Cause & Effect Essays
What are they?
• Cause and effect essays can be written in two
ways:
1. Focus on finding the causes
2. Focus on finding the effects
They can be very confusing!
• Both types of essays talk about cause and
effect.
• The easiest way to think about them is like a
sandwich.
Sandwich?
• When you have a sandwich, even though we
have bread on the top and bottom, its name
comes from what is in the MIDDLE.
Ham and
Cheese
Sandwich
Sandwich?
• In the same way, what the essay focuses on in
the middle decides what it’s mostly about.
Cause Introduced
Effect 1
Effect Focus
Effect 2
Effect 3
Conclusion
Effect Introduced
Cause 1
Cause Focus
Cause 2
Cause 3
Conclusion
1. A “cause sandwich”
• If you focus on the causes of something, your
essay will look like this:
1. Intro: Introduce the effect and explain why
it’s important to talk about.
Effect Introduced
2. Cause 1
Cause 1
Cause 2
3. Cause 2
Cause 3
4. Cause 3
Conclusion
5. Restate the introduction
1. An “effect sandwich”
• If you focus on the effects of something, your
essay will look like this:
1. Intro: Introduce the cause and explain why
it’s important to talk about.
Effect Introduced
2. Effect 1
Cause 1
Cause 2
3. Effect 2
Cause 3
4. Effect 3
Conclusion
5. Restate the introduction
Useful Transition Words
BEFORE A CAUSE (GREEN)
BEFORE AN EFFECT (RED)
As a result of noun, S + V.
Because of noun, S + V.
For this reason, S + V.
Therefore, S + V.
Due to noun, S + V.
Because S + V, S +V.
Since S + V, S + V.
As a result, S + V.
Thus, S + V.
Consequently, S + V.
Example Cause Outline
• Thesis Statement: Plagiarism is a frustrating
problem for many teachers, and it is often
caused by these three issues in students: poor
attention skills, laziness, and poor planning.
• Cause 1: Poor attention skills
• Cause 2: Laziness.
• Cause 3: Poor planning
Example Topic Sentences
• Topic: The causes of plagiarism.
• Topic Sentence 1: Poor attention skills are one
of the biggest causes of plagiarism.
• Topic Sentence 2: Another major cause of
plagiarism is laziness.
• Topic Sentence 3: Finally, poor planning
causes plagiarism.
Cause Focus Paragraph Example
• Poor attention skills, or not knowing how to
listen carefully, is one of the primary causes of
plagiarism.
– HOW does this cause plagiarism?
– How is it a problem?
– Who/What/Where/Why/When
Example Effect Outline
• Thesis Statement: Plagiarism is a frustrating
problem for many teachers, but many
students are unaware of its effects, which are
lowered grades, poor reputation, and low
self-esteem.
• Effect 1: lower overall grades in the future.
• Effect 2: a poor reputation.
• Effect 3: low self-esteem.
Example Effect Outline
• Topic: The effects of plagiarism.
• Topic Sentence 1: One effect of student
plagiarism is lowered grades.
• Topic Sentence 2: Another effect of plagiarism
is a poor reputation.
• Topic Sentence 3: A final effect of plagiarism is
low self-esteem.
Effect Focus Paragraph Example
• One effect of student plagiarism is lower
overall grades in the future.
– HOW is this caused by plagiarism?
– How is it a problem?
– Who/What/Where/Why/When
Practice Time
• With your partner, try to think of 3 causes and
3 effects of poverty.
• Person A will write a thesis statement that
focuses on cause.
• Person B will write a thesis statement that
focuses on effect.
Practice Time
• Example A:
– Poverty is caused by many issues, including low
education, poor community resources, and a
criminal record.
• Example B
– Three effects of widespread poverty include a
higher crime rate, low student achievement, and
higher drug use.