Causal essays

1. aka Cause and Effect Essays Causal essays

2. Causal Argument • Try to show how one event brings about another. • Can become problematic, especially when trying to explain human behavior • Does something “force” someone to give up his/her freewill? • Causal arguments can be used to predict consequences

3. Causes • Main causes • Contributory causes—less important • Main causes may not come to light until AFTER an event is analyzed (ex. of roof collapse due to snow) • Know whether something is immediate or remote

4. Causal Chain • A causes B, B causes C, C causes D (etc.) • EX of Causal Chain to show decline of salmon runs • Smolts [baby salmon] use the river to reach the ocean • Dams restrict the flow of the river • Before the dam, smolts made it to the ocean in 6-20 days; now it is 60-90 days • Smolts must make it to the ocean due to physiological changes • Lengthened migration time kills the smolts

5. Organizing Your Paper

6. Introduction • Clearly define the event you are analyzing • Ex. If you are writing about causes of World War II, then clearly define World War II. • If you are writing about the effects of social media on the family, then clearly define both social media and the state of the family. Your thesis statement will list a causal relationship between these two things.

7. Intro. Con’t and Thesis Statement • Make sure your introduction clearly defines the event. • Your thesis statement should be your last sentence of the introduction . • The thesis statement should define the causal relationship about the event.

8. Body Paragraphs • Remember, causes and effects are completely different. Make sure you write about them in the proper place. • Ex. The causes of WWII are completely different than the effects of WWII.

9. Sample Layout--Causes • Introdcution/Thesis • Cause 1 (Topic Sentence) • Proof (research—needs citations! It can be several sentences with many citations) • Draw your conclusions— “This shows…” This proves…” • Concluding sentence • Cause 2 (Topic Sentence) • Proof • Conclusions

10. Layout Continued • Cause 3 (Topic Sentence) • Proof (research) • Conclusions

11. Sample Layout--Effects • Introduction—define event • Thesis statement • Effect 1—topic sentence • Proof—(research with citations!) • Conclusions—(This shows, this proves, etc. Avoid “I” or “you” in these sentences. • Concluding sentence

12. Layout—cont. • Effect 2—(Topic sentence) • Proof (research) • Conclusions • Effect 3—(Topic sentence) • Proof—(research) • Conclusions

13. Conclusions • Your conclusion needs to restate your thesis in different words. • Then, you need to state the significance of this research/paper/event. • Ex. “The lessons to be learned from __________ (stated event) are numerous: (list them). • “The importance of looking at the causes/ effects of ___________event is __________ • Give a concluding statement that sums up your argument. • Avoid “you” or “I think”.

14. You may……. • Write about both causes and effects

15. Reminders

16. Works Cited • Double spaced • Hanging indent • No extra spaces between entries • Included as the last page of your paper

17. Writing • Do not use “you” or “I” • Proofread and correct your errors! • Write a long enough conclusion. • Suggestion: after you write your paper, go back and add two-three sentences to your intro.

18. Citations • Make sure they follow the correct format! • This sentence “has research embedded in it because my teacher does not like stand alone quotes” (Smith 82). • Cite the author of your source if you have one. If it is a database, you will not have page numbers, so they will look like this (Smith).

19. Citations con’t • Ex. Source with no author: • “Reintroduction of Wolves to Yellowstone” • Citations will be (“Reintroduction”). • Make sure you use quotation marks around titles.