cause and effect essays

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Effective strategies and techniques for writing an engaging and informative cause and effect essay to captivate readers and convey key ideas clearly and coherently.

Writing is an art that allows us to express our thoughts, ideas, and emotions. It serves as a powerful medium to convey messages, inspire change, and provoke deep reflection in others. A well-written essay has the ability to captivate readers, making them question, analyze, and ultimately understand the subject matter at hand. In the realm of academic writing, cause and effect essays hold a special place. They provide a structured framework to illustrate the relationship between different events, phenomena, and actions, ultimately shedding light on the consequences that arise from specific causes.

When it comes to crafting an effective cause and effect essay, it is crucial to carefully analyze and understand the intricate web of connections that exist between various elements. This type of essay requires a meticulous approach, as every cause and every effect must be explored in detail to grasp their significance fully. Each paragraph should offer a clear and logical analysis, supported by relevant evidence and examples, in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

Moreover, a successful cause and effect essay should demonstrate the writer’s ability to think critically and engage in deep analysis. It requires the writer to go beyond merely stating the obvious connections and venture into the realm of uncovering underlying causes and lesser-known effects. This level of depth not only showcases the writer’s understanding of the topic but also challenges the readers to think critically and question their preconceived notions.

In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the art of writing a powerful cause and effect essay. Step by step, we will explore the key components, techniques, and strategies that will help you craft an essay that leaves a lasting impact. From choosing a compelling topic to outlining your ideas, from conducting thorough research to organizing your thoughts, this guide will equip you with the necessary tools to tackle any cause and effect essay with confidence and finesse.

Choose a compelling topic

Before diving into the process of writing a cause and effect essay, it is crucial to choose a topic that is both compelling and interesting. The topic you select will determine the direction and focus of your essay, so it is important to choose carefully.

When selecting a topic, consider something that is relatable and relevant to your audience. It should be something that they can connect with and understand. Additionally, try to choose a topic that has a significant impact or consequence, as this will make your essay more thought-provoking and compelling to read.

Brainstorm ideas and make a list of potential topics. Look for topics that have causal relationships that can be explored and analyzed. You can also consider current events or issues that are trending in the news or society. These topics are often controversial and can lead to powerful discussions and debates.

Once you have a list of potential topics, evaluate them based on personal interest and knowledge. It is easier to write about a topic that you are passionate about or have some understanding of. Research the topic further to ensure that there is enough information available to support your arguments and claims.

Remember that your topic choice will set the stage for the rest of your essay, so take your time and choose wisely. A compelling topic will captivate your audience and make your essay more impactful.

Conduct thorough research on the topic

To write an informative and impactful cause and effect essay, it is crucial to conduct thorough research on the chosen topic. Research provides a solid foundation for your essay, allowing you to gather relevant and accurate information to support your arguments.

When conducting research, make sure to explore a variety of credible sources such as books, academic journals, expert opinions, and reputable websites. This will help you gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic and ensure the accuracy and reliability of your information.

Take your time to read and analyze the available sources, highlighting key points, data, and statistics that are relevant to your essay. Look for patterns, trends, and causal relationships that you can incorporate into your writing.

It is also essential to consider different perspectives and opinions on the topic. Engage with diverse viewpoints to gain a well-rounded understanding and develop a nuanced argument in your essay.

While researching, be sure to take detailed notes and properly cite your sources. This will help you avoid plagiarism and ensure that you provide proper credit to the original authors.

Remember to critically evaluate the information you gather during your research. Look for reliable sources that are based on well-established research and avoid using unreliable or biased information.

By conducting thorough research, you will be equipped with the necessary knowledge and understanding to write an effective cause and effect essay. Your research findings will form the backbone of your essay and allow you to present well-supported arguments and conclusions.

Create a clear thesis statement

In order to write a compelling cause and effect essay, it is essential to start with a clear and well-defined thesis statement. The thesis statement serves as the main idea or argument of your essay, providing a roadmap for the reader to understand the cause-and-effect relationship you will be exploring. A strong thesis statement not only sets the tone for the entire essay but also helps you stay focused and organized as you develop your argument.

A compelling thesis statement:

• Clearly states the cause and its corresponding effect
• Expresses a strong opinion or position
• Demonstrates the significance of the cause-effect relationship

When creating your thesis statement, it is important to be specific and concise. Avoid vague language or broad statements that lack focus. Instead, strive for clarity and precision in your wording to ensure that your thesis statement effectively conveys the main point of your essay.

Develop a strong outline

Creating a well-structured outline is crucial when crafting a compelling cause and effect essay. A strong outline serves as a roadmap for your writing, guiding you in organizing your ideas and presenting them in a logical and coherent manner.

An effective outline helps you identify the main points you want to discuss in your essay, as well as the relationships between them. It allows you to plan the flow of your arguments and ensure that you provide sufficient evidence and examples to support your claims. Additionally, an outline helps you avoid repetition and tangential discussions, keeping your essay focused and on-topic.

As you develop your outline, consider the cause and effect relationship you want to explore in your essay. Determine whether you will focus on a single cause with multiple effects, a single effect with multiple causes, or a combination of both. Use strong topic sentences to introduce your main points and sub-points, ensuring they are interconnected and build upon one another to create a cohesive and balanced argument.

Remember to revise and refine your outline as you conduct research and gather evidence for your essay. Your outline should evolve as you uncover new information and insights, enabling you to incorporate them into your essay seamlessly. By putting effort into developing a strong outline, you set yourself up for success by establishing a clear structure and direction for your cause and effect essay.

Use proper transitions to connect ideas

In order to effectively convey the cause and effect relationship in your essay, it is essential to use appropriate transitional words and phrases to connect your ideas. These transitions help guide the reader through your essay and make it easier to understand how one idea leads to another.

Transitions act as bridges, connecting different parts of your essay and making it flow smoothly. They provide a sense of coherence and logical progression, allowing the reader to follow your thought process and understand the causal relationship between events or phenomena.

Examples of commonly used transitions include words like “therefore,” “thus,” “consequently,” “as a result,” and “because.” These words indicate cause and effect, and provide a clear connection between the ideas being presented. Other transitional words like “however,” “on the other hand,” and “in contrast” can be used to show a contrast or opposition between ideas.

In addition to single-word transitions, you can also use transitional phrases and clauses to effectively connect your ideas. Phrases like “due to,” “owing to,” “in light of,” and “in order to” can be used to explain the cause or reason behind a certain effect. Similarly, phrases like “as a result of,” “resulting in,” and “consequently” can be used to explain the effect or consequence of a specific cause.

Using transitions not only enhances the clarity and coherence of your essay, but also improves its overall quality. It helps the reader follow your thought process, understand the cause and effect relationships, and makes your essay more convincing and persuasive.

Support the cause and effect relationship with evidence

Substantiating the cause and effect relationship is a crucial aspect of writing an impactful essay. To convince your readers and make your arguments more persuasive, it is important to provide evidence that supports the causal connections you propose.

One effective way to provide evidence is through the use of statistics and data. Numbers can add credibility to your claims and strengthen the cause and effect relationship you are presenting. For example, if you are discussing the effects of climate change on the environment, you can cite specific data on rising temperatures, melting ice caps, or changes in weather patterns.

Additionally, anecdotal evidence can be used to support your arguments. Personal stories or experiences can provide a human element to your essay, making the cause and effect relationship more relatable to your readers. When using anecdotes, it is important to ensure that they are relevant and representative of the broader topic you are discussing.

Expert opinions and quotes can also serve as valuable evidence to back up your claims. Including viewpoints from authorities in the field can lend credibility to your arguments and strengthen the cause and effect relationship you are presenting. Be sure to attribute the opinions and quotes to their respective sources to maintain accuracy and integrity in your work.

In addition to these forms of evidence, it is important to conduct thorough research to find supporting studies, experiments, or examples that validate your claims. Well-researched evidence can strengthen the cause and effect relationship in your essay, making your arguments more convincing and effective.

Furthermore, it is crucial to present the evidence in a clear and organized manner. Utilizing tables or charts can help summarize and present complex data in an easily understandable format. This visual representation can enhance the clarity of your arguments and make the cause and effect relationship more accessible to your readers.

In summary, supporting the cause and effect relationship with evidence is essential in writing a compelling essay. Using statistics, anecdotes, expert opinions, and well-researched evidence can strengthen your arguments and make your essay more persuasive. Presenting the evidence in a clear and organized manner, such as through the use of tables, can further enhance the impact of your writing.

Edit and revise your essay for clarity and coherence

After completing your initial draft, it’s important to thoroughly edit and revise your essay to ensure clarity and coherence. Editing allows you to refine and polish your ideas, while revision helps you to enhance the overall flow and organization of your essay.

When editing your essay, pay attention to the clarity of your ideas. Make sure that your sentences are clear and concise, and that your ideas are expressed in a logical and coherent manner. Eliminate any unnecessary repetition or redundancy, and ensure that each paragraph and sentence contributes to the overall theme and purpose of your essay.

During the revision process, focus on the coherence of your essay. Check that your ideas are connected and presented in a logical order. Make sure that each paragraph transitions smoothly into the next, and that the overall structure of your essay is coherent and easy to follow.

As you edit and revise, pay attention to your grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Ensure that you are using proper grammar and punctuation throughout your essay, and check for any spelling errors or typos. A well-edited and revised essay is not only clear and coherent, but also free from grammatical and spelling mistakes.

• Check that your introduction effectively introduces the topic and thesis statement, and that your conclusion effectively wraps up your essay.
• Read your essay aloud to identify any awkward or unclear sentences, and make necessary corrections.
• Ask a friend or classmate to read your essay and provide feedback, as a fresh set of eyes can often catch errors or areas for improvement that you may have overlooked.

In conclusion, editing and revising your essay is an essential step in the writing process. By ensuring clarity and coherence, you can effectively convey your ideas to your readers and present a well-crafted and polished essay.

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Cause And Effect Essay Guide

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How To Write A Cause and Effect Essay - Outline & Examples

230+ Cause and Effect Essay Topics to Boost Your Academic Writing

How to Create a Cause and Effect Outline - An Easy Guide

You need to write a cause and effect essay for your assignment. Well, where should you start?

Establishing a relationship between causes and effects is no simple task. You need to ensure logical connections between variables with credible evidence.

However, don't get overwhelmed by the sound of it. You can start by reading some great cause and effect essay examples. 

In this blog, you can read cause and effect essays to get inspiration and learn how to write them. With these resources, you'll be able to start writing an awesome cause and effect paper.

Let’s dive in!

• 1. What is a Cause and Effect Essay?
• 2. Cause and Effect Essay Examples for Students
• 3. Free Cause and Effect Essay Samples
• 4. Cause and Effect Essay Topics
• 5. Tips For Writing a Good Cause and Effect Essay

What is a Cause and Effect Essay?

A cause and effect essay explores why things happen (causes) and what happens as a result (effects). This type of essay aims to uncover the connections between events, actions, or phenomena. It helps readers understand the reasons behind certain outcomes.

In a cause and effect essay, you typically:

• Identify the Cause: Explain the event or action that initiates a chain of events. This is the "cause."
• Discuss the Effect: Describe the consequences or outcomes resulting from the cause.
• Analyze the Relationship: Clarify how the cause leads to the effect, showing the cause-and-effect link.

Cause and effect essays are common in various academic disciplines. For instance, studies in sciences, history, and the social sciences rely on essential cause and effect questions. For instance, "what are the effects of climate change?", or "what are the causes of poverty?"

Now that you know what a cause and effect is, let’s read some examples.

Cause and Effect Essay Examples for Students

Here is an example of a well-written cause and effect essay on social media. Let’s analyze it in parts to learn why it is good and how you can write an effective essay yourself. 

The essay begins with a compelling hook that grabs the reader's attention. It presents a brief overview of the topic clearly and concisely. The introduction covers the issue and ends with a strong thesis statement , stating the essay's main argument – that excessive use of social media can negatively impact mental health.

The first body paragraph sets the stage by discussing the first cause - excessive social media use. It provides data and statistics to support the claim, which makes the argument more compelling. The analysis highlights the addictive nature of social media and its impact on users. This clear and evidence-based explanation prepares the reader for the cause-and-effect relationship to be discussed.

The second body paragraph effectively explores the effect of excessive social media use, which is increased anxiety and depression. It provides a clear cause-and-effect relationship, with studies backing the claims. The paragraph is well-structured and uses relatable examples, making the argument more persuasive. 

The third body paragraph effectively introduces the second cause, which is social comparison and FOMO. It explains the concept clearly and provides relatable examples. It points out the relevance of this cause in the context of social media's impact on mental health, preparing the reader for the subsequent effect to be discussed.

The fourth body paragraph effectively explores the second effect of social comparison and FOMO, which is isolation and decreased self-esteem. It provides real-world consequences and uses relatable examples. 

The conclusion effectively summarizes the key points discussed in the essay. It restates the thesis statement and offers practical solutions, demonstrating a well-rounded understanding of the topic. The analysis emphasizes the significance of the conclusion in leaving the reader with a call to action or reflection on the essay's central theme.

This essay follows this clear cause and effect essay structure to convey the message effectively:

Read our cause and effect essay outline blog to learn more about how to structure your cause and effect essay effectively.

Free Cause and Effect Essay Samples

The analysis of the essay above is a good start to understanding how the paragraphs in a cause and effect essay are structured. You can read and analyze more examples below to improve your understanding.

Cause and Effect Essay Elementary School

Cause and Effect Essay For College Students

Short Cause and Effect Essay Sample

Cause and Effect Essay Example for High School

Cause And Effect Essay IELTS

Bullying Cause and Effect Essay Example

Cause and Effect Essay Smoking

Cause and Effect Essay Topics

Wondering which topic to write your essay on? Here is a list of cause and effect essay topic ideas to help you out.

• The Effects of Social Media on Real Social Networks
• The Causes And Effects of Cyberbullying
• The Causes And Effects of Global Warming
• The Causes And Effects of WW2
• The Causes And Effects of Racism
• The Causes And Effects of Homelessness
• The Causes and Effects of Parental Divorce on Children.
• The Causes and Effects of Drug Addiction
• The Impact of Technology on Education
• The Causes and Consequences of Income Inequality

Need more topics? Check out our list of 150+ cause and effect essay topics to get more interesting ideas.

