Cause & Effect Guidelines, Hints, and Tips (part 2)

Cause & Effect 
Guidelines, Hints, and Tips 

(part 2)

This type of essay has five parts (not paragraphs!), with each part corresponding to a specific task the writer needs to perform, and each part consisting of one or more paragraphs.

Essay Part	Scope	Purpose (not all necessary for every essay)
Introduction	General	Background for the topic Setting out the issues Focusing the argument—the purpose of the essay
Description of the "Cause"	Begins general; becomes increasingly specific	What the specific conditions are Specific illustrations of these conditions How these specific illustrations are representative of (can stand in for) other situations In this first part of the analysis, the writer needs to provide enough detail for the reader so the reader can understand the present situation. In addition, the writer needs to focus the description of the situation in such a way as to prepare for the "effect" that the writer is arguing for. For example, if the writer wants to argue that the loss of privacy has led to (or will lead to) a loss of individual freedom, then the description of how technology affects our privacy should focus on technologies that affect an individual’s freedom to act.
Description of the "Effect"	Begins general; becomes increasingly specific	What the specific effect is (or effects are) How we get from the specific conditions to the specific effects Specific illustrations of these effects How these specific illustrations are representative of (can stand in for) others In this second part of the analysis, the writer needs to walk the reader through the logical steps the writer has used to move from cause to effect. For example, if the writer argues that loss of privacy leads to loss of individual freedom, the writer needs to explain carefully how privacy and freedom are linked. So perhaps the writer might claim that privacy allows an individual to be free from the observation of others. With our privacy becoming increasingly limited by surveillance, we are no longer free from the observation of others. If we believe that we are always being watched, we will probably change our behavior and be less willing to take chances or act independently. If we feel we cannot act independently then we are no longer free.
Explanation of the meaning of the cause-and-effect relationship	More General	Why this analysis is important How we might act upon the ideas the writer has presented In this third part of the analysis, the writer argues for the importance of the argument’s findings, often by putting in perspective the short-term or long-term consequences of the "effect." In addition, in this part the writer usually makes some sort of recommendation (what we should do). So if the writer is arguing that loss of privacy leads to loss of freedom, in this part the writer might speculate one what might happen if this trend towards further loss of privacy continues. In addition, the writer might describe some of the specific actions we can take to safeguard our existing privacy, or how legislation might provide such safeguards.
Conclusion	General	Summing up How our understanding of the larger issue might be changed by the writer's analysis Appeal to the reader—how this situation affects us

To write a cause and effect essay, you’ll need to determine a scenario in which one action or event caused certain effects to occur. Then, explain what took place and why! This essay allows us to identify patterns and explain why things turned out the way that they did.

[<<PART 1]                                    [PART 3>>]

Content for this handout was modified using the Cause and Effect Argument Overview handout. 

The original document was provided to The Study Library to assist students with writing. 

You can find the original document at this address https://studylib.net/doc/6835548/cause-and-effect-essays

Content approved for download and usage 10.26.2018.

© 2018 by Jeanette L. H. Dick

Cause and Effect Argument Overview