The Writing Process: Cause and Effect Idea Gathering and Placement

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Cause and Effect Idea Gathering and Placement

A “Follow My Lead” Document

Cause and Effect Argument, Essay 3

Idea Gathering and Placement

Cause and Effect Argument Essay

(Causal Analysis Argument)

One of the most important steps in writing an essay—on any topic, in any style—is the planning phase. Planning will make the flow of your writing logical and efficient. There are many ways to plan your writings; however, the fill-in-the-blank charts below might be an option for those who want direct guidance that will lead to a general outline for the paper. The charts are focused on one organizational style for a Cause and Effect Argument (Causal Analysis Argument) paper. However, this same flow can be used for other essay planning with minimal modification.

Gather and Sort Ideas
Prewriting can come in many styles and forms. In our class, I will assign you pre-writing after you have had time to read the topic for our upcoming argument writing. Your first assignment for the essay will be to turn in a brief, one-page outline (NOT in full sentences—it needs to be fragmented ideas, brief and to the point) with 2-4 quotes, paraphrases, or summary ideas from credible sources to show your prewriting for this stage in the Writing Process. However, to arrive at a well-developed outline, you need to gather and sort your ideas for flow and persuasion of the assigned argument topic.

Pre-writing Styles

Before you construct your actual outline, you will want to try out additional forms of prewriting to help gather your thoughts, sources, and argument flow.

Graphic Organizers

1. Venn Diagram

2. Clustering: Spider Maps

3. General Outlining—basic structural content flow

Pre-writing

1. Brainstorming

2. Essay Map

3. Persuasion Map

4. Compare/Contrast Map

5. Venn Diagram

6. Cube Creator

7. K-W-L Creator

8. Webbing

9. Note-taker

Idea Gathering and Placement

Pre-writing (Fill-in-the-Box Outlining Handout)

Introduction Paragraph: There are three parts. Therefore, you must write at least 3 sentences in your Rough Draft. For this pre-writing, you simply need part 2 (background/content/transition ideas) and part 3 (Thesis). You can come up with a “hook” when crafting your Outline.

INTRODUCTION

Introduction Paragraph Follow the guidelines for Introductions found here: https://learnessaywriting.blogspot.com/p/drawing-readers-in-asyou-begin-to-write.html
Begin your introduction with an attention grabber to “hook” your reader’s attention. To develop this part of your introduction, see tips located at http://learnessaywriting.blogspot.com/ Add a few sentences between your hook and thesis to transition from the hook to the thesis: Do not use source materials here. Save all source materials for the body paragraphs.	1. 2.
End your introduction with your THESIS STATEMENT. See thesis statement. The thesis should be just one sentence, not a question, and show the causal relationship you aim to argue. Consider using words like “should” and “because” to help make it arguable.	3.

BODY PARAGRAPHS

Body Paragraphs: Use support from credible articles found in the library database. Copy/paste your image in the body where it best fits the content. Cite it correctly. Follow these guidelines. Be sure to follow the Hamburger Method when constructing the content development of your body paragraphs.

Body Paragraph 1 Follow the guidelines for Body Paragraphs found here: http://learnessaywriting.blogspot.com/p/body-paragraphs-drafting-your-essay.html
Topic Sentence:
**Detail/Support 1** (based only on the topic from the Topic Sentence of this body paragraph):
· Do you have a Source to defend or refute detail 1:
Can you Provide an explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic:
*Detail/Support 2* (based only on the topic from the Topic Sentence of this body paragraph):
Do you have a Source to defend or refute detail 2:
Can you provide an Explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic:
**Detail/Support 3** (based only on the topic from the Topic Sentence of this body paragraph):
Do you have a Source to defend or refute detail 3:
Can you provide an Explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic:
Closing sentence that ties to the topic sentence:
Body Paragraph 2 Follow the guidelines for Body Paragraphs found here: http://learnessaywriting.blogspot.com/p/body-paragraphs-drafting-your-essay.html
Topic Sentence:
**Detail/Support 1** (based only on the topic from the Topic Sentence of this body paragraph):
· Do you have a Source to defend or refute detail 1:
Can you Provide an explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic:
*Detail/Support 2* (based only on the topic from the Topic Sentence of this body paragraph):
Do you have a Source to defend or refute detail 2:
Can you provide an Explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic:
**Detail/Support 3** (based only on the topic from the Topic Sentence of this body paragraph):
Do you have a Source to defend or refute detail 3:
Can you provide an Explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic:
Closing sentence that ties to the topic sentence (of this paragraph):
Body Paragraph 3 *End Action and strongest support for your point in body paragraph 3*. Follow the guidelines for Body Paragraphs found here: http://learnessaywriting.blogspot.com/p/body-paragraphs-drafting-your-essay.html
Topic Sentence:
**Detail/Support 1** (based only on the topic from the Topic Sentence of this body paragraph):
Do you have a Source to defend or refute detail 1:
Can you Provide an explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic:
*Detail/Support 2* (based only on the topic from the Topic Sentence of this body paragraph):
Do you have a Source to defend or refute detail 2:
Can you provide an Explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic:
**Detail/Support 3** (based only on the topic from the Topic Sentence of this body paragraph):
Do you have a Source to defend or refute detail 3:
Can you provide an Explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic:
Closing sentence that ties to the topic sentence (of this paragraph):
Body Paragraph 4 (Rebuttal): Acknowledge the other side of the issue. What might those who disagree with you think? Address these points briefly here in one paragraph but *close with* *why* *your position is best/accurate.*
Topic Sentence: **Detail/Support 1: Source to defend or refute detail 1: Explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic: Detail/Support 2: Source to defend or refute detail 2: Explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic: Detail/Support 3: Source to defend or refute detail 3: Explanation of source and how it relates to the overall topic: Closing sentence that tells WHY your position is best/accurate** (must relate back to the topic sentence of this paragraph)

Conclusion: Analyze and reflect on the cause/effect relationship in the argument. Ask yourself, “So what?” and be sure to reveal that thought for a satisfying close. Remember to keep 1^st person pronouns *out* of the entire essay. You will only write in 3^rd person voice in this and all future essays.
Restate Thesis in new words: Reflect on the cause and effect relationship proved in the (3) body paragraphs. Why was this important to know…ask yourself ‘so what’ to reveal the implications of the topic. Leave the reader with something deep and insightful to walk away with. Create your title for the paper from 3-5 words from this last sentence of the essay.