Tips For Writing a Good Cause and Effect Essay

Reading and following the examples above can help you write a good essay. However, you can make your essay even better by following these tips.

• Choose a Clear and Manageable Topic: Select a topic that you can explore thoroughly within the essay's word limit. A narrowly defined topic will make it easier to establish cause-and-effect relationships.
• Research and Gather Evidence: Gather relevant data, statistics, examples, and expert opinions to support your arguments. Strong evidence enhances the credibility of your essay.
• Outline Your Essay: Create a structured outline that outlines the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. This will provide a clear roadmap for your essay and help you present causes and effects clearly and coherently.
• Transitional Phrases: Use transitional words and phrases like "because," "due to," "as a result," "consequently," and "therefore" to connect causes and effects within your sentences and paragraphs.
• Support Each Point: Dedicate a separate paragraph to each cause and effect. Provide in-depth explanations, examples, and evidence for each point.
• Proofread and Edit: After completing the initial draft, carefully proofread your essay for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Additionally, review the content for clarity, coherence, and flow.
• Peer Review: Seek feedback from a peer or someone familiar with the topic to gain an outside perspective. They can help identify any areas that need improvement.
• Stay Focused: Avoid going off-topic or including irrelevant information. Stick to the causes and effects you've outlined in your thesis statement.
• Revise as Needed: Don't hesitate to make revisions and improvements as needed. The process of revising and refining your essay is essential for producing a high-quality final product. 

To Sum Up , 

Cause and effect essays are important for comprehending the intricate relationships that shape our world. With the help of the examples and tips above, you can confidently get started on your essay. 

If you still need further help, you can hire a professional writer to help you out. At MyPerfectWords.com , we’ve got experienced and qualified essay writers who can help you write an excellent essay on any topic and for all academic levels.

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Cause and Effect Essay Outline: Types, Examples and Writing Tips

20 June, 2020

9 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

This is a complete guide on writing cause and effect essays. Find a link to our essay sample at the end. Let's get started!

What is a Cause and Effect Essay?

A cause and effect essay is the type of paper that the author is using to analyze the causes and effects of a particular action or event. A curriculum usually includes this type of exercise to test your ability to understand the logic of certain events or actions.

If you can see the logic behind cause and effect in the world around you, you will encounter fewer problems when writing. If not, writing this kind of paper will give you the chance to improve your skillset and your brain’s ability to reason.

“Shallow men believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong men believe in cause and effect.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

In this article, the  Handmade Writing team will find out how to create an outline for your cause and effect essay – the key to successful essay writing.

Types of the Cause and Effect Essay

Before writing this kind of essay, you need to draft the structure. A good structure will result in a good paper, so it’s important to have a plan before you start. But remember , there’s no need to reinvent the wheel: just about every type of structure has already been formulated by someone.

If you are still unsure about the definition of an essay, you can take a look at our guide:  What is an Essay?

Generally speaking, there are three types of cause and effect essays. We usually differentiate them by the number of and relationships between the different causes and the effects. Let’s take a quick look at these three different cases:

1. Many causes, one effect

This kind of essay illustrates how different causes can lead to one effect. The idea here is to try and examine a variety of causes, preferably ones that come from different fields, and prove how they contributed to a particular effect. If you are writing about World War I, for example, mention the political, cultural, and historical factors that led to the great war.

By examining a range of fundamental causes, you will be able to demonstrate your knowledge about the topic.

Here is how to structure this type of essay:

• Introduction
• Cause #3 (and so on…)
• The effect of the causes

2. One cause, many effects

This type of cause and effect essay is constructed to show the various effects of a particular event, problem, or decision. Once again, you will have to demonstrate your comprehensive knowledge and analytical mastery of the field. There is no need to persuade the reader or present your argument . When writing this kind of essay, in-depth knowledge of the problem or event’s roots will be of great benefit. If you know why it happened, it will be much easier to write about its effects.

Here is the structure for this kind of essay:

• Effect #3 (and so on…)

3. Chain of causes and effects

This is the most challenging type. You need to maintain a chain of logic that demonstrates a sequence of actions and consequences, leading to the end of the chain. Although this is usually the most interesting kind of cause and effect essay, it can also be the most difficult to write.

Here is the outline structure:

• Effect #1 = Cause #2
• Effect #2 = Cause #3
• Effect #3 = Cause #4 (and so on…)

Cause and Effect Essay Outline Example

Let’s take a look at an example. Below, you will find an outline for the topic “The causes of obesity” (Type 1) :

As you can see, we used a blended strategy here. When writing about the ever-increasing consumption of unhealthy food, it is logical to talk about the marketing strategies that encourage people to buy fast food. If you are discussing fitness trainers, it is important to mention that people need to be checked by a doctor more often, etc.

In case you face some issues with writing your Cause and Effect essay, you can always count on our Essay Writers !

How do I start writing once I have drafted the structure?

If you start by structuring each paragraph and collecting suitable examples, the writing process will be much simpler. The final essay might not come up as a classic five paragraph essay – it all depends on the cause-effect chain and the number of statements of your essay.

In the Introduction, try to give the reader a general idea of what the cause and effect essay will contain. For an experienced reader, a thesis statement will be an indication that you know what you are writing about. It is also important to emphasize how and why this problem is relevant to modern life. If you ever need to write about the Caribbean crisis, for instance, state that the effects of the Cold War are still apparent in contemporary global politics. 

Related Post: How to write an Essay introduction | How to write a Thesis statement

In the Body, provide plenty of details about what causes led to the effects. Once again, if you have already assembled all the causes and effects with their relevant examples when writing your plan, you shouldn’t have any problems. But, there are some things to which you must pay particular attention. To begin with, try to make each paragraph the same length: it looks better visually. Then, try to avoid weak or unconvincing causes. This is a common mistake, and the reader will quickly realize that you are just trying to write enough characters to reach the required word count.

Moreover, you need to make sure that your causes are actually linked to their effects. This is particularly important when you write a “chained” cause and effect essay (type 3) . You need to be able to demonstrate that each cause was actually relevant to the final result. As I mentioned before, writing the Body without preparing a thorough and logical outline is often an omission.

The Conclusion must be a summary of the thesis statement that you proposed in the Introduction. An effective Conclusion means that you have a well-developed understanding of the subject. Notably, writing the Conclusion can be one of the most challenging parts of this kind of project. You typically write the Conclusion once you have finished the Body, but in practice, you will sometimes find that a well-written conclusion will reveal a few mistakes of logic in the body!

Cause and Effect Essay Sample

Be sure to check the sample essay, completed by our writers. Use it as an example to write your own cause and effect essay. Link: Cause and effect essay sample: Advertising ethic issues .

Tips and Common Mistakes from Our Expert Writers

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Cause & effect essays Aka reason and result

The Cause and effect essay is another common essay type, either as an essay type on its own, or as part of a larger essay which includes one or more paragraphs examining causes and effects. This page gives information on what a cause and effect essay is , how to structure this type of essay, and how to use cause and effect structure words (transition signals) for this type of essay. There is also an example cause and effect essay on the topic of women at work, as well as some exercises to help you practice this area.

What are cause & effect essays?

For another look at the same content, check out YouTube » or Youku » , or this infographic » .

A cause and effect essay looks at the reasons (or causes) for something, then discusses the results (or effects). For this reason, cause and effect essays are sometimes referred to as reason and result essays. They are one of the most common forms of organisation in academic writing. Sometimes the whole essay will be cause and effect, though sometimes this may be only part of the whole essay. It is also possible, especially for short exam essays, that only the causes or the effects, not both, are discussed. See the examples below.

• Discuss the causes and effects of global warming ['cause and effect' essay]
• Explain the high death rate in Chernobyl ['causes' only essay]
• Discuss the WTO and its effects on the Chinese economy ['effects' only essay]

There are two main ways to structure a cause and effect essay. These are similar to the ways to structure problem-solution essays , namely using a block or a chain structure. For the block structure, all of the causes are listed first, and all of the effects are listed afterwards. For the chain structure, each cause is followed immediately by the effect. Usually that effect will then be the cause of the next effect, which is why this structure is called 'chain'. Both types of structure have their merits. The former is generally clearer, especially for shorter essays, while the latter ensures that any effects you present relate directly to the causes you have given.

The two types of structure, block and chain , are shown in the diagram below.

Cause and Effect Structure Words

Cause and effect structure words are transition signals which show the cause and effect relationships. It is important to be clear which is the cause (or reason) and which is the effect (or result), and to use the correct transition word or phrase. Remember that a cause happens first , and the effect happens later .

Below are some common cause and effect structure words. X is used to indicate a cause, while Y is used to indicate the effect.

• The first cause of (Y) is (X)
• The next reason is (X)
• Because of (X), (Y)
• As a result of (X), (Y)
• As a consequence of (X), (Y)
• because/since/as (X)
• to result from (X)
• (X) results in (Y)
• to be the result of (X)
• (Y) is due to (X)
• Owing to (X), (Y)
• (Y) is because of (X)
• (Y) is the effect of (X)
• (Y) is the consequence of (X)
• Worsening pollution levels in cities are due to the increased use of cars.
• Because of the increased use of cars, pollution levels in cities are worsening.
• As a result of the increased use of cars, pollution levels in cities are worsening.
• The effect of the increased use of cars is a worsening of pollution levels in cities.
• The first effect of (X) is (Y)
• Another result of (X) is (Y)
• As a result, (Y)
• As a consequence, (Y)
• Consequently (Y)
• Therefore, (Y)
• (X) causes (Y)
• (X) has an effect on (Y)
• (X) affects (Y)
• (X) is one of the causes of (Y)
• (X) is the reason for (Y)
• Cars are used increasingly for urban transport. As a consequence , pollution levels in cities are worsening.
• Increased use of cars for urban transport adversely affects pollution levels in cities.
• Increased use of cars for urban transport is one of the causes of worsening pollution levels in cities.

Example essay

Below is a cause and effect essay. This essay uses the block structure . Click on the different areas (in the shaded boxes to the right) to highlight the different structural aspects in this essay, i.e. Causes, Effects, and structure words. This will highlight not simply the paragraphs, but also the thesis statement and summary , as these repeat the causes and effects contained in the main body.

Title: More and more women are now going out to work and some women are now the major salary earner in the family. What are the causes of this, and what effect is this having on families and society?

In the past, most women stayed at home to take care of domestic chores such as cooking or cleaning. Women's liberation and feminism have meant that this situation has been transformed and in contemporary society women are playing an almost equal role to men in terms of work. This has had significant consequences , both in terms of the family , for example by improving quality of life and increasing children's sense of independence , and also for society itself with greater gender equality . The main reasons behind the increase of women in the workplace are women's liberation and feminism. The women's liberation movement originated in the 1960s and was popularised by authors such as Simone de Beauvoir. As a consequence of this, new legislation emerged, granting women equal rights to men in many fields, in particular employment. Because of feminist ideas, men have taken up roles which were previously seen as being for women only, most importantly those related to child rearing. As a result of this, women have more time to pursue their own careers and interests. These have led to some significant effects, both to family life and to society as a whole. Although the earning capacity of a woman in her lifetime is generally much less than that of a man, she can nevertheless make a significant contribution to the family income. The most important consequence of this is an improved quality of life. By helping to maintain a steady income for the family, the pressure on the husband is considerably reduced, hence improving both the husband's and the wife's emotional wellbeing. Additionally, the purchasing power of the family will also be raised. This means that the family can afford more luxuries such as foreign travel and a family car. A further effect on the family is the promotion of independence in the children. Some might argue that having both parents working might be damaging to the children because of a lack of parental attention. However, such children have to learn to look after themselves at an earlier age, and their parents often rely on them to help with the housework. This therefore teaches them important life skills. As regards society, the most significant impact of women going to work is greater gender equality. There are an increasing number of women who are becoming politicians, lawyers, and even CEOs and company managers. This in turn has led to greater equality for women in all areas of life, not just employment. For example, women today have much stronger legal rights to protect themselves against domestic violence and sexual discrimination in the workplace. In conclusion, the increasing number of women at work has brought about some important changes to family life, including improved quality of life and increased independence for children, as well as affecting society itself. It is clear that the sexes are still a long way from being equal in all areas of life, however, and perhaps the challenge for the present century is to ensure that this takes place.

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Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.

Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).

Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.

Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).

Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.

Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay: Full Guide

Ever wondered how things are connected in our world? Think of the butterfly effect—where a butterfly's wings in Brazil can set off a tornado in Texas. It's a quirky idea, but it shows how events are intertwined. Writing a cause and effect essay is like unraveling these connections, connecting the dots to reveal how things influence each other and shape our experiences.

In this guide, experts from our paper writing service will explore the concept of causality and share practical tips for creating great cause and effect essays. These essays won't just provide information—they'll leave a lasting impression on your readers.

What Is a Cause and Effect Essay

A cause and effect essay is a form of writing that aims to explore and explain the relationships between different events, actions, or circumstances. The central idea is to investigate why certain things happen (causes) and what results from those occurrences (effects). It's like peeling back the layers to reveal the interconnectedness of events, understanding the domino effect in the narrative of life.

Here's a breakdown of the key components:

• Causes: These are the factors or events that initiate a particular situation. They are the reasons behind why something occurs. For instance, if you're exploring the cause of obesity, factors like unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity could be identified as causes.
• Effects: The effects are the outcomes or consequences that result from the identified causes. Following the obesity example, effects could include health issues, reduced quality of life, or increased healthcare costs.
• Connection: The heart of a cause and effect essay lies in demonstrating the link between causes and effects. It's not just about listing events but explaining how one event leads to another in a logical and coherent manner.

When crafting such an essay, you're essentially acting as a storyteller and investigator rolled into one. Your goal is to guide the reader through the web of interconnected events, providing insights into the 'why' and 'what happens next.'

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay with Easy Steps

Understanding how to write a cause and effect essay is like putting together a puzzle. Here are ten simple steps to help you write an engaging essay that looks into how things are connected.

