Outline (Causal Analysis)

Causal Analysis Pre-writing

For a Causal Argument Outline

The assistance below is based on a causal writing prompt between A and B

1. Advertising, TV, or journalism media (choose only 1), and
2. American youth or the American culture (choose only 1)

This will lead to a Thesis that follows this format:

A causes ______, ______, and ______ in B.

For this type of paper, a student would need to do research to identify at least 3 effects on B that A causes.

Even though the helper pre-writing below was constructed based on a specific essay assignment, the outline suggestions and content ideas below will assist anyone completing a causal argument essay.

Once you have decided on a topic for your causal argument essay (advertising, TV, or journalism media), narrow the focus of the “big” topic to relate to a specific issue within the larger topic essay as it relates to American youth or the American culture (review your chosen prompt to make sure that you are addressing the assignment correctly).

See this information for help understanding your assignment: CLICK HERE.   

Find credible articles to support your point from the library databases.

Search for an electronic image on Google images to insert into one of your body paragraphs to use as source content to support your causal argument.

Limit Words

In the pre-writing boxes below, write a few words to capture the ideas you would write about in that section. 

Include Source Ideas—Where Appropriate

You can write a brief paraphrase of a source that would work in a specific spot of the body paragraph, but be certain to include a parenthetical citation with the paraphrase so that you will know where your content came from.  Otherwise, when you get to your Rough Draft creation, you might end up plagiarizing. 

Include a Bibliography

At the end of this pre-writing, be sure to construct a Works Cited/References page for any sources that you paraphrased, quoted, or summarized in the pre-writing exercise.  When you transfer your ideas from this pre-writing into your outline, you will need to include the Works Cited/References page at the bottom of the outline for both your instructor and yourself to know exactly where the source content is coming from.

Points regarding the "fill-in-the-box" pre-writing embedded in the links below:

·         Do not write in full sentences.

·         Do not write only one word.

·         Write brief ideas to capture the content that would go in that location and then move on.

·         This pre-writing will be easily transferred into an outline—using Roman Numbers and lettering—later.

·         From that outline—which I’m sure your instructor will need to review—you will create a Rough Draft of your essay.  Only in the Rough Draft will you finally begin writing in full sentences for each of the content ideas listed in this pre-writing and your outline.

Introduction  Introduction Paragraph: There are three parts.  Therefore, you must write at least 3 sentences in your Rough Draft.  For this pre-writing, follow the steps in the link above to easily fill in a pre-writing form to get you started. Introduction Paragraph Follow the guidelines for Introductions found here: https://learnessaywriting.blogspot.com/p/drawing-readers-in-asyou-begin-to-write.html

Body Body Paragraphs: Use support from credible articles found in the library database. Copy/paste your image into 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 Body Paragraph 2 Follow the guidelines for Body Paragraphs found here: http://learnessaywriting.blogspot.com/p/body-paragraphs-drafting-your-essay.html 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 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.

Conclusion 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 1st person pronouns out of the entire essay. You will only write in 3rd person voice in this and all future essays.

Basics:

Introduction 

Body

Conclusion

Helper Links:

• Please see THIS link for help with future outlines (Outline Structure Requirements).
• Please see THIS link for help with the basics for outlining (Basic Outlines).
• Please see THIS link for help with reverse outlines.