Rough Draft of Cause-Effect Essay
1. You have chosen your topic earlier in class.
2. To start your rough draft, you need your outline.
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If I have not graded your outline, please email me and let me know that you have
uploaded it.
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If I have graded your outline and you did not receive a passing grade, please
email me a revised version of your outline to review.
Previously, my outline was on global warming. I’m going to change my topic to the
effects of attending college.
Here is my outline:
Thesis statement: There are three effects of attending college.
Body paragraph 1:
Topic sentence: One effect of going to college is a higher salary.
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Better job opportunities
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Point 2
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Point 3
Body paragraph 2:
Topic sentence: Another effect of going to college is job skills.
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Improve writing
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Improved reading
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Point 3
Body paragraph 3:
Topic sentence: Increased job opportunities is another effect of going to college.
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Some jobs require college – such as being a doctor or an accountant.
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Point 2
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Point 3
Note: This is a partial outline because I noticed some students are taking my ideas
instead of completing your own outline.
The Rough Draft
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Now, it is time to start writing. For this example, I will only write the introduction
and body paragraph.
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The introduction starts with a hook (see page 19 for examples). Then, there is
the connecting information. Finally, the last sentence of the introduction is your
thesis statement.
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After this, you will write the body paragraphs. The body paragraphs need topic
sentence that contains a transition, then the main idea of the essay, and then the
main idea of the paragraph.
o Topic sentence: Transition + main idea of essay + main focus of
paragraph.
o The content of the body paragraph consists of statements and then
examples to support these statements.
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Statement (Point 1)
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Example
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Statement (Point 2)
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Example
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Statement (Point 3)
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Example
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Your body paragraphs need 8 to 10 sentences.
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You will write three body paragraphs.
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After you have written your body paragraphs, you will write your conclusion
paragraph.
Ms. Carol’s sample introduction and body paragraph 1:
After teenagers graduate from high school, they have to decide whether they
want to go to college. Many parents and other adults think going to college is the best
option because it opens doors that would not be open. High school students are not so
sure as to what they want to do because they have spent their entire life in school and
want to take a break. Taking a break is not a good option as there are benefits to
college. There are three effects to going to college.
One effect of going to college is a higher salary. If you go to college, you earn a
higher salary because there are more job opportunities with a college degree. For
example, to be a doctor, a teacher, or even an accountant, you have to go to college for
the degree to get one of these well-paying jobs. If you don’t go to college, you may not
make a lot of money because so many jobs require a degree. Without a degree, you
may have to work at low-paying jobs without much promotion potential. Thus, the key to
earning a higher salary at a job is by attending college.