1. Select a Specific Topic

• Choose a cause and effect relationship that sparks your interest.
• Ensure your topic is focused and manageable for a thorough exploration.

2. Explore Causal Links

• Conduct thorough research to uncover hidden connections and supporting evidence.
• Look beyond the obvious to identify intricate relationships between causes and effects.

3. Craft a Clear Thesis Statement

• Develop a precise thesis that clearly articulates the main cause and the resulting effects.
• Your thesis serves as the roadmap for your essay, guiding readers through your analysis.

4. Organize Chronologically or by Significance

• Structure your essay in a logical order, either chronologically or by the significance of events.
• This organization enhances clarity and helps readers follow the cause-and-effect progression.

5. Utilize Transitional Phrases

• Employ transition words and phrases to ensure seamless flow between causes and effects.
• Clear transitions enhance readability and strengthen the coherence of your essay.

6. Support Arguments with Credible Evidence

• Back up your claims with relevant data, examples, and statistics.
• Strong evidence adds credibility to your analysis and reinforces the cause-and-effect relationships you present.

7. Illustrate Chain Reactions

• Show how a single cause can trigger a chain of effects, and vice versa.
• Illustrate the ripple effects to emphasize the complexity of the relationships.

8. Analyze Root Causes

• Move beyond surface-level explanations and explore the underlying factors contributing to the cause-and-effect scenario.
• Deep analysis adds depth and nuance to your essay.

9. Consider Alternative Causes

• Address potential counterarguments to showcase a comprehensive understanding.
• Acknowledging alternative causes strengthens your essay's overall credibility.

10. Conclude with Impact

• Summarize key points and emphasize the broader significance of your analysis.
• Leave your readers with a thought-provoking conclusion that ties together the cause-and-effect relationships explored in your essay.

Cause and Effect Essay Structure Types

When setting up your essay, you can choose from different structures to make it organized. Let's look at two common types of cause and effect essay structures:

• Block Structure:

The block structure is a clear and organized way to present causes and effects in your essay. Here, you dedicate one section to discussing all the causes, covering multiple causes within each category. After that, you have another section to explore all the effects. This separation makes your ideas easy to understand.

Using the block structure allows you to dive deep into each category, thoroughly looking at causes and effects separately. It's handy when you want to give a detailed analysis and show the importance of each part of the causal relationship. This way, readers can fully grasp each element before moving on.

• Chain Structure:

On the other hand, the chain structure focuses on how events are connected and create ripple effects. It highlights how one cause leads to a specific effect, and that effect becomes the cause of more effects in an ongoing chain. This method is potent for illustrating the complexity of causal relationships.

The chain structure works well when you want to emphasize the sequence of events or deal with intricate cause-and-effect scenarios. It allows you to show how actions trigger a series of reactions, displaying the domino effect that leads to a specific outcome.

Regardless of the structural style you choose, if you require assistance with your academic paper, reach out to us with your ' write my paper for me ' request. Our experienced team is ready to tailor your paper to your specific requirements and ensure its excellence.

Cause and Effect Essay Outline

Creating an effective cause and effect essay begins with a well-structured outline. This roadmap helps you organize your thoughts, maintain a logical flow, and ensure that your essay effectively conveys the causal relationships between events. Below, we'll outline the key components of the essay along with examples:

I. Introduction

• Hook: Start with an engaging statement or fact. Example: 'Did you know that stress can significantly impact your overall health?'
• Background Information: Provide context for your topic. Example: 'In today's fast-paced world, stress has become an increasingly prevalent issue.'
• Thesis Statement: Clearly state the main cause and its corresponding effects. Example: 'This essay will explore the causes of stress and their profound negative effects on physical and mental health.'

II. Body Paragraphs

• Topic Sentence: Introduce the first cause you'll discuss. Example: 'One major cause of stress is heavy workload.'
• Supporting Details: Provide evidence and examples to support the cause. Example: 'For instance, individuals juggling multiple job responsibilities and tight deadlines often experience heightened stress levels.'
• Transition: Link to the next cause or move on to the effects.
• Topic Sentence: Introduce the first effect. Example: 'The effects of chronic stress on physical health can be devastating.'
• Supporting Details: Present data or examples illustrating the impact. Example: 'Studies have shown that prolonged stress can lead to cardiovascular problems, including hypertension and heart disease.'
• Transition: Connect to the next effect or cause.

C. Causes (Continued)

• Topic Sentence: Introduce the next cause in a new cause and effect paragraph. Example: 'Another significant cause of stress is financial strain.'
• Supporting Details: Explain how this cause manifests and its implications. Example: 'Financial instability often results in anxiety, as individuals worry about bills, debts, and their financial future.'
• Transition: Prepare to discuss the corresponding effects.

D. Effects (Continued)

• Topic Sentence: Discuss the effects related to financial strain. Example: 'The psychological effects of financial stress can be profound.'
• Supporting Details: Offer real-life examples or psychological insights. Example: 'Depression and anxiety are common consequences of constant financial worries, affecting both mental well-being and daily life.'

III. Conclusion

• Restate Thesis: Summarize the main cause and effects. Example: 'In summary, the heavy workload and financial strain can lead to stress, impacting both physical and mental health.'
• Closing Thoughts: Reflect on the broader significance of your analysis. Example: 'Understanding these causal relationships emphasizes the importance of stress management and financial planning in maintaining a balanced and healthy life.'

Cause and Effect Essay Examples

To help you grasp cause and effect essay writing with clarity, we have prepared two distinct essay examples that will guide you through the intricacies of both block and chain structures. Additionally, should you ever find yourself requiring assistance with academic writing or descriptive essays examples , simply send us your ' write my research paper ' request. Our expert writers are here to provide the support you need!

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Cause and Effect Essay Topics

Choosing a good topic starts with recognizing cause and effect key words. Here are 10 interesting topics that let you dig into fascinating connections and their important consequences:

• The Relationship Between Lack of Exercise and Mental Health in Older Adults
• Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Workplace Productivity
• The Impact of Cyberbullying on Adolescents' Emotional Well-being
• Influence of Social Media Advertising on Consumer Purchasing Decisions
• Consequences of Oil Spills on Coastal Ecosystems
• How Noise Pollution Affects Concentration and Academic Performance in Schools
• The Connection Between Fast-Food Marketing and Childhood Obesity
• Effects of Urbanization on Water Quality in Local Rivers
• The Relationship Between Indoor Plants and Air Quality in Homes
• Impact of Plastic Pollution on Wildlife in Urban Environments
• The Effect of Meditation on Stress Reduction in College Students
• How Increased Screen Time Affects Teenagers' Attention Span
• The Impact of Single-Use Plastics on Marine Microorganisms
• The Relationship Between Smartphone Use and Sleep Quality in Adults
• Effects of High-Fructose Corn Syrup on Metabolic Health
• The Consequences of Deforestation on Local Biodiversity
• Influence of Social Media Comparison on Body Dissatisfaction in Adolescents
• The Connection Between Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Urban Areas
• Effects of Excessive Gaming on Academic Performance in High School Students
• The Impact of Fast Food Consumption on Childhood Obesity Rates

Final Words

Knowing what a cause and effect essay is and how to write it helps you uncover connections in different topics. With this guide, you can share your ideas in a clear and impactful way.

Meanwhile, if you're in need of a reaction paper example , rest assured we have you covered as well. So, seize this opportunity, put your thoughts on paper logically, and witness your essays leaving a lasting and influential mark.

Let's Turn Those 'What Ifs' into 'A+ Ifs'!

Don't procrastinate when you can cause an effect on your grades right now!

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A cause and effect essay is concerned with the relationship or sequence between two or more things, events or ideas. This essay explores why something happens (the cause) and what consequences result (the effect).

Cause: The reason for an occurrence, action or event.

Effect: A result, outcome or consequence of a cause.

Example: I was bit by a mosquito and my arm really itches!

Cause: A mosquito bit me.

Effect: My arm itches.

An essay can have multiple causes and effects. Additionally, causes and effects can be sequential in nature, where one leads to another. A good example of this is dominos, where a person knocks over the first, causing all the following dominos to fall over.

It is important to be wary of speculation. Just because an event proceeds another, does not necessitate that it was the cause. Coincidences happen.

Example: Early childhood vaccinations occur during the first 18 months of a child’s life. The first signs of autism appear by 12 to 18 months of age. Most children, when first diagnosed with autism, will have recently received a vaccine. This has led many people to conclude that vaccines cause autism, though there is very little scientific evidence to support that conclusion.

A correlation, or a connection or relationship between two things, can indicate a causational relationship between two things. However, that is not always the case, like in the picture below.

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Connecting The Dots: The Power Of Cause-And-Effect Essay

Explore cause-and-effect essay intricacies, examples, and expert tips to master analyzing and presenting causal relationships.

Have you ever wondered why certain events unfold the way they do? Or what hidden forces shape the outcomes we witness in our daily lives? The answers lie within the intriguing concept of cause and effect. From the intricate chain of circumstances that led to historical turning points to the subtle influences shaping our personal choices, cause and effect govern the fabric of our existence. In this article, we will explore the cause-and-effect essay and understand its definition, structure, and purpose. 

Definition Of Cause-And-Effect Essay

A cause-and-effect essay is a type of academic or expository writing that explores the reasons (causes) for a particular event, situation, or phenomenon and the consequences (effects) that result from it. The primary goal of this essay is to examine and explain the relationship between specific events or circumstances, illustrating how one action or occurrence leads to another and the subsequent outcomes that follow.

In a cause-and-effect essay, the writer typically presents a thesis statement that outlines the main cause or causes of a given issue and then provides evidence and analysis to support their argument. The evidence may include factual data, statistics, examples, and expert opinions. The essay should be well-structured, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs addressing different causes and their respective effects, and a conclusion that summarizes the key points and reinforces the main thesis.

This type of essay is valuable in helping readers understand the underlying connections between events and their impacts. It can be applied to a wide range of subjects, including historical events, social issues, scientific phenomena, and more. By analyzing causes and effects, the essay aims to provide insights into the complex interplay of factors that shape various aspects of the world around us.

Purpose Of Cause-And-Effect Essay

The purpose of a cause-and-effect essay is to explore the reasons behind a particular event, situation, or phenomenon and to analyze the consequences that result from it. The essay aims to explain the relationship between specific causes and their corresponding effects, providing insights into how actions or circumstances lead to particular outcomes. Here are some key objectives of a cause-and-effect essay:

Understanding

The essay helps readers understand the underlying reasons and connections between events or occurrences, shedding light on the factors that influence the outcome.

It encourages critical thinking and analysis as the writer examines the cause-effect relationships, supporting their claims with evidence and reasoning.

Cause-and-effect essays can be persuasive, aiming to convince the audience of a particular cause or its effects and potentially proposing solutions to address the issue.

Problem-Solving

By identifying causes and effects, the essay can contribute to problem-solving efforts by addressing root causes or mitigating negative consequences.

Structure Of Cause-And-Effect Essay

The structure of a cause-and-effect essay typically follows a well-defined pattern:

Introduction

• The introduction should provide background information on the topic and introduce the main cause or event being discussed.
• Include a thesis statement that clearly states the main cause or effect the essay will focus on.

Body Paragraphs

• Each body paragraph should address a specific cause or effect, providing evidence and examples to support the claim.
• If discussing causes, the writer may delve into the reasons behind the event or situation, presenting supporting evidence for each cause.
• If discussing effects, the writer may explore the various consequences resulting from the event, illustrating how it impacts different aspects of society or individuals.
• It’s important to use transitional words or phrases to show the logical progression from cause to effect or vice versa.

Supporting Evidence

• Use relevant data, statistics, examples, and expert opinions to back up the cause-and-effect relationships presented in the essay.
• The evidence should be credible and directly related to the points being made.

Counter Arguments (optional)

• In some cases, it might be useful to address potential counterarguments to strengthen the essay’s credibility and demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the topic.
• Summarize the key points discussed in the essay, emphasizing the cause-and-effect relationships.
• Reiterate the thesis statement and the main points to reinforce the essay’s central message.
• Consider suggesting potential solutions or implications resulting from the analysis.

Explanation Of The Cause-And-Effect Relationships Between Ideas.

Cause-and-effect relationships between ideas involve identifying the factors that lead to specific outcomes or consequences. These relationships help us understand the reasons behind certain events or situations and how they impact various aspects of life. When explaining cause-and-effect relationships between ideas, there are two main scenarios to consider:

Cause – Effect

This type of relationship involves explaining how one idea or event (the cause) directly leads to another idea or outcome (the effect). Here’s how to explain this relationship:

Identify The Cause

Start by clearly stating the specific cause or idea that initiates the chain of events or influences the situation.

Show The Direct Link

Explain how the cause directly affects the effect. Describe the mechanism or process through which the cause brings about the effect.

Provide Evidence

Support your explanation with evidence, such as data, examples, or expert opinions, to strengthen the causal connection.

Example: Cause – Effect

Cause: Excessive deforestation Effect: Decline in biodiversity Explanation: Excessive deforestation leads to a decline in biodiversity because it destroys habitats, displaces species, and disrupts ecosystems.

Effect – Cause

In this scenario, you explain how a specific outcome or consequence (the effect) is the result of certain contributing factors or ideas (the causes). Here’s how to explain this relationship:

Identify The Effect

Start by clearly stating the specific effect or outcome that is being discussed.

Identify The Causes

Identify and explain the factors or ideas that contribute to the occurrence of the effect.

Show The Relationship

Describe how the combination or interaction of these causes leads to the observed effect.

Support your explanation with evidence to demonstrate the relationship between the causes and the effect.

Example: Effect – Causes

Effect: Increase in childhood obesity rates Explanation: The increase in childhood obesity rates can be attributed to factors such as unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and the prevalence of fast-food consumption.

When explaining cause-and-effect relationships between ideas, it’s crucial to provide clear and logical explanations, supported by relevant evidence. Additionally, it’s essential to consider the complexity of real-world situations, as multiple causes can contribute to a single effect, and a single cause can lead to multiple effects.

