leaves the reader with a feeling of closure and peace on the topic.

TITLE OF ESSAY

• After you finish your whole essay…
• Re-read your conclusion paragraph. 
• Think of something catchy from the concluding paragraph that you could use as your title.
• Do not use the assignment name.
• Your title needs to directly relate to the closing/conclusion paragraph. 
• A title provides a circular feeling for the readers. 
• The audience begins with your title, and after reading through all of your developmental paragraphs, they reach the conclusion that reminds them of what they started with—YOUR TITLE.

LIBERTY STUDENTS

Include at least 4 quotations, 1 summary, and 1 paraphrases (6 total) into your outline assignment from at least 3 outside sources (peer-reviewed sources) to support your thesis statement and provide opposing arguments.

Keep in mind that this final essay is longer (1200-1500 words) and is worth more points than the previous two essay assignments.  As always, be sure to look back at my feedback on your earlier assignments to help you avoid making the same types of mistakes on this assignment. 

If you have not read through the actual, embedded comments in Essay 1 and 2, you must do so to gain a clear picture of what could use modification in your next paper.  To view those comments on your previous work, you needed to access the feedback in the BOX grading tool.  If you do not know how to use this feature, please review the short YouTube video, and let me know if you have questions: https://youtu.be/BMCR9YXMjzw