Development through Cause and Effect

1. Development through Cause and Effect Dotti Shelton Developmental English Instructor South Texas Community College

2. To write a Cause Essay you: • Discuss the “Why” of something • Why does “E” happen? (present tense) • Ask why did “E” happen? (past tense) • Why will “E” happen? (future tense) • Chunk your information into three reasons

3. To write an Effect Essay you: • Discuss the result of something • What is the result of “E”? (present tense) • What was the result of “E”? (past tense) • What will be the result of “E”? (future tense) • Sometimes the result is uncertain • Chunk your information into three results

4. Cause Essays Causes of a car crash Causes of a pet dying Causes of a hurricane Causes of a divorce Causes of new taxes Effect Essays Effects of a car crash Effects of a pet dying Effects of a hurricane Effects of a divorce Effects of new taxes Examples of Cause and Effect Essays

5. Development • Present a reasonable thesis statement • Remember this is an idea in which you believe • Limit your essay to recent events • Attack on the World Trade Center Towers • Use the organizer • Make certain you can show the reader the causes of an event rather than just listing them • No shopping lists • Description is important • Facts need to be accurate

6. Avoid the following: • Do not oversimplify • Interesting without the “duh” • Avoid Post Hoc Fallacy • Because one event follows another event, the first event is not necessarily the “cause” of the second • Smoking marijuana leads to harder drug use • Since most of the heroin users had first used marijuana • Most of them had also drunk milk as babies • Avoid Circular Logic • Don’t talk in circles • There aren’t enough parking spaces because there are too many cars. • This is a “duh” • What is the real cause of inadequate parking? • Distribution of classes • Distribution of permits • Poor planning