Logical Connection Between Ideas

The logical connection between ideas is essential for creating coherent and meaningful communication. When presenting information, whether in writing or speech, the flow of ideas should be organized logically to ensure that the audience can easily follow and understand the message being conveyed. Here are some key aspects of establishing a logical connection between ideas:

Sequence And Order

Arrange ideas in a logical sequence or order that follows a natural progression. This can be chronological (in the order they occurred), hierarchical (from general to specific or vice versa), or based on cause-and-effect relationships.

Transition Words And Phrases

Utilize transitional words and phrases to link ideas together smoothly. Examples of transition words include “therefore,” “however,” “in addition,” “furthermore,” “consequently,” “on the other hand,” etc. These words help show the relationship between one idea and the next.

Also read: Words To Use In Essays: Amplifying Your Academic Writing

Consistent Topic

Stick to a consistent topic or theme throughout your communication. Shifting abruptly between unrelated ideas can confuse the audience and disrupt the logical flow.

When presenting ideas, back them up with relevant and credible evidence. This could be in the form of data, statistics, examples, anecdotes, expert opinions, or research findings. Evidence helps strengthen the logical connection between ideas and adds credibility to your arguments.

Avoiding Logical Fallacies

Be cautious not to include logical fallacies, which are errors in reasoning that can undermine the validity of your arguments. Examples of fallacies include ad hominem attacks, hasty generalizations, false cause-and-effect relationships, etc.

By implementing these strategies, you can establish a logical connection between ideas, making your communication more effective, engaging, and easy to comprehend for your audience.

Also read: Coherence And Cohesion: Writing Tips For Seamless Texts

In conclusion, a cause-and-effect essay is a powerful tool for understanding the complex web of relationships that shape our world. Through this form of writing, we gain valuable insights into the reasons behind specific events or situations and their far-reaching consequences. The exploration of causes and effects enables us to identify patterns, make informed decisions, and address pressing issues in society.

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How To Write A Cause And Effect Essay: Topics, Structure, Examples

If you're a student, chances are you'll encounter a cause and effect essay during your studies. This type of essay is all about exploring the relationship between a specific event (the cause) and its outcomes (the effects). But don't worry, we've got you covered with this easy-to-follow guide that breaks down everything you need to know about what is cause and effect essay and the steps for writing it. So get set to dive into the fascinating world of cause and effect as we equip you with the skills to ace this writing task like a pro!

What is a Cause and Effect Essay: Unique Characteristics from Other Essays

A cause and effect essay is a unique type of essay that focuses on examining the reasons (causes) behind an event or phenomenon and the resulting consequences (effects) that occur as a result. What sets it apart from other essays is its emphasis on establishing a clear cause-and-effect relationship between two or more variables.

In a cause and effect essay, the writer analyzes and explains the connections between the causes and effects, providing evidence and supporting details to illustrate the relationship. This type of essay requires critical thinking, logical reasoning, and a structured approach to present the causal chain effectively.

Unlike descriptive or narrative essays that focus on storytelling or presenting facts, cause and effect essays delve into the underlying causes and explore the outcomes, aiming to inform and educate the reader about the relationships between different factors.

Different Types of Cause and Effect Essay Structure

A cause and effect essay is a type of academic writing that explores the reasons (causes) and outcomes (effects) of a particular event, situation, or phenomenon. It aims to analyze the relationship between these causes and effects, providing a comprehensive understanding of how one factor leads to another. When structuring a cause and effect essay, there are several approaches you can take. Here are three common types of cause and effect essay structure from our experts:

• Block Structure:
• Introduction: Introduce the topic and provide background information.
• Body Paragraph 1: Present the causes and their supporting details.
• Body Paragraph 2: Discuss the effects and provide evidence or examples.
• Conclusion: Summarize the main points and emphasize the overall significance.
• Chain Structure:
• Introduction: Introduce the topic and its importance.
• Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph focuses on a specific cause and its subsequent effects, forming a chain-like progression.
• Cause 1: Explain the first cause and its effects.
• Cause 2: Describe the second cause and its effects, which may also include the effects of Cause 1.
• Cause 3: Discuss the third cause and its effects, which may include the effects of Causes 1 and 2.

Continue this pattern for additional causes if necessary.

• Conclusion: Summarize the main causes and effects, highlighting their interconnections.
• Causal Chain Structure:
• Introduction: Introduce the topic and provide context.
• Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph focuses on a specific cause and effect, examining the relationships between them.
• Cause 1: Explain the first cause and its immediate effect(s).
• Cause 2: Discuss the second cause, which is triggered by the effect(s) of Cause 1 and its subsequent effect(s).
• Cause 3: Describe the third cause, influenced by the effect(s) of Cause 2 and its further effect(s).

Continue this pattern for additional causes and effects.

• Conclusion: Summarize the causal chain, emphasizing the overall significance and potential long-term effects.

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Cause and Effect Essay Outline

I. Introduction

A. Explanation of cause and effect essays

B. Hook: 'Have you ever wondered how excessive screen time affects academic performance?'

C. Thesis statement: Excessive screen time negatively impacts academic performance due to decreased focus, impaired cognitive abilities, and reduced study time.

II. Body Paragraph 1: Cause 1 - Decreased Focus

A. Topic sentence: Excessive screen time leads to decreased focus.

B. Explanation: Constant exposure to screens can overstimulate the brain and make it harder to concentrate on academic tasks.

C. Example: Studies have shown that students who spend excessive time on electronic devices during study sessions often struggle to maintain their focus, leading to reduced productivity and lower academic performance.

III. Body Paragraph 2: Cause 2 - Impaired Cognitive Abilities

A. Topic sentence: Excessive screen time impairs cognitive abilities.

B. Explanation: Prolonged screen usage can negatively impact cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and critical thinking skills.

C. Example: Research has indicated that excessive screen time, particularly in the form of video games or social media, can hinder the development of cognitive abilities, making it more difficult for students to comprehend complex concepts and retain information.

IV. Body Paragraph 3: Cause 3 - Reduced Study Time

A. Topic sentence: Excessive screen time reduces the amount of time dedicated to studying.

B. Explanation: The allure of screens can distract students and tempt them away from their academic responsibilities.

C. Example: A study conducted at XYZ University found that students who spent more time on social media or streaming platforms were more likely to allocate less time to study, resulting in poor performance on exams and assignments.

V. Conclusion

A. Restate the thesis statement: Excessive screen time has a detrimental effect on academic performance due to decreased focus, impaired cognitive abilities, and reduced study time.

B. Recap the main points discussed in each body paragraph.

C. Final thoughts: Encourage students to manage their screen time wisely to optimize their academic success.

10 Cause and Effect Essay Topics

If you are struggling to come up with a topic for your essay, consider one of these ten great cause and effect essay ideas below. Feel free to also hit us up with your ' write my essay ' request for a professionally crafted paper on your chosen topic.

Discuss the Effects of Social Media on Face-to-Face Communication

Social media has become a ubiquitous part of modern society, with platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram connecting people from all over the world. However, as social media usage has increased, so has concern over its impact on face-to-face communication. Some argue that social media has made it easier for people to stay in touch with friends and family, regardless of distance. Others worry that social media has led to a decline in the quality of face-to-face interactions, with people spending more time on their phones than engaging with those around them. This topic is ripe for exploration and analysis.

Analyze the Reasons Behind the Increased Use of Smartphones by Children

Smartphones have become a ubiquitous part of modern life, with people of all ages relying on them for communication, entertainment, and information. However, there has been a recent trend of children using smartphones at increasingly young ages. Some argue that smartphones can be a valuable tool for education and communication, while others worry that they can be addictive and harmful to children's development. This topic is worth exploring in depth, with a focus on the factors that have led to this trend and its potential long-term effects.

Explore the Impacts of Climate Change on the Natural Environment

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the world today, with rising temperatures, sea levels, and extreme weather events all having profound impacts on the natural environment. This topic is complex and multifaceted, with a range of potential causes and effects to explore. Some of the key areas to consider might include the impact of climate change on ecosystems, wildlife, and natural resources, as well as the potential long-term consequences for human societies.

Investigate the Effects of Pollution on Human Health

Pollution is a major problem in many parts of the world, with air, water, and soil pollution all having serious consequences for human health. This topic is worth exploring in depth, with a focus on the specific ways in which pollution can impact different aspects of human health, including respiratory health, cardiovascular health, and mental health. Some of the key factors to consider might include the impact of pollution on vulnerable populations, such as children and the elderly, as well as potential strategies for prevention and mitigation.

Discuss How Social Isolation Can Lead to Mental Health Issues

Social isolation is a growing problem in many parts of the world, with people of all ages and backgrounds feeling increasingly disconnected from their communities and social networks. This topic is worth exploring in depth, with a focus on the specific ways in which social isolation can impact mental health. Some of the key areas to consider might include the impact of social isolation on depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders, as well as potential strategies for prevention and treatment.

Analyze the Reasons Behind the Rise of Populism in Politics

Populism has become an increasingly prominent force in politics in recent years, with populist politicians and movements gaining ground in many parts of the world. This topic is complex and multifaceted, with a range of potential causes and effects to explore. Some of the key areas to consider might include the impact of economic inequality, globalization, and cultural change on the rise of populism, as well as potential strategies for addressing this trend.

Explore the Impacts of the Internet on the Traditional Media Industry

The internet has had a profound impact on the media industry, with traditional forms of media such as newspapers, television, and radio facing increasing competition from online sources. This topic is worth exploring in depth, with a focus on the specific ways in which the internet has disrupted traditional media models. Some of the key areas to consider might include the impact of social media on news consumption, the rise of citizen journalism, and the challenges facing traditional media outlets in the digital age.

Examine the Factors that Lead to the Growth of Online Shopping

Online shopping has become an increasingly popular way for people to purchase goods and services, with e-commerce platforms like Amazon and eBay dominating the retail landscape. This topic is worth exploring in depth, with a focus on the specific factors that have contributed to the growth of online shopping. Some of the key areas to consider might include the impact of convenience and accessibility, the rise of mobile devices, and the changing demographics of consumers.

Investigate the Effects of Globalization on Local Industries

Globalization has had a profound impact on the world economy, with goods, services, and capital flowing more freely across borders than ever before. This topic is worth exploring in depth, with a focus on the specific ways in which globalization has affected local industries. Some of the key areas to consider might include the impact of outsourcing and offshoring on employment, the role of multinational corporations in shaping local economies, and the potential benefits and drawbacks of globalization for different regions of the world.

Analyze The Impact of Social Media on Sleep Quality

Analyzing the impact of social media on sleep quality requires examining various factors related to social media usage and its effects on sleep patterns. Investigate the correlation between the amount of time individuals spend on social media platforms and their sleep quality. Excessive use of social media may lead to delayed bedtime, shorter sleep duration, or disrupted sleep. You can also explore the impact of blue light emitted by electronic devices, including smartphones and tablets, which are commonly used for social media browsing.

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

In this section, we will unravel the essential elements of how to write a cause and effect essay, equipping you with the tips to present a logical and well-supported argument.

Step 1: Choose a Topic

The first step in writing a great cause and effect examples essay is choosing the right topic. Consider something that interests you and is relevant to your academic field. The cause and effect essay topics should also be specific enough to allow for in-depth analysis in your assignment.

Step 2: Conduct Research

Once you have identified your topic, it is important to do extensive research to gather sufficient information to support your arguments. Use scholarly sources such as academic journals, books, or reputable websites to do your research.

Step 3: Develop a Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is the core idea of your essay and should be presented in the opening paragraph. It is a single sentence that clearly states the cause and effect relationship you will be discussing in the essay. A well-crafted thesis statement is critical to the success of your essay.

Step 4: Create an Outline

Creating a cause and effect essay outline is a crucial element of the writing process. It helps in organizing your thoughts and providing a clear structure for your essay. Divide your essay into an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Step 5: Write the Introduction

The introduction is the first paragraph of your essay, and it should catch the reader's attention and provide background information on the topic at hand. The introduction should also include the thesis statement.

Step 6: Write the Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs should discuss the causes and effects of the event or topic at hand. Each paragraph should discuss one specific cause or effect followed by supporting evidence from your research.

Step 7: Write the Conclusion

The cause and effect essay conclusion should restate the thesis statement and provide a summary of your arguments. It should also demonstrate the relationship between the various causes and effects you have discussed.

Step 8: Proofread and Edit

The final step is to proofread and edit your essay. Ensure that your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are all correct and that your ideas are presented in a clear and concise manner.

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Cause and Effect Essay Examples

You can order an essay from professional writers have meticulously crafted a sample essay that delves into the cause and effect relationship between air pollution on human health.

Title: The Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health

Air pollution is a prevalent issue that has detrimental effects on human health. This essay will explore the multiple causes and consequences of air pollution, highlighting the interconnectedness between environmental factors and public well-being.

The primary cause of air pollution is industrial emissions. Factories and power plants release harmful pollutants, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, into the atmosphere. These pollutants contribute to the formation of smog, which can be inhaled by individuals, leading to respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, and lung cancer. Furthermore, vehicular emissions also contribute significantly to air pollution, particularly in urban areas with heavy traffic congestion.

The effects of air pollution on human health are alarming. Prolonged exposure to polluted air can cause respiratory diseases, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Studies have also linked air pollution to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes. Additionally, children and the elderly are more susceptible to the harmful effects of air pollution, as their immune systems are less robust.

Moreover, air pollution has broader societal consequences. It contributes to the degradation of ecosystems, reduces crop yields, and harms biodiversity. It also poses economic burdens by increasing healthcare costs and decreasing productivity due to illnesses and absenteeism.

In conclusion, air pollution has far-reaching effects on human health and the environment. The causes, including industrial emissions and vehicular pollution, directly impact the quality of the air we breathe. The consequences, such as respiratory diseases and cardiovascular problems, highlight the urgent need for measures to mitigate and control air pollution. Efforts to reduce emissions, promote cleaner technologies, and raise public awareness are crucial steps toward safeguarding human health and preserving the environment for future generations.

A Final Perspective

In our exploration of cause and effect essays, we've covered all the essentials. We've defined what is a cause and effect essay, delved into good cause and effect essay topics, and taken a closer look at its structure.

