Types of Writing: Cause/Effect

Cause and effect writing shows a direct link between one event and another.

Cause and effect essays are concerned with:

• Why things happen (causes) and
  
• What happens as a result (effects)
  

When you write a cause and effect essay, you need to:

• Present information on how one action or event caused, or may cause, certain effects to occur
• Explain what took place, or may take place, and why.

The cause and effect essay allows you to identify patterns and explain why things turned out the way that they did.

When we think of cause and effect, often we think of History classes. This is because history focuses largely on how events lead to other events. In a History class, you might learn about the various causes for the Civil War. Your instructor might ask you to write about how a certain social change influenced the outcome of an election. Cause and effect is not just limited to history, though:

• Your English instructor might ask you to write an essay that discusses how a certain event impacted your life or decisions.
  
• In Chemistry, your professor might want you to write a report detailing what happens when you add a certain chemical to a mixture and why
• In Business you might be asked to discuss how the practices of one country affects the global economy

All of these potential essays would be variations on cause and effect. in general, cause and effect asks that you use your critical thinking skills to form connections and critically analyse situations.

• The computer revolution
• Increased high school drop out rate
• Increased cell phone use
• The electric/hybrid car movement
• The reality show craze
• The War in Iraq