Cause-and-Effect Essay

A cause-and-effect essay (or causal analysis) fully explains the causes or effects that are the focus of the essays thesis and presents them in a logical order.

Assignment

For your cause-and-effect essay, you will write an 1,800- to 2,000-word research paper using the cause-and-effect pattern of development. Youll choose one of the assigned topics below and begin your research. Four to six secondary sources are required. You are required to use American Psychological Association (APA) citation and documentation format for parenthetical (in-text) citation and your list of references.

Review Cause and Effect, Chapter 18, in your textbook and complete exercises 18.1 and 18.2. These exercises will help you identify and distinguish between causes and effects. Also refer to graphic organizers 18.1, 18.2, and 18.3 to see the structure of different types of cause-and-effect essays. Youll choose one of these methods to organize your topic.

Please note that there is no graded prewriting for the cause-and-effect essay, but you should still follow the steps in the writing process to plan, organize, draft, and revise your essay before you submit it for evaluation. 

Topic

Choose one of the following topics:

• The causes and effects of cheating on exams or lying or misrepresenting qualifications and accomplishments on a job application or resume
• The causes and effects of a major decision or change in life, such as buying a home or returning to school
• The causes and effects of social media on relationships and communication

You may write in first-person or third-person point of view. You’re writing for an audience unfamiliar with your topic, so your goal is to use language your readers are familiar with and can relate to; be sure to define any technical terms you use. 

Research

You are required to use four to six reputable secondary sources for your cause-and-effect essay. Evaluate your sources to ensure that the information you are using and passing on to your readers is accurate and reliable.

Incorporate evidence from your secondary sources into your outline or graphic organizer to plan your essay. Youll need to use parenthetical citation and include a list of references on the last page of your exam. Refer to the APA style section in your text and the .

Process

Follow the steps in the guided writing assignment to prewrite, organize, draft, revise, edit, and proofread your essay.

Choose one of the cause-and-effect graphic organizers in your textbook to develop your plan; include the information from your secondary sources in your outline or graphic organizer. 

Study the cause-and-effect essays Why the Police Are Rarely Indicted for Misconduct by Alex S. Vitale and Is Sharing Files Online Killing Music? by Jonathan Adamczak to see how each writer organizes and develops his analysis of each situation. 

Exam Format

Format your prewriting and essay exams according to the following instructions. Refer to the sample APA-style essay in your text.

1. Start with a title page that includes your
   • Title
   • Name
   • Student ID
   • Address
   • Email address
2. Use the header function to insert your page number in the top right margin of your document.
   • You do not need to include your essay title in the header.
3. Begin your document on page 2 after the title page.
   • Start page 2 with your title
     • Do not include abstracts in your essays.
   • Use transitional words, phrases, and sentences (p. 149) to guide your reader through your essay.
     • Do not use headings in your essay.

4. Include your references list on the last page of your document.
   • Do not submit it separately.