Now, here's the deal: if you put in the time and effort to prepare, your professor will definitely notice and give you the grade you deserve. But hey, we get it! Sometimes these tasks can be confusing and eat up all your time. If that's the case, no worries! You can easily hire an essay writer to lend a hand and enjoy some well-deserved free time without the stress of assignments.

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Free Cause and Effect Essay Examples

The title of this essay genre dispels all your concerns about the needed contents. You should build the link between two events or phenomena based on their cause-and-effect relationships. Mind that if one comes after another does not necessarily mean there is causality between them. Be sure to mention if the event or idea you describe is only a tiny part of the general structure.

The samples below comprise subjects ranging from history and economy to ecology and personal health.

Explore our cause-and-effect essay examples for free to boost your inspiration and get a general idea of how the writing should be done.

146 Best Cause and Effect Essay Examples

Political landscape in the us.

• Subjects: Government Politics & Government
• Words: 1989

Enlightenment and Revolution

• Subjects: History Western Europe
• Words: 3089

Clean Air Act Formation and Impact

• Subjects: Environmental Law Law

The Causes of Obesity and Its Effects on Fertility

• Subjects: Health & Medicine Healthy Nutrition

Identifying and Assessing the Economic Costs and Benefits of WTO Negotiations Failure

• Subjects: Economics Trade
• Words: 4789

The Implications of Global Loss of Mangrove Ecosystems?

• Subjects: Ecosystem Environment
• Words: 5155

The Position of Wage Labor in the United States

• Subjects: Labor Law Law
• Words: 2034

Battle of Omdurman Consequences

• Subjects: Asia History

Role of International Financial Institutions in 2008 Financial Crisis

• Subjects: Economics Financial Growth
• Words: 4455

The Caste War of Yucatan

• Subjects: History Native Americans History

US’s Financial Crises in 2008

• Subjects: Economic Systems & Principles Economics
• Words: 5016

Universal Healthcare in The United States

• Subjects: Health & Medicine Healthcare Institution
• Words: 1934

Causes of Depression in the 1890s

• Subjects: History United States
• Words: 2809

Chinese Manhua History Development

• Subjects: Cultural Studies Culture
• Words: 5401

The Role of the Railroads in the Settlement of the Great West

• Subjects: Railway Transport Transportation

The Homestead Strike

• Words: 2004

Russian Revolution: What Went Down?

• Subjects: Eastern Europe History

Financial Effects of Globalization

• Subjects: Economics Globalization

Procedural Programming Languages

• Subjects: Programming Tech & Engineering

Business & Empire – The British Ideal of an Orderly World

• Subjects: History Medieval History
• Words: 2271

New Deal Programs: Key Elements and Effects

• Words: 1113

Fire and Community Evacuation in Apex, NC

• Subjects: Business Impact of Business Issues

Causes and Effects of Divorce

• Subjects: Family, Life & Experiences Relationships
• Words: 1169

Mineral Resource Rent Tax Policy

• Subjects: Economics Taxation
• Words: 4483

Scarcity of Water in Saudi Arabia, Africa and Australia

• Subjects: Ecology Environment
• Words: 1713

The Financial and European Economic Crisis 2008 – 2012

• Words: 1119

Asian Drivers of Global Change

• Subjects: Economics International Trade Policy
• Words: 2654

Problem of Sleep Deprivation

• Subjects: Health & Medicine Neurology
• Words: 1408

The Charleston Sofa Super Store Fire

• Subjects: Accidents & Protection Tech & Engineering

The Impacts of FDIs and Trade to the Asian Pacific Regions

• Subjects: Economic Problems Economics
• Words: 2317

The Effect of Famine in North Korea

• Words: 1679

The Impact of the Pilkington Report on the British Television in the 1960s

• Subjects: Entertainment & Media TV
• Words: 2755

How and in what ways, did the use of print change the lives of early modern Europeans?

• Words: 1933

Technological Development in Trade and Its Impacts on Poverty

• Words: 1981

The Environment, Resources, and Their Economic Effects

• Subjects: Environment Environmental Studies
• Words: 2180

The Rules of Engagement and the Laws of Armed Conflict

• Subjects: International Relations Politics & Government
• Words: 1918

Spain’s Financial Crisis

Effects of alcohol abuse on women.

• Subjects: Health & Medicine Pharmacology

Children’s Personal and Social Development

• Subjects: Development Psychology
• Words: 1720

World War 2 Consequences

• Subjects: Warfare World War II
• Words: 1085

Global Financial Crisis Causes and Impacts

• Words: 1646

Impact of Plastics on the Environment

The causes and consequences of world war two, theoretical perspective on the giraffe’s adaptation.

• Subjects: Sciences Zoology

Effects of Internet Use in Society

• Subjects: Internet Tech & Engineering

Russian Popular Culture: History, Development, and Effect of Technologies

• Subjects: Culture Worldwide Cultures
• Words: 2210

The Effects of Background Television on the Toy Play Behavior of Very Young Children

• Words: 1356

Cruise Competition in Tourism Industry

• Subjects: Tourism Trips and Tours

Reform-Women’s Rights and Slavery

Water shortage’ major causes and implication.

• Words: 1368

Divorce and its Impacts on Family Members

• Words: 1657

British Policy and the Indian Mutiny

• Subjects: History World History
• Words: 1135

Impact of Regional Azerbaijan-Armenia War on Neighbouring Countries and Foreign Policies

• Words: 2329

The Rise and fall of Napoleon and The Cause of Revolution

• Words: 1348

Consequences of the New Age of the Image on Writing and Reading

• Subjects: Literature Modernist Literature

Sale of Forests in United Kingdom

• Subjects: Ecological Identity Environment
• Words: 1065

How Non-Sales Factors Affect Sales in an Organisation

• Subjects: Business Marketing

Why Europe Went to War

• Subjects: Warfare World War I
• Words: 1941

Risks and Benefits of Greater EU Integration for International Business

• Words: 1372

Effect of a Permanent Increase in Oil Price on Inflation and Output

• Subjects: Economics Inflation

Competition in an Oligopolistic Market

Wwi-war: revolution, and reconstruction, the influence on health of economic inequality.

• Subjects: Health & Medicine Public Health
• Words: 1952

Current and Future Population Problems in Pakistan

• Subjects: Overpopulation Sociology
• Words: 2430

The Impact of Racial Thought on the Aboriginal People in Relation to Australian History

• Words: 1361

Global Financial Crisis Impact on Australian and World Economies

• Words: 1429

Global Warming Effects: Greenhouse Gas and the Earth’s Atmosphere

• Subjects: Environment Global Warming

Life Expectancy in the Developing World

Chinas history and relations, the asian pacific americans.

• Subjects: Immigration Sociology
• Words: 1742

Air law- does criminalisation of the operator prevent an accident from happening again?

• Subjects: Law Transportation Law
• Words: 2163

Cause and Effect of Child Abuse

• Subjects: Child Psychology Psychology

Effects of Globalization on Native Non-Western Cultural Practices

• Subjects: Cultural Issues Culture
• Words: 1689

Saudi Oil and Global Economic

• Subjects: Business Industry
• Words: 1070

Indigenous animals in the Gulf

• Words: 1130

The Global Economic Recession of the United States

• Words: 1360

Expensive Healthcare in the USA: What are the causes?

Role of marriage/family & singlehood.

• Subjects: Sociological Issues Sociology

The long run effect of the Eurozone crisis in Germany and Greece

• Subjects: Economics Macroeconomics
• Words: 2263

Urban Sprawl and Environmental and Social Problems

• Subjects: Air Pollution Environment

Causes and Effects of Studying In Australia

• Subjects: Education Education Abroad

How Harley Davidson Affected American Motorcycle Riding Today

• Subjects: Business Company Analysis
• Words: 1144

Tailor-made work programs: Their Impact on Young People in a Modern Society

• Subjects: Education Education Issues
• Words: 1926

Consequences of Illegal Immigrants on America’s Economy

• Words: 1079

Causes and Effects of Iran’s Continued Quest for a Nuclear Weapons Program

How the aftermath of the war of independence affected the lives of african slaves in the north and south.

• Subjects: African American Studies History

Cause of the Financial Crisis

• Words: 1675

Migration Flows Cause and Effect in US

Factor that cause immigration, technology impact on society and environment.

• Subjects: Tech & Engineering Technology Effect

Violence in Movies and Its Effects

• Subjects: Entertainment & Media Movies

The Causes and Effect of the Computer Revolution

• Words: 1094

Cause and effect analysis of tourism

• Words: 1021

Cause and effect analysis of camping

• Words: 1080

The Effects of Noise Pollution

Violent movies and children, cuban americans throughout the u.s. history.

• Words: 3184

Infrastructure in Lebanon

• Subjects: Economics Influences on Political Economy
• Words: 1376

Use of Marijuana and Its Consequences

• Subjects: Drug and Alcohol Addiction Sociology

Cause and Effect of Getting Married

Causes of civil war.

• Words: 1658

Alcoholism and the Impact Colonization Has Had on Aboriginals

• Words: 2734

Arguing on Planet Earth – Environmental issues: Outline

• Words: 1345

Social Networks and Self-Esteem

Teenage pregnancy causes and effects.

• Subjects: Socialization Sociology

Climate Change Definition and Description

• Subjects: Climate Change Environment
• Words: 1627

Procrastination Issues: Cause and Effect

• Subjects: Philosophical Concept Philosophy

Cause and Effect of Oil Prices on the U.S. and World Economy

The side effects of drinking alcohol.

• Subjects: Health & Medicine Healthcare Research
• Words: 1096

Cause and effects of the mortgage crisis

Modern europe formation: east european studies, cheating on college exams is demoralizing, the impact of media on society.

• Subjects: Entertainment & Media Media and Society

Constitution and Government System

• Words: 1212

How Did Religion Affect the Pattern of Colonization in America and Life in Those Colonies?

Social & historical transformations caused by the ‘book’ as the first mass medium.

• Subjects: Advertising Entertainment & Media

Historical US Relationships With Native American

• Subjects: Culture Ethnicity Studies
• Words: 1387

Climate Change: Causes and Effects

What are the causes of the increased lack of internet privacy, the rise of democracy.

• Words: 1105

English EFL

Writing - part 1

Writing Cause and Effect Essays

Intermediate

One of the most common tasks on important tests is writing cause and effect essays or paragraphs. Here are some tips to help you write a cause and effect essay.

• Remember that causes come first, effects follow.
• Learn multiple forms (also known as equivalencies) so that you can vary your writing style.
• Use an effective hook to catch the reader's attention.
• Always use examples to provide evidence.
• Use linking language such as conjunctive adverbs, or listing words to organize your paragraphs.
• Use a hamburger essay form (introduction, three body paragraphs, conclusion) for cause and effect essays.
• Begin by brainstorming (example below). Next, write a quick outline using ideas created by brainstorming.
• Use your outline as a map to writing your essay. It may take a few minutes to develop an outline, but having an outline results in a much clearer essay.

Step 1: Brainstorming

Brainstorm your essay. Brainstorming is used to create as many ideas as possible. Don't worry whether your ideas are good or bad, just come up with as many as possible. Here is some brainstorming for essays on four different topics:

Step 2: Write an Outline

It's important to create a map of your essay. There's no need to write out full sentences, just take ideas from your brainstorming and use them to fill out the outline. Next, come up with a hook and a topic sentence for your introductory paragraph. Here's an example:

Introduction:

Statistic about obesity

Topic sentence: 

Obesity has become the number one threat to good health in developed countries.

Body I - Causes

Cause 1: Price

Cause 2: Advertising

Cause 3: Time

Body II  - Effects

Effect 1: Poor health

Effect 2: Less time for family, more time for work

Effect 3: Stress

Body III - Possible Changes

Change 1: Education

Change 2: Don't eat at chains

Change 3: Choose fruit and vegetables

Step 3: Use Forms for Showing Cause and Effect

The final step is to write your essay or paragraph. Use the following language formulas for showing cause and effect in your essays and paragraphs. Make sure to use a variety of sentences including compound and complex sentences.

Course Curriculum

• Types of Writing 30 mins
• Writing Tips 30 mins
• Writing process 40 mins
• Writing an article 30 mins
• Writing a Summary 30 mins
• Writing Cause and Effect Essays 30 mins
• Formal letter 30 mins
• Informal letter 30 mins

Cause and Effect in Composition

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

In composition , cause and effect is a method of paragraph or essay development in which a writer analyzes the reasons for—and/or the consequences of—an action, event, or decision.

A cause-and-effect paragraph or essay can be organized in various ways. For instance, causes and/or effects can be arranged in either chronological order or reverse chronological order. Alternatively, points can be presented in terms of emphasis , from least important to most important, or vice versa.

