One type of assignment that you will most assuredly be given as a college student is the cause and effect essay or paper. Of course, an essay is usually much shorter than a paper and normally doesn’t require research, but the guidelines are the same for each type of assignment, so by following what has become standard procedure for writing a causal analysis, you will greatly increase your chances of earning a good grade.
The Difference Between Cause and Effect
Whenever you write about cause and effect, you are basically describing how and why certain events or situations bring about particular observable results. For example, in a history class, you might be asked to examine what initiated the Civil War in 19th century America, with the war being the consequence (result) of the events and situations (causes) that led up to it. In a geography class, on the other hand, you might be asked to write about the weather conditions (causes) that produce a hurricane (result).
The Different Types of Causes and Effects
According to William H. Barnwell and Robert Dees, coauthors of The Resourceful Writer: A Basic Writing Course (1999), “Causes and their effects can be classified as either immediate or remote” (p. 180):
- An immediate cause occurs just before the result it produces and is directly responsible for the result. For example, Tom’s partying all weekend instead of studying would be the immediate cause of his failing the history exam on Monday.
- A remote cause does not occur directly before the effect it produces but may have a more profound effect than an immediate cause. For instance, Tom’s failure to take his college studies seriously would be the remote cause of his failing the history exam on Monday.
- An immediate effect occurs directly after an event. For example, Tom’s car came to a dead stop in the middle of the highway because it ran out of gas.
- A remote effect occurs long after the cause and any immediate effects. For instance, when Tom smokes a cigarette, it causes his blood pressure and pulse rate to increase (immediate consequence); but if Tom continues smoking for years, it will greatly increase his chances of developing lung cancer and/or heart disease (remote consequence).
Causal Analysis Patterns of Occurrence
When writing about causes and effects, keep in mind that there are several different patterns of occurrence, according to Barnwell and Dees (1999):
- One cause with one effect: Tom didn’t study, so he failed the history exam.
- One cause with several effects: Tom stopped smoking, which lowered his blood pressure and heart rate, increased his endurance, and decreased his chances of developing serious health problems.
- Several causes with one effect: High blood pressure, stress, high cholesterol, and lack of exercise contributed to Tom’s father’s heart attack.
- Several causes with several effects: Tom’s not studying, missing class, and wanting to be known as a “party animal” contributed to his failing history and English, flunking out during his freshman year, having to move back home, and losing his college sweetheart to a more serious student.
Writing a Casual Analysis Assignment
According to Jean Wyrick, author of Steps to Writing Well (2002), when you discuss the condition that produces something, you are analyzing cause, and when you discuss the result produced by something, you are analyzing effect. Moreover, while some such assignments focus more on the cause or causes, others focus more on the effect or effects, but regardless of which approach you are asked to take for an assignment, keep these guidelines in mind:
- Present a thesis statement that makes a supportable claim, not one that’s unsupportable or simply an assertion of opinion.
- Limit the discussion to major causes and effects. Don’t include minor, insignificant events.
- Organize the essay logically. Sometimes organization is determined by the subject matter, but if not, devote some time to deciding how best to arrange the paper and whether to emphasize the reasons or the consequences.
- Make the analysis complete and objective, especially when addressing problems or beliefs. Look at the evidence and examine all sides of an issue.
- Avoid the post hoc fallacy: As Wyrick says, “This error in logic (from the Latin phrase post hoc, ergo propter hoc, meaning after this, therefore because of this) results when we make a temporal connection for a causal relationship” (p. 275). In other words, we make the assumption that because an event followed another event, the first event was the cause of the second. This, however, is not always the case.
- Avoid circular logic: Make sure an assertion can be argued specifically and effectively. An example of circular logic is to argue that “there aren’t enough parking spaces on campus because there are too many cars on campus.” This type of logic merely repeats in the second half of the statement what is implied in the first half and, therefore, is circular in nature. (Wyrick, 2002, p. 275)
In conclusion, writing a cause-and-effect paper or essay doesn’t have to be difficult, not if you learn the difference between a reason and a consequence, as well as the different types of causes and effects, and then follow the proven guidelines for success.
Sources:
- Barnwell, W. H. & Dees, R. (1999) The Resourceful Writer: A Basic Writing Course. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
- Wyrick, J. (2002) Steps to Writing Well, with Additional Readings. Boston, MA: Wadsworth-Thompson.
Carol Rzadkiewicz - Carol Rzadkiewicz has taught college English for over 14 years and is the author of three published novels and numerous short stories.
