7 steps to write cause and effect essay

What is a cause and effect essay?

You explain to the reader for what reasons this or that event or situation happened, and what consequences it will lead to in the future.

The first place to start is to separate cause and effect. To find out the reason, answer the question: "Why did this happen?" And in order to understand the consequence, answer the question: "What happened because of this?"

For instance:

• Cause: Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939
• Effect: Great Britain and France issued an ultimatum. Germany didn’t respond to it, and World War II began

Sometimes several reasons lead to the occurrence of an effect at once, and sometimes one reason leads to several consequences.

An example of multiple causes and one effect:

• Cause: The ozone layer has become thinner
• Effect 1: The ambient temperature has risen
• Effect 2: The ice of Antarctica began to melt more intensively
• Effect 3: Ocean water level has risen
• Effect 4: Lowlands are flooded by oceans and seas
• Effect 5: In many countries, the climate is changing from temperate to subtropical
• Effect 6: Fauna and flora on land and underwater are changing. Where birch trees used to grow, palm trees are growing now

An example of multiple causes and one effect:

• Cause 1: Cement is mixed with chalk, water, sand and aluminum paste
• Cause 2: The temperature rises to 190 degrees
• Cause 3: The pressure is raised to 12 atmospheres
• Effect: calcium hydroxide from chalk composition reacts with aluminum, and hydrogen bubbles are formed

That is, without the presence of the appropriate components, a temperature of 190 degrees and a pressure of 12 atmospheres, the chemical reaction wouldn’t have occurred.

In this respect, the spelling of cause and effect essay is somewhat reminiscent of classification and division essay. But there is also a chain reaction of successive events:

Thought about vacation - Forgot to buy eggs - Couldn't cook the eggs I promised my wife - My wife was upset and scolded me - My mood is ruined.

Now we will look at how to write a cause and effect essay in 7 steps.

Step 1: Come up with a thesis

You must clearly state whether you are considering cause, effect, or it, and both at the same time. Formulate the main idea of your thesis, using the terms "Cause" and "Effect".

Step 2: Find and organize supporting details

Provide the necessary details, divide them into classes and types. Distribute the parts according to the following example:

• Chronological order. Events are arranged in the order in which they occurred
• Order of importance. The least important events come first, then the most important ones
• The details are divided into topics, parts and categories

Step 3: Apply appropriate transitions

So, your task is to smoothly combine the details in the essay. To do this, you need transitional words and phrases:

• For causes: the other is, for the reason, as for the first, the second, for
• For effects: thus, the result, therefore, there is one result and there is another

Step 4: Focus on immediate and direct causes

Use only reasons that are close in time and related. There is no need to use distant and indirect reasons.

Step 5: Use supporting evidence

Define terms, suggest facts and statistics, arguments, examples and other ways, just like in a great essay.

Step 6: Refine or limit your cause and effect statements

If you don't have clear evidence that the investigation occurred for one reason or another, clarify your statements with the following phrases:

• This evidence may indicate ...
• Evidence may suggest ...
• It looks like the reason is related to ...
• It seems likely that ...

Step 7: Stick to the structure of the text

In cause and effect essay, as in reflective essay, the letter structure consists of 3 parts:

• Introduction
• The body of the essay
• Conclusion

In the introduction, state the thesis, and also indicate what is the cause and what is the effect. In the body of the essay, argue why you are studying these particular causes, and prove why these events are a consequence. In conclusion, re-emphasize the thesis, then summarize.