Examples and Observations

• "If you prove the cause , you at once prove the effect ; and conversely nothing can exist without its cause." (Aristotle, Rhetoric )
• Immediate Causes and Ultimate Causes "Determining causes and effects is usually thought-provoking and quite complex. One reason for this is that there are two types of causes: immediate causes , which are readily apparent because they are closest to the effect, and ultimate causes , which, being somewhat removed, are not so apparent and may perhaps even be hidden. Furthermore, ultimate causes may bring about effects which themselves become immediate causes, thus creating a causal chain . For example, consider the following causal chain: Sally, a computer salesperson, prepared extensively for a meeting with a client (ultimate cause), impressed the client (immediate cause), and made a very large sale (effect). The chain did not stop there: the large sale caused her to be promoted by her employer (effect)." (Alfred Rosa and Paul Eschholz, Models for Writers , 6th ed. St. Martin's Press, 1998)
• Composing a Cause/Effect Essay "For all its conceptual complexity, a cause/effect essay can be organized quite simply. The introduction generally presents the subject(s) and states the purpose of the analysis in a clear thesis . The body of the paper then explores all relevant causes and/or effects, typically progressing from least to most influential or from most to least influential. Finally, the concluding section summarizes the various cause/effect relationships established in the body of the paper and clearly states the conclusions that can be drawn from those relationships." (Kim Flachmann, Michael Flachmann, Kathryn Benander, and Cheryl Smith, The Brief Prose Reader . Prentice Hall, 2003)
• Causes of Child Obesity "Many of today's kids are engaged in sedentary pursuits made possible by a level of technology unthinkable as recently as 25 to 30 years ago. Computer, video, and other virtual games, the ready availability of feature films and games on DVD, plus high-tech advancements in music-listening technology have come down into the range of affordability for parents and even for the kids themselves. These passive pursuits have produced a downside of reduced physical activity for the kids, often with the explicit or implicit consent of the parents. . . . "Other fairly recent developments have also contributed to the alarming rise in child obesity rates. Fast food outlets offering consumables that are both low in price and low in nutritional content have exploded all over the American landscape since the 1960s, especially in suburban areas close to major highway interchanges. Kids on their lunch breaks or after school often congregate in these fast food outlets, consuming food and soft drinks that are high in sugar, carbohydrates, and fat. Many parents, themselves, frequently take their children to these fast food places, thus setting an example the kids can find justification to emulate." (MacKie Shilstone, Mackie Shilstone's Body Plan for Kids . Basic Health Publications, 2009)
• Cause and Effect in Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" "'A Modest Proposal' is a brilliant example of the use of non-argumentative devices of rhetorical persuasion . The whole essay, of course, rests broadly upon the argument of cause and effect : these causes have produced this situation in Ireland, and this proposal will result in these effects in Ireland. But Swift, within the general framework of this argument, does not employ specific argumentative forms in this essay. The projector chooses rather to assert his reasons and then to amass them by way of proof ." (Charles A. Beaumont, Swift's Classical Rhetoric . Univ. of Georgia Press, 1961)
• Effects of Automobiles "I worry about the private automobile. It is a dirty, noisy, wasteful, and lonely means of travel. It pollutes the air, ruins the safety and sociability of the street, and exercises upon the individual a discipline which takes away far more freedom than it gives him. It causes an enormous amount of land to be unnecessarily abstracted from nature and from plant life and to become devoid of any natural function. It explodes cities, grievously impairs the whole institution of neighborliness, fragmentizes and destroys communities. It has already spelled the end of our cities as real cultural and social communities, and has made impossible the construction of any others in their place. Together with the airplane, it has crowded out other, more civilized and more convenient means of transport, leaving older people, infirm people, poor people and children in a worse situation than they were a hundred years ago." (George F. Kennan, Democracy and the Student Left , 1968)
• Examples and Effects of Entropy "Because of its unnerving irreversibility, entropy has been called the arrow of time. We all understand this instinctively. Children's rooms, left on their own, tend to get messy, not neat. Wood rots, metal rusts, people wrinkle and flowers wither. Even mountains wear down; even the nuclei of atoms decay. In the city we see entropy in the rundown subways and worn-out sidewalks and torn-down buildings, in the increasing disorder of our lives. We know, without asking, what is old. If we were suddenly to see the paint jump back on an old building, we would know that something was wrong. If we saw an egg unscramble itself and jump back into its shell, we would laugh in the same way we laugh as a movie run backward." (K.C. Cole, "The Arrow of Time." The New York Times , March 18, 1982)
• Writing Cause and Effect Essays for English Learners
• Development in Composition: Building an Essay
• Cause and Effect Essay Topics
• Practice in Making a Simple Outline for a Cause & Effect Paragraph
• How to Teach Topic Sentences Using Models
• 50 Cause and Effect Journal Prompts
• Definition and Examples of Climactic Order in Composition and Speech
• Understanding Organization in Composition and Speech
• Definition and Examples of Paragraphing in Essays
• Definition and Examples of Ethos in Classical Rhetoric
• What an Essay Is and How to Write One
• How to Use Exemplification in Writing
• Definition and Examples of Analysis in Composition
• Moving Past the Five Paragraph Essay
• Practice in Using Quotation Marks Correctly
• What is Classification in Grammar?

Cause and Effect Essay Topics

That’s why cause-and-effect essays are one of the most commonly assigned writing assignments in all of academia. They test a student’s ability to draw connections and make logical arguments as well as research abilities and writing skills. 

They can be very enjoyable to write if you know the fundamentals of essay writing, understand what this type of essay requires, and choose the right topic. In this article, you’ll get a brief overview of what a cause and effect essay is, tips on how to choose the right topic, and a list of over 150 topics to inspire you!

What is a Cause and Effect Essay?

A cause and effect essay is a writing assignment that asks you to explore the causes of certain events and link them to their outcomes. These types of essays can be focussed on the causes, the effects, or both. They can follow the typical 5 paragraph essay format, or they can have more body paragraphs than usual, depending on the complexity of the topic chosen. 

How to Choose a Cause and Effect Essay Topic

Since the entire paper will be about the causes and effects of your topic, choosing the right topic is vitally important for this type of essay. Sometimes teachers give a general theme to follow which makes it easier to choose a specific topic. Having the freedom to choose any topic you want can be daunting but as long as you keep the following points in mind, you’ll find an excellent topic to write about. 

• If you’ve been assigned a theme, spend time brainstorming several ideas to get a unique and interesting topic.
• Get ideas about what you want to write about from articles you’ve recently read. This will also give you a headstart on research.
• Take a broad topic and narrow it down to specific issues and relationships.
• The scope of your essay shouldn’t be too broad or too narrow. Think about your word count and choose a topic you can explore properly within that limit.
• You should always have facts and research to back up any claims you’re making, so choose a topic that has credible information available.
• Use personal conversations and experiences to narrow down the list of potential topics.
• Make sure there are a clear cause and effect relationship to explore in your topic. 
• Always try and choose a topic that you feel personally interested in. Passion will make the research more enjoyable, make your writing more interesting, and cut down on the amount of time you spend on the assignment.

Cause and Effect Essay Topics List for Students

Cause and effect essay topics for high school.

20 topics for cause and effect essay for high school students related to their experiences and chosen to match the level of complexity expected. 

Can student activism cause changes in the world?

What is the impact of growing up a child of divorce?

What are the main causes of anxiety in high school?

What are the effects of having very rich or famous parents?

How does having a messy room impact productivity?

What are the reasons that comic book movies rarely get Academy Awards?

Why is music better today, or why was it better in the past?

Why do students cheat?

What are the effects of playing group sports on social bonding?

What should people do to avoid getting sick?

Can online shopping cause shopping addiction?

Why are some video games more fun than others?

Why are oil spills so bad for marine ecosystems?

Why does weight have such a large impact on self-esteem?

What is the effect of family vacation on family relationships?

Why are people afraid of trying new things?

Why should humans protect endangered species?

How does theoretical physics affect the real world?

What are the long-term effects of vaping?

Is there a connection between bullying culture and school violence?

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Cause and Effect Essay Topics for College Students

Here’s a collection of 20 unique topics for college-level papers that will benefit from research and deep analytical skills.

Why do so many Americans still live in poverty?

What is the impact of underage drinking?

How does fasting impact your overall health?

What would be the difference if an asteroid impacted land or ocean?

Why do we buy so many things we don’t need?

What is the UN doing to combat modern-day slavery?

What is the impact of religious oppression in a country?

Why do sports and physical activity release endorphins?

Why is Japan more technologically advanced than many countries in the world?

How has the internet affected education in remote villages in developing nations?

How did Christianity shape colonialism?

Why is it dangerous not to finish a course of prescription medication?

What are the effects of picture and video apps on self-esteem?

Should standardized testing have such a large impact on a student’s future?

What is the impact of colonialism on modern-day Africa?

What is the impact of distance learning on mental health?

What are the benefits of studying in a group versus studying alone?

Is it possible to date and still be focused on academics?

Do violent movies and video games lead to real-life violence?

What is the impact of being raised in a multi-generational household?

Cause and Effect Essay Topics for Middle School

These 20 topics are perfect for teenagers to think about and should inspire them to write a fantastic essay. 

What is the effect of bullying on school culture and school spirit?

Why is it important to think about the environment?

What are the effects of spending time in nature?

What were the causes of World War II?

How has Covid-19 changed your daily routine?

What would happen if everybody did only what they wanted to?

What is the connection between music and mathematics?

How can social media and the internet reduce loneliness?

Why was the invention of the steam engine so important?

Describe a society where people learned to get along with each other.

Should famous people who say or do bad things lose their fans?

Why do countries close to the equator usually have spicy food?

What has been the effect of rap lyrics on poetry?

What are some of the benefits of colonizing Mars?

How do video games affect academic achievement?

What is the role of parental punishment on motivation?

What are the benefits of celebrating holidays from different religions?

What is the fallout from posting an unpopular story on Instagram?

How can you build a successful social media channel?

How does having a fun teacher affect student motivation?

Cause and Effect Essay Topics for Elementary Level

While these types of essays can become very complex, it is important for young children to start understanding the connection between things and exploring causes and effects at an early age. Here are 20 topics perfect for kids!

Why is it important to learn to share?

Why is it important to eat a good breakfast?

What have you learned from your favorite cartoon character?

How does the weather impact your mood?

Why should children get more time to play?

How do you feel after getting a good night’s sleep?

Why should Santa Claus bring you the toys you want?

What would you do if you saw an injured animal?

Why are birthdays important?

Why is riding a bike good for the environment?

How would having a smartphone improve your life?

How does being an older brother or sister make you different?

How does being a younger brother or sister make you different?

Why is it important to learn math?

Do having pets make you more responsible?

What are the effects of bullying on the bully?

What is the impact of your favorite Marvel superhero on the plot of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

What are the causes and effects of being popular?

Why is littering bad for society?

Why is it important to eat vegetables?

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Cause and Effect Essay Topics Ideas

Fun cause and effect essay topics.

20 good cause and effect essay topics that are just plain fun to think about!

How are esports going to change the future?

What would it be like to give up all social media as a high school student?

Should people with more money be taxed at a higher rate?

Are periodic revolutions good for the progression of society?

How does smiling affect how long you live?

What are the benefits of owning a pet?

What started the domestication of animals by humans?

How has the use of cell phones affected in-person interaction?

What would be the impact on society if people could directly vote for every important issue?

What makes Elon Musk such a magnetic person?

What would the world be like if Facebook never existed?

Why are young people better at gaming than older people?

How is virtual reality going to change entertainment?

Why have science fiction movies become so popular over the last decade?

What responsibilities should social media influencers automatically be aware of?

What was the impact of Star Wars on the film industry?

How did YouTube change the way humans create and consume media?

Would Harry Potter have been less popular if the main character was a woman?

What effect does the language you speak have on the way you think?

What would the impact of raising the minimum wage be?

Easy Cause and Effect Essay Topics

You don’t have to write something too complicated to get a good grade! Here are 20 easy essay topic examples for your paper. 

What are the main causes of teenage smoking?

How do school uniforms improve cohesion and morale?

What is the impact of sweet fruit juices on health?

What role does the media have on public opinion?

What are the benefits of traveling abroad?

Do people feel better after crying?

Does using a smartphone right before sleeping negatively impact sleep quality?

Why is it more difficult for immigrants to find a job?

What are the effects of working out too much?

Does online dating make people have lower social skills?

How can improving time management reduce stress?

What is the impact of family stability on academic performance?

How does attending college impact lifelong earning potential?

Why is Google the most popular search engine?

How is carbon dioxide a greenhouse gas?

Why was the #Metoo movement so important?

What are the benefits of reading for pleasure as a child?

How has globalization impacted the role of women in societies?

What are the negative impacts of sound pollution?

How can a single species impact large ecosystems?

Personal Cause and Effect Essay Topics

Go over these 20 essay topics to write an essay that relies more on self reflection and personal growth. 

How has your favorite book impacted your life?

Is parenthood always a rewarding experience?

How does being selfish eventually impact oneself negatively?

What are the impacts of optimism on happiness?

How can a single individual make a significant change in the world?

How can meditation improve quality of life?

How has guilt affected your life personally?

How do people do bad things without realizing it?

Why are people afraid of commitment?

How does being in an abusive relationship impact both people?

What is the impact of being a minority on self-identity?

What is the connection between overthinking and depression?

How has the most significant relationship in your life shaped you?

How does getting older impact the ability to learn new things?

Why do people chase a feeling of control?

What are the impacts of living with someone with a mental disorder?

How long does it take to get over a serious breakup?

What are the reasons you want to be rich?

What would make you happy?

What is the best way of using social power?

Interesting Cause and Effect Essay Topics

20 interesting essay topics that will make your essay stand out amongst the crowd. 

What are some of the ways the world would have been different if the axis powers won WWII?

Do strikes and protests work effectively for different types of issues?

What would happen to coastal populations if ocean levels increased by 2 meters?

How much do tv shows and movies impact the way people think about other countries?

What has been the impact of rising internet penetration rates in developing countries?

What social care measures should countries implement in the face of catastrophes like Covid-19?

What is the connection between science and religion?

What would you do if you could become president of the world for 1 year?

How do phytoplankton in the ocean impact life on Earth?

Why is going to college an indicator of long-term happiness?

Why are certain video games popular amongst certain groups?

How does someone decide which music genre is their favorite?

How is artificial intelligence going to change the military and therefore the world?

What makes someone exceptional in their chosen field?

What are the most important characteristics of a good boss?

Can escapism be beneficial in situations such as trauma?

Does living together before marriage hurt or harm the long-term relationship?

What effect do different colors have on mood?

Is the continued growth of technology going to make people value in-person events more?

How has the first amendment impacted countries around the world?

Controversial Cause and Effect Essay Topics

Here are 20 controversial topics to think about. Be warned! You’ll have to do really solid research and make your point eloquently.

What was the impact of American foreign policy during the Cold War?

Does stem cell research have the potential to save millions of lives?

How do genetically modified crops impact the human body?

How do increasing temperatures impact rates of transmissible diseases?

How do oil-producing companies and their lobbies impact the search for renewable energy?

How do fashion companies end up employing children in sweatshops?

Can pizza now be considered an American food?

How do kings, queens, or any form of royalty impact the society of a country?

What are some of the negative outcomes of social Darwinism?

Why did the communism of the Soviet Union fail?

What has China’s one-child policy done to advance economic growth in the country?

How have sedition laws been used to censor free speech?

If artificial intelligence develops sentience, should they be given human rights?

How does a bad president impact that country's international reputation?

What are the roots of Russia’s aggressive international policies?

What are the negative impacts of the introduction of nonnative species?

