There are three main possible ways to organize a cause and effect essay.
Effects of a major cause [Example: The tremendous loss of life from the sinking of the Titanic was due to colossal arrogance.
Causes for a major effect [Example: The two main reasons that Tesla is so successful are environmentalism and distracted driving.]
Causal chain of events [Example: The break-in at the Watergate led to a cover up, which in turn led to Nixon’s eventual resignation.]
To help you to successfully write your essay, it is wise to begin with an outline. Sample outlines of these three main ways of organizing a cause and effect essay are available in Chapter 9. In addition, to help you to choose the best organizational structure for your essay and for additional tips and advice, please see the Assignment Connection in the Week 5 Lesson. The conclusion of the essay should synthesize the information and explain the enduring impact of the topic.
Here is the basic structure of the paper:
Introduction: Start with an attention getter. Then, give the general explanation of the topic [DO NOT include specific examples or research in the introduction]. End with the thesis. [Thesis statement is a sentence containing the causes and the effects in one of the following ways:
Effects of a Major Cause. Example: Crop failures and high food prices were the result of a protracted drought.
Causes of a Major Effect. Example: Poor diet and lack of exercise led to Bill’s weight gain.
Causal Chain of Events. Example: Reduced sales led the company to cut back on marketing, which in turn led to further declines in sales.
Now, you should set up the middle section of your paper with body paragraphs using the outline that you worked on last week.
MY OUTLINE:
1. Hunger
Hard to find a meal everyday
Food won’t last long
2. illness
No access to proper health care
Being sick more than the usual
3. Instability
Unstable income
Lack of resources to live comfortable
Each body paragraph should be set up like this:
1. Topic sentence as first sentence [an idea from the thesis]. This tells your reader what the focus of the paragraph will be.
2. Example/Research. This is where you give your research and examples that support the idea in the topic sentence. EVERY BODY PARAGRAPH HAS TO HAVE RESEARCH. This also means that every body paragraph needs an in-text citation with that research. You can include more than one example if you like.
3. Explanation. After giving the examples and research, you need to clearly explain HOW that research supports the idea in the topic sentence.
4. Concluding statement: Tie all the examples you gave back to the idea in the topic sentence. NEVER END A PARAGRAPH WITH RESEARCH OR AN IN TEXT CITATION.
Imagine each body paragraph is its own mini paper. You give your focus/topic with the topic sentence, your support with the research, and then the explanation, and then you conclude the paragraph.
Conclusion: Restate the thesis. The conclusion of the essay should synthesize the information and explain the enduring impact of the topic.
Research Requirements
For this essay, you will need to find four or more sources. At least two of them should be found in the DeVry Library databases, and two others may come from high-quality, credible Internet sources. The purpose of using these sources is to provide support for your ideas in the form of facts, statistics, or expert opinion. Any time you make a claim, it needs to be supported. Hint: Never start a sentence with “everybody knows …”
All sources listed in the references must be cited in text; all sources cited in text must be listed in the references.
Basic Requirements:
Length: Four to five pages [1,000 to 1,250 words]
Compose the essay using Microsoft Word and using 12-point Times New Roman.
Format and cite sources using the seventh edition of APA. Consult Chapter 14, pages 389–420, for a sample essay and numerous types of citations.
The goal of your paper is sound professional.
You want to be aware of your audience.
For academic writing and for professional writing, you need to have an “academic” voice that maintains a critical distance from the subject that you are writing about.
It’s an academic and professional voice.
It’s easy to do, but it does take a bit of thought.
Always write in 3rd person.
1st person: I, me, us, we, our, my
2nd person: you, you’re, your
3rd person: he, she, it, they, everyone, someone
Don’t comment on the fact that you are writing a paper: “This paper will show” “In this paper” “My research shows.”
Don’t use so or well as transitions at the beginning of a sentence.
