Cause and Effect Essay
Things happen because something causes them to happen. A car stops working because it runs out of gas; a flashlight stops working because the battery is dead. Everything has a cause and an unavoidable effect.
Step 1: Choose a Topic
- Based off the readings we have done for the course so far – violence in sports, drugs/addiction – and consider a relationship under those topics.
- Look for what causes something to happen, or what results from something (the effects). Your essay will be about ONE or the OTHER – either just the causes, or just the effects.
- Please do not try to do both (it’s too much information for this essay).
Some sample topics include the following (you can come up with your own. These are just to get the ideas rolling):
- What are the effects of sports injuries?
- What are the effects of violence in sports on children?
- What causes a person to become addicted to nicotine?
- What are the effects of legalizing mushrooms?
- What are the effects of sugar (an addictive substance) on the body?
Step 2: Determine the purpose and write a thesis statement for the essay (this purpose can be written out as the thesis).
- Please review thesis statements in the PowerPoint posted on Canvas.
- Decide if you wish to write an essay that focuses more on the causes of something or the effects of something. Pick one.
- Keep the thesis statement focused on your topic.
Step 3: Make a Plan or an Outline.
- This must be printed to be handed in.
- Use the attached pages (below) to help you create a plan.
- Use the page after that to help you create an outline.
- Show a clear if…then…connection. Make sure you don’t just stay on the surface. Go in to deeper, more in-depth causes & effects.
- While this is not graded, it will assist you in keeping your paper organized as you write it.
Step 4: Do research.
- Find at least one external source to support your claims. This source can be one of the readings you read for class, if you wish.
- You will need to cite this source in MLA format at the end of your essay.
- Refer to your handbook to help with this, or consider OWL Purdue or EasyBib for additional sources to assist with it.
- You will need to use at least one quote from your outside source, cited in-text in MLA format.
Step 5: Write the rough draft, including an introduction and a conclusion.
- The Rough Draft must be printed to be handed in.
- Rough Draft must be handed in on time in order to be able to participate in the Peer Review Activity and receive points for it.
Step 6: Have the essay reviewed by a peer.
- We will be doing a peer review online through the Rough Draft assignment.
- You will be automatically assigned 2 peer reviews after the rough draft due date.
- You must submit the rough draft in order to participate in the peer reviews.
Step 7: Edit the essay for grammar and punctuation. Watch out for errors with commas, apostrophes, and fragment & run-on sentences especially.
Other Important Info:
- The essay is worth 100 points.
- Length: 800-1000 words (approximately 2-3 pages, typed, double-spaced).
- If the essay is not at least 800 words long, points will be deducted.
- The essay may go up to 1500 words in length. If the essay exceeds this length, points will be deducted.
- Include a word count at the bottom of the final page (NOT every page, just the final page).
- If you do not include a word count, 2 points will be deducted from your final score.
Final Essay Must be in Standard MLA Formatting:
- Typed, double-spaced
- 12-point, Times New Roman Font
- 1” margins all the way around
- No cover page.
- A header (top right) with student last name and page number on every page but the first page.
- A proper heading on the top left of the first page. Heading includes student name, instructor name, course, date (in that order, from top down, each on their own line).
- A clever essay title in between the heading and the first paragraph. Essay titles should not be bolded, italicized, or underlined. They should be in the same format and font size as the rest of the essay. They should not be quotes. They should be justified: center (highlight the title and click ctrl+e).
- No extra spaces between paragraphs.
- Paragraphs are indented (Tabbed) in at the beginning.
- Include a Works Cited page for your one source. This must be in standard MLA format.
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