What are the effects of gun regulation laws on murder rates around the world?

Are certain drugs beneficial for psychiatric treatment?

What was the root of the eugenics movement around the world in the early 1900s?

What has the impact of animal testing been on human health?

Final Thoughts

If you want to delve deep into a particular topic and analyze the causes and effects, a cause and effect essay is the perfect choice for you. It can be a fascinating process if you choose the right topic. This article has provided you with 180 topics to consider and guidelines on selecting a topic. If you need any help with coursework writing , research paper writing service , or custom essay writing , Studyfy's team of professional writers and dissertation writing services can guide you in the right direction. Additionally, their essay editing and proofreading services can help you improve your essay and make it stand out. Choose Studyfy, the best essay service , to help you achieve academic success.

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• 7.1: Introduction to Cause-and-Effect Essay
• 7.2: “Cultural Baggage” by Barbara Ehrenreich
• 7.3: “Women in Science” by K.C. Cole
• 7.4: Writing for Success- Cause and Effect
• 7.5: Student Sample- Cause-and-Effect Essay

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137 Intriguing Cause & Effect Essay Topics for Students

Teach critical thinking, logic, and the art of persuasion.

Cause-and-effect essays aren’t just a way to help students strengthen their writing skills. They’ll also learn critical thinking, logic, and the art of persuasion. In addition, they teach students to demonstrate how one thing directly influences another. Coming up with engaging cause-and-effect essay topics can be challenging, but we have you covered. This list of ideas includes a variety of topics that range from social and cultural movements to mental health and the environment.

Science and Environment Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• Describe the effect of urbanization on the environment.
• What is the impact of air pollution on health?
• What are the causes and consequences of plastics on marine life?
• What is the impact of rising sea temperatures on fish and marine life?
• Describe the impact of human behavior on global warming.

• What is the effect of social media on environmentalism?
• What causes volcanic eruptions?
• What causes trees to die?
• What are the effects of gravity?
• Why are plants green?
• Why do trees shed their leaves?
• What causes a species to become endangered?
• What are some of the causes of animals losing their habitats?
• Describe the effect of overpopulation on the environment.
• What are the effects of famine on human population?
• What are the causes and effects of Antarctica floods?
• What are the effects of pollution on the ocean?
• What effect do cars have on the environment?
• Why is it important to manage wildfires?
• What has been the impact of DNA on crime scene processing?

• What are the impacts of deforestation in Brazil?
• What are the effects of GMO foods on human health?
• What are the impacts of immunizations on human health?

Technology and Social Media Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are the effects of social media on adolescent development?
• How does technology affect productivity?
• What are the effects of video games on childhood development?
• How do cell phones affect human relationships?
• What are some reasons a teacher might ban cell phones from class?

• What effects do cell phones have on sleep?
• What effects did the invention of the Internet have on technology?
• What were the origins of cyberbullying?
• What are the effects of tablet use on small children?
• How has online dating changed relationships?
• What makes some people less likely to use social media?
• What are the effects of social media on privacy?
• How does the rise of TikTok affect Facebook and Instagram?
• In what ways could social media lead to extremism?
• What is the impact of social media on the increasing popularity of plastic surgery and other enhancements?

• What are some of the benefits of owning a smartphone and what are some of the drawbacks?
• What has been the impact of online shopping on brick-and-mortar stores?
• What has been the impact of smartphones on marriages and relationships?
• What are the causes and effects of texting while driving?
• What has the rise of “influencers” meant for Hollywood?
• In what ways have photo filters influenced young people’s self-esteem?

Culture and Social Issues Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are some of the reasons for substance abuse in young people?
• What are some of the effects of bullying?
• How does economic status affect the quality of health care?
• What are some of the causes of homelessness?
• Explain the effects of ignorance on discrimination.
• What are the impacts of death sentences on social justice?

• How does financial success affect societal privilege?
• What effects does growing up poor have on children?
• In what ways does religion influence society?
• What are the effects of immigration on a host country?
• What are the effects of ageism on job opportunities?
• What is the impact of LGBTQ+ representation in TV and movies?
• What are the effects of school shootings on politics?
• How do school uniforms affect students?
• What are the impacts of high student debt?
• What are the impacts of body shaming on people?
• What were the lasting impacts of the AIDS epidemic on society?

• What impact does banning abortion have in the United States?
• What has been the impact of marriage equality in the United States?
• What are the causes and effects of noise pollution?
• What are the causes and effects of inflation on the economy?
• What are the effects of TV shows on our behavior?

Sports Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• Examine the effects of exercise on mental health.
• What led to baseball being an iconic American sport?
• What drives people to participate in extreme sports?
• In what ways did globalization affect modern sports?
• What were the effects of doping on amateur and professional sports?
• Select a sport and write about the historical factors that led to the popularization of that sport.

• Describe the ways in which youth sports influence a child’s development.
• What were the driving forces behind the first Olympics?
• How can team sports help develop social skills?
• How have e-sports changed the sporting landscape?
• In what ways do race biases influence sports?

• What are the effects of regular workouts on immunity?
• How does participating in sports affect leadership skills?
• In what ways can sports lead to character development?
• What effect does famous athletes’ social commentary have on their fans?

History Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are the effects of the war in Syria on the United States?
• What have been the lasting effects of the Civil Rights Movement?
• What were the causes and effects of the attack on Pearl Harbor?
• What led up to the Berlin Wall being torn down and what effects did that have?

• What lasting impact did 9/11 have on modern American society?
• What were the causes of the Salem Witch Trials?
• What was the cultural impact of the Spanish-American War?
• How has globalization led to modern-day slavery?
• What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
• What were the impacts of the Great Depression on women’s employment?
• How did cartels come into existence? What effect have they had on the United States and Mexico?
• What were the causes and effects of the Women’s Liberation Movement?
• Give an example of colonialism in history and name the resulting impact to the affected society.

• What led to the rise of ISIS and what has the impact been on international security?
• What factors led to the Titanic’s sinking?
• What were the causes and effects of the Vietnam War?
• Choose an American president. What led him to become president and what were the effects of his presidency?

Mental Health Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• How can stress affect the immune system?
• How does social anxiety affect young people?
• How can high academic expectations lead to depression?
• What are the effects of divorce on young people?
• How does service in the armed forces lead to post-traumatic stress disorder?

• What are the effects of mindfulness on mental health?
• Describe the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted mental health.
• How does childhood trauma impact childhood development?
• What impact does witnessing violence have on mental health?
• What is behind increasingly high levels of anxiety in modern American society?

• What are the causes and effects of panic attacks?
• What are the causes and consequences of high stress in the workplace?
• What are some of the causes of insomnia and in what ways does it affect mental health?
• What is the impact of staying home for an extended period of time?

Current Events Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• Choose a local public education campaign. What are the effects of that campaign?
• What are the causes and effects of migration?
• What are the causes and effects of terrorist attacks?

• What are the effects of legalizing genetic engineering research?
• How do low voting rates impact elections and government?
• What is the effect of raising the minimum wage?
• What are the effects of globalization on society?
• How does gerrymandering affect election outcomes?
• What are the causes and effects of police brutality?
• What are the causes and effects of political polarization?

• What are the causes and effects of fake news?
• What are the effects of global war on citizens?
• What is the effect of international aid on poverty or health?
• Why do some countries have nuclear weapons, and what does this mean for other countries?

Education Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are the effects of teacher quality on student success?
• What are the causes and effects of student loan debt?
• What are the causes and effects of low graduation rates?

• What are the effects of assigning homework?
• What are the causes and effects of school funding disparities?
• What are the causes and effects of the digital divide in education?
• What is the effect of AI on education?
• What are the causes and effects of student burnout?
• Should students be required to study a foreign language in school, and what are the effects of learning a foreign language?

• What effect has the COVID pandemic had on education?
• What are the effects of same-sex classrooms or schools?

What are your best cause-and-effect essay topics for students? Come exchange ideas in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out our list of interesting persuasive essay topics for kids and teens..

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Cause and Effect: Definition, Meaning, and Examples

Allison Bressmer

You may be familiar with the Biblical quote “You reap what you sow.” The things you do are like planted seeds, and those seeds produce a crop which is the result of your actions.

The quote is an example of the cause and effect relationship. Your action, sowing good or bad seeds, produces a reaction, a healthy or rotten harvest.

A cause is an action, and the effect is the resulting reaction.

Definition of Cause and Effect

What does cause and effect mean, examples of cause and effect in sentences, cause and effect relationship examples, cause and effect words.

In the cause and effect relationship, one or more things happen as a result of something else.

A cause is a catalyst, a motive, or an action that brings about a reaction—or reactions. A cause instigates an effect.

An effect is a condition, occurrence, or result generated by one or more causes. Effects are outcomes.

Cause and effect means that things happen because something prompted them to happen.

A cause is why something happens. An effect is what happened.

For example, you have a picnic planned for Sunday afternoon. However, the weather becomes stormy and you have to cancel your outdoor plans.

In this situation, the cause is the stormy weather and the effect of that stormy weather is the picnic cancellation.

Cause and effect are intertwined. American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Cause and effect are two sides of one fact.”

You can’t have an effect without a cause, nor can you have a cause without an effect.

In cause and effect relationships, there may be multiple causes and multiple effects. The relationship may cycle on with a cause leading to effects that become a cause for more effects!

Let’s say that you oversleep and are late to a meeting and, because you’re late to the meeting, you miss out on the delicious pastries the boss brought in. Since you missed the pastries, you’re hungry and aggravated. This may in turn have an effect on your next interaction with a colleague or client.

Cause and effect sentences show a clear, direct relationship between events. They show how one event or action triggers an outcome. They may also show how an effect has more than one cause, or a cause has more than one effect.

Cause and effect sentences can present the cause first and follow it with the effect, or present the effect first and follow it with the cause.

• I ate tons of junk food, so now I feel sick.
• I feel sick because I ate tons of junk food.

These sentences have the same cause and effect presented in a different order. These sentences share the same meaning and show the same relationship.

In the next five sentences, determine which comes first, the cause or the effect.

He lied to me, so I ended our relationship.

Since I was up all night with my sick child, I’m exhausted this morning.

She never gave up on her writing, and now she’s published a book!

They could finish the race because they had trained for it so diligently.

They gave the restaurant a critical review because their food was burnt to a crisp.

In the first three sentences, the cause comes first. In sentences four and five, the effect comes first.

Cause and effect relationships exist in just about every subject area.

We can see the causes of local, national, or global events, and the effects of those events. We can ask, “What were the causes of World War II?” and then “What were the effects of World War II?”

We can examine what caused an economic recession or depression and the effects of that crisis on society.

In these cases, as with many others, there are multiple causes and multiple effects.

In 2020, the world was hit with a global pandemic. Scientists saw the effects of the disease on people’s health and lives and began searching for the cause of the virus.

As the story goes, Sir Isaac Newton observed an effect, an apple falling from a tree. This prompted him to seek the cause of that fall—why did the apple fall down, not sideways or up? His observation of that effect led him to discover the cause: gravity.

When conducting experiments, scientists perform an action (cause) to see what will happen as a result (effect).

Most of us probably had to do an experiment with plants in school. We examined what happened to our two plants (effects) depending on whether we gave or withheld from them proper light and water (cause).

The Natural World

Nature is full of examples of cause and effect.

• Plants grow as a result of the sun’s heat and light.
• Bears hibernate so they can conserve energy and won’t require food during the winter months when food is scarce.
• The moon’s gravitational pull causes the ocean’s tides.

Narrative stories, both fiction and non-fiction, are often driven by cause and effect.

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby , Gatsby bases all of his action on pleasing Daisy because he is obsessed with winning her love.

Our everyday lives are full of cause and effect experiences.

• As a result of studying hard, you aced your test!
• You called in sick because you woke up with a fever.
• You meet friends for drinks because it’s your birthday.

There are words that signal a cause and effect relationship. These words can help readers recognize the cause and effect structure of a passage, making it easier to comprehend content.

Words that signal a cause include:

Words that signal effect include:

Signal Words in Cause and Effect Sentences

Observe how the signal words communicate the relationship in these cause and effect example sentences:

As a result of COVID, many high school students couldn’t experience graduation ceremonies.

There was a multi-car accident on the highway, so traffic was at a standstill.

I’ve started eating a much healthier diet. Consequently , I’ve lost weight and have more energy.

Thanks to my caring friends, I recovered from a difficult situation.

Since the weather was perfect, we spent the entire day outdoors.

My partner got his dream job 200 miles away from where we currently live. As a result , we have to sell the home and move.

His financial hardships are due to his careless spending.

She campaigned the hardest, therefore she won the vote.

The doctor’s optimism is the reason for our positive outlook.

Your sister is several years older than you. Accordingly , she has more responsibility and independence.

TIP: Observe the sentences that start with cause signal words ( As a result , Thanks to , Since ). There are two clauses in those sentences and they are connected by a comma.

The first clause is dependent meaning that it must be attached to an independent clause to make sense. When left alone, dependent clauses can become sentence fragments which are grammatically incorrect.

ProWritingAid is a thorough grammar checker that will alert you to any fragments and make suggestions for revision.

A Final Word on Cause and Effect

A cause and effect relationship is one in which an event generates an outcome. We see these relationships everywhere: from history to science to nature to literature to daily life!

When you’re reading or writing about cause and effect, look for or use signal words that make the relationship between the event (cause) and the outcome (effect) clear.

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Allison Bressmer is a professor of freshman composition and critical reading at a community college and a freelance writer. If she isn’t writing or teaching, you’ll likely find her reading a book or listening to a podcast while happily sipping a semi-sweet iced tea or happy-houring with friends. She lives in New York with her family. Connect at linkedin.com/in/allisonbressmer.

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Thousands Believe Covid Vaccines Harmed Them. Is Anyone Listening?

All vaccines have at least occasional side effects. But people who say they were injured by Covid vaccines believe their cases have been ignored.

Shaun Barcavage, 54, a nurse practitioner in New York City, said that ever since his first Covid shot, standing up has sent his heart racing. Credit... Hannah Yoon for The New York Times

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By Apoorva Mandavilli

Apoorva Mandavilli spent more than a year talking to dozens of experts in vaccine science, policymakers and people who said they had experienced serious side effects after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine.

• Published May 3, 2024 Updated May 4, 2024

Within minutes of getting the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, Michelle Zimmerman felt pain racing from her left arm up to her ear and down to her fingertips. Within days, she was unbearably sensitive to light and struggled to remember simple facts.

She was 37, with a Ph.D. in neuroscience, and until then could ride her bicycle 20 miles, teach a dance class and give a lecture on artificial intelligence, all in the same day. Now, more than three years later, she lives with her parents. Eventually diagnosed with brain damage, she cannot work, drive or even stand for long periods of time.

“When I let myself think about the devastation of what this has done to my life, and how much I’ve lost, sometimes it feels even too hard to comprehend,” said Dr. Zimmerman, who believes her injury is due to a contaminated vaccine batch .

The Covid vaccines, a triumph of science and public health, are estimated to have prevented millions of hospitalizations and deaths . Yet even the best vaccines produce rare but serious side effects . And the Covid vaccines have been given to more than 270 million people in the United States, in nearly 677 million doses .

Dr. Zimmerman’s account is among the more harrowing, but thousands of Americans believe they suffered serious side effects following Covid vaccination. As of April, just over 13,000 vaccine-injury compensation claims have been filed with the federal government — but to little avail. Only 19 percent have been reviewed. Only 47 of those were deemed eligible for compensation, and only 12 have been paid out, at an average of about $3,600 .

Some scientists fear that patients with real injuries are being denied help and believe that more needs to be done to clarify the possible risks.

“At least long Covid has been somewhat recognized,” said Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist and vaccine expert at Yale University. But people who say they have post-vaccination injuries are “just completely ignored and dismissed and gaslighted,” she added.

In interviews and email exchanges conducted over several months, federal health officials insisted that serious side effects were extremely rare and that their surveillance efforts were more than sufficient to detect patterns of adverse events.

“Hundreds of millions of people in the United States have safely received Covid vaccines under the most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history,” Jeff Nesbit, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, said in an emailed statement.

But in a recent interview, Dr. Janet Woodcock, a longtime leader of the Food and Drug Administration, who retired in February, said she believed that some recipients had experienced uncommon but “serious” and “life-changing” reactions beyond those described by federal agencies.

“I feel bad for those people,” said Dr. Woodcock, who became the F.D.A.’s acting commissioner in January 2021 as the vaccines were rolling out. “I believe their suffering should be acknowledged, that they have real problems, and they should be taken seriously.”

“I’m disappointed in myself,” she added. “I did a lot of things I feel very good about, but this is one of the few things I feel I just didn’t bring it home.”

Federal officials and independent scientists face a number of challenges in identifying potential vaccine side effects.

The nation’s fragmented health care system complicates detection of very rare side effects, a process that depends on an analysis of huge amounts of data. That’s a difficult task when a patient may be tested for Covid at Walgreens, get vaccinated at CVS, go to a local clinic for minor ailments and seek care at a hospital for serious conditions. Each place may rely on different health record systems.

There is no central repository of vaccine recipients, nor of medical records, and no easy to way to pool these data. Reports to the largest federal database of so-called adverse events can be made by anyone, about anything. It’s not even clear what officials should be looking for.

“I mean, you’re not going to find ‘brain fog’ in the medical record or claims data, and so then you’re not going to find” a signal that it may be linked to vaccination, Dr. Woodcock said. If such a side effect is not acknowledged by federal officials, “it’s because it doesn’t have a good research definition,” she added. “It isn’t, like, malevolence on their part.”

The government’s understaffed compensation fund has paid so little because it officially recognizes few side effects for Covid vaccines. And vaccine supporters, including federal officials, worry that even a whisper of possible side effects feeds into misinformation spread by a vitriolic anti-vaccine movement.

‘I’m Not Real’

Patients who believe they experienced serious side effects say they have received little support or acknowledgment.

Shaun Barcavage, 54, a nurse practitioner in New York City who has worked on clinical trials for H.I.V. and Covid, said that ever since his first Covid shot, merely standing up sent his heart racing — a symptom suggestive of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome , a neurological disorder that some studies have linked to both Covid and, much less often, vaccination .

He also experienced stinging pain in his eyes, mouth and genitals, which has abated, and tinnitus, which has not.

“I can’t get the government to help me,” Mr. Barcavage said of his fruitless pleas to federal agencies and elected representatives. “I am told I’m not real. I’m told I’m rare. I’m told I’m coincidence.”

Renee France, 49, a physical therapist in Seattle, developed Bell’s palsy — a form of facial paralysis, usually temporary — and a dramatic rash that neatly bisected her face. Bell’s palsy is a known side effect of other vaccines, and it has been linked to Covid vaccination in some studies.

But Dr. France said doctors were dismissive of any connection to the Covid vaccines. The rash, a bout of shingles, debilitated her for three weeks, so Dr. France reported it to federal databases twice.

“I thought for sure someone would reach out, but no one ever did,” she said.

Similar sentiments were echoed in interviews, conducted over more than a year, with 30 people who said they had been harmed by Covid shots. They described a variety of symptoms following vaccination, some neurological, some autoimmune, some cardiovascular.

All said they had been turned away by physicians, told their symptoms were psychosomatic, or labeled anti-vaccine by family and friends — despite the fact that they supported vaccines.

Even leading experts in vaccine science have run up against disbelief and ambivalence.

Dr. Gregory Poland, 68, editor in chief of the journal Vaccine, said that a loud whooshing sound in his ears had accompanied every moment since his first shot, but that his entreaties to colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to explore the phenomenon, tinnitus, had led nowhere.

He received polite responses to his many emails, but “I just don’t get any sense of movement,” he said.

“If they have done studies, those studies should be published,” Dr. Poland added. In despair that he might “never hear silence again,” he has sought solace in meditation and his religious faith.

Dr. Buddy Creech, 50, who led several Covid vaccine trials at Vanderbilt University, said his tinnitus and racing heart lasted about a week after each shot. “It’s very similar to what I experienced during acute Covid, back in March of 2020,” Dr. Creech said.

Research may ultimately find that most reported side effects are unrelated to the vaccine, he acknowledged. Many can be caused by Covid itself.

“Regardless, when our patients experience a side effect that may or may not be related to the vaccine, we owe it to them to investigate that as completely as we can,” Dr. Creech said.

Federal health officials say they do not believe that the Covid vaccines caused the illnesses described by patients like Mr. Barcavage, Dr. Zimmerman and Dr. France. The vaccines may cause transient reactions, such as swelling, fatigue and fever, according to the C.D.C., but the agency has documented only four serious but rare side effects .

Two are associated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is no longer available in the United States: Guillain-Barré syndrome , a known side effect of other vaccines , including the flu shot; and a blood-clotting disorder.

The C.D.C. also links mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna to heart inflammation, or myocarditis, especially in boys and young men. And the agency warns of anaphylaxis, or severe allergic reaction, which can occur after any vaccination.

Listening for Signals

Agency scientists are monitoring large databases containing medical information on millions of Americans for patterns that might suggest a hitherto unknown side effect of vaccination, said Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the C.D.C.’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

“We toe the line by reporting the signals that we think are real signals and reporting them as soon as we identify them as signals,” he said. The agency’s systems for monitoring vaccine safety are “pretty close” to ideal, he said.

Those national surveillance efforts include the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). It is the largest database, but also the least reliable: Reports of side effects can be submitted by anyone and are not vetted, so they may be subject to bias or manipulation.

The system contains roughly one million reports regarding Covid vaccination, the vast majority for mild events, according to the C.D.C.

Federal researchers also comb through databases that combine electronic health records and insurance claims on tens of millions of Americans. The scientists monitor the data for 23 conditions that may occur following Covid vaccination. Officials remain alert to others that may pop up, Dr. Daskalakis said.

But there are gaps, some experts noted. The Covid shots administered at mass vaccination sites were not recorded in insurance claims databases, for example, and medical records in the United States are not centralized.

“It’s harder to see signals when you have so many people, and things are happening in different parts of the country, and they’re not all collected in the same system,” said Rebecca Chandler, a vaccine safety expert at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

An expert panel convened by the National Academies concluded in April that for the vast majority of side effects, there was not enough data to accept or reject a link.

Asked at a recent congressional hearing whether the nation’s vaccine-safety surveillance was sufficient, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the F.D.A.’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said, “I do believe we could do better.”

In some countries with centralized health care systems, officials have actively sought out reports of serious side effects of Covid vaccines and reached conclusions that U.S. health authorities have not.

In Hong Kong, the government analyzed centralized medical records of patients after vaccination and paid people to come forward with problems. The strategy identified “a lot of mild cases that other countries would not otherwise pick up,” said Ian Wong, a researcher at the University of Hong Kong who led the nation’s vaccine safety efforts.

That included the finding that in rare instances — about seven per million doses — the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine triggered a bout of shingles serious enough to require hospitalization.

The European Medicines Agency has linked the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to facial paralysis, tingling sensations and numbness. The E.M.A. also counts tinnitus as a side effect of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, although the American health agencies do not. There are more than 17,000 reports of tinnitus following Covid vaccination in VAERS.

Are the two linked? It’s not clear. As many as one in four adults has some form of tinnitus. Stress, anxiety, grief and aging can lead to the condition, as can infections like Covid itself and the flu.

There is no test or scan for tinnitus, and scientists cannot easily study it because the inner ear is tiny, delicate and encased in bone, said Dr. Konstantina Stankovic, an otolaryngologist at Stanford University.

Still, an analysis of health records from nearly 2.6 million people in the United States found that about 0.04 percent , or about 1,000, were diagnosed with tinnitus within three weeks of their first mRNA shot. In March, researchers in Australia published a study linking tinnitus and vertigo to the vaccines .

The F.D.A. is monitoring reports of tinnitus, but “at this time, the available evidence does not suggest a causal association with the Covid-19 vaccines,” the agency said in a statement.

Despite surveillance efforts, U.S. officials were not the first to identify a significant Covid vaccine side effect: myocarditis in young people receiving mRNA vaccines. It was Israeli authorities who first raised the alarm in April 2021. Officials in the United States said at the time that they had not seen a link.

On May 22, 2021, news broke that the C.D.C. was investigating a “relatively few” cases of myocarditis. By June 23, the number of myocarditis reports in VAERS had risen to more than 1,200 — a hint that it is important to tell doctors and patients what to look for.

Later analyses showed that the risk for myocarditis and pericarditis, a related condition, is highest after a second dose of an mRNA Covid vaccine in adolescent males aged 12 to 17 years.

In many people, vaccine-related myocarditis is transient. But some patients continue to experience pain, breathlessness and depression, and some show persistent changes on heart scans . The C.D.C. has said there were no confirmed deaths related to myocarditis, but in fact there have been several accounts of deaths reported post-vaccination .

Pervasive Misinformation

The rise of the anti-vaccine movement has made it difficult for scientists, in and out of government, to candidly address potential side effects, some experts said. Much of the narrative on the purported dangers of Covid vaccines is patently false, or at least exaggerated, cooked up by savvy anti-vaccine campaigns.

Questions about Covid vaccine safety are core to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign. Citing debunked theories about altered DNA, Florida’s surgeon general has called for a halt to Covid vaccination in the state.

“The sheer nature of misinformation, the scale of misinformation, is staggering, and anything will be twisted to make it seem like it’s not just a devastating side effect but proof of a massive cover-up,” said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, a vice dean at Johns Hopkins University.

Among the hundreds of millions of Americans who were immunized for Covid, some number would have had heart attacks or strokes anyway. Some women would have miscarried. How to distinguish those caused by the vaccine from those that are coincidences? The only way to resolve the question is intense research .

But the National Institutes of Health is conducting virtually no studies on Covid vaccine safety, several experts noted. William Murphy, a cancer researcher who worked at the N.I.H. for 12 years, has been prodding federal health officials to initiate these studies since 2021.

The officials each responded with “that very tired mantra: ‘But the virus is worse,’” Dr. Murphy recalled. “Yes, the virus is worse, but that doesn’t obviate doing research to make sure that there may be other options.”

A deeper understanding of possible side effects, and who is at risk for them, could have implications for the design of future vaccines, or may indicate that for some young and healthy people, the benefit of Covid shots may no longer outweigh the risks — as some European countries have determined.

Thorough research might also speed assistance to thousands of Americans who say they were injured.

The federal government has long run the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program , designed to compensate people who suffer injuries after vaccination. Established more than three decades ago, the program sets no limit on the amounts awarded to people found to have been harmed.

But Covid vaccines are not covered by that fund because Congress has not made them subject to the excise tax that pays for it. Some lawmakers have introduced bills to make the change.

Instead, claims regarding Covid vaccines go to the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program . Intended for public health emergencies, this program has narrow criteria to pay out and sets a limit of $50,000, with stringent standards of proof.

It requires applicants to prove within a year of the injury that it was “the direct result” of getting the Covid vaccine, based on “compelling, reliable, valid, medical, and scientific evidence.”

The program had only four staff members at the beginning of the pandemic, and now has 35 people evaluating claims. Still, it has reviewed only a fraction of the 13,000 claims filed, and has paid out only a dozen.

Dr. Ilka Warshawsky, a 58-year-old pathologist, said she lost all hearing in her right ear after a Covid booster shot. But hearing loss is not a recognized side effect of Covid vaccination.

The compensation program for Covid vaccines sets a high bar for proof, she said, yet offers little information on how to meet it: “These adverse events can be debilitating and life-altering, and so it’s very upsetting that they’re not acknowledged or addressed.”

Dr. Zimmerman, the neuroscientist, submitted her application in October 2021 and provided dozens of supporting medical documents. She received a claim number only in January 2023.

In adjudicating her claim for workers’ compensation, Washington State officials accepted that Covid vaccination caused her injury, but she has yet to get a decision from the federal program.

One of her therapists recently told her she might never be able to live independently again.

“That felt like a devastating blow,” Dr. Zimmerman said. “But I’m trying not to lose hope there will someday be a treatment and a way to cover it.”

Apoorva Mandavilli is a reporter focused on science and global health. She was a part of the team that won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for coverage of the pandemic. More about Apoorva Mandavilli

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