Cause and Effect Essay: Step-By-Step Writing Guide

What Is a Cause and Effect Essay: Definition and Purpose

A cause and effect essay is a type of academic writing that defines a causal relationship between two objects, events or phenomena. Its main purpose is to explain the impact of one thing on another one. Writing a paper on causal topics requires a clear definition of the cause-and-effect link. This means that students should identify such situation and share their opinion on the consequences.

To prepare for the writing process, you should conduct preliminary research. Prewriting includes 3 preparatory stages:  

• Choosing an appropriate causal situation
• Defining roots and consequences of some phenomena
• Offering solutions for negative impact (if there is any).

This information will be enough to cover any issue. But it will take time to prepare necessary evidence. You should use all available sources and write a plan for your paper. Make sure that the accuracy of the received information is beyond doubt.

To make your work simpler, you should determine the topic you are particularly interested in. Preparing a project that you aren’t passionate about is a huge mistake that any professional can easily see. Keep reading to find out what makes a cause and effect essay successful and how to write it with ease.  

In case you are looking for other essays such as problem and solution essays, browse one more of our blogs.

How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay

Writing a cause and effect essay requires studying all important details thoroughly since there is no other way to get a comprehensive view of the situation. Students should make the list of reasons for a particular event, and then share observations in a logical order.

Here’re several useful suggestions that will help you get started:  

1. Have a brainstorming session. Consider social movements, historical events, or recent trends to come up with an excellent cause and effect essay topic.
2. Do preliminary research. Research allows you to see what material is available on your topic and helps get the whole picture.
3. Build an effective thesis statement. Identify a causal relationship and write your essay on the basis of your thesis.
4. Jot down your main points. This basically means preparing an outline which will be discussed further in this blog post.
5. Write your rough draft. Expand the critical points listed in your outline to write the draft of your essay.

Keep in mind that it’s you whose work’s result depends on, so make sure that you have prepared convincing arguments.

Create Cause and Effect Essay Outline

Writing an informative piece begins with searching for an unusual topic. But it doesn’t mean that you won’t have to do anything else. Your task is to attract the readers’ attention, and this is impossible to achieve without preparing a structured cause and effect essay outline. Start by developing an informative plan, including these sections:

1. Introduction At the beginning, provide some memorable fact or news to attract attention. Provide some background and define your thesis statement.
2. Main body The main task is to convince readers that a chosen causal relationship matters. Specify the reason and how it affects some object or event. Use convincing arguments and don’t forget about the reliability of your information.
3. Conclusion Wrap up the main causes and effects and explain the significance of your topic. You may leave an open question for further consideration.

Forget about literally copying ideas from other sources. Your paper will be successful if you support each assumption with arguments. The focus on credibility is an important requirement that will enable you to make the right impression.

Cause and Effect Essay Structure

A cause and effect essay structure doesn’t differ from the rules of organizing your ideas in other text forms. Students are still required to come up with an introduction, the main points for body paragraphs, and summarize all presented information. Each block should resonate with your thesis.

Generally, a cause and effect essay follows a 5 paragraph essay outline. However, the number of body paragraphs depends on the number of main points. Sometimes, one thing may have multiple effects. In this case, you should be prepared to create more paragraphs.

Your finished text must be clear from speculation and guesses. Compiling a cause-and-effect chain is mandatory for the academic paper as well.  

Cause and Effect Essay Introduction

Typically, a cause and effect essay introduction includes such elements:

• Hook
• Background information
• Thesis statement.

While working on your introduction, keep in mind that you will need to come up with the hook in an essay that will attract your audience’s attention. Then, you should provide some context to get readers familiar with your subject. Finally, you will develop your thesis statement listing causes and effects that will be discussed.

If you still don’t have any ideas how to start a cause and effect essay, we recommend reading these tips:  

1. Avoid using parenthetical words. The phrases that will be used in the introduction can be deadly boring, so exclude such expressions as “as everyone knows” or “nowadays”.
2. Prepare several interesting facts or news. The best introduction you can come up with includes fascinating details. Thus, you will be able to get any attention you want.
3. Remember your main idea. Don’t deviate from the chosen topic. Be concise and stay on point.

A successful introduction should follow these common recommendations. So make sure you don’t skip our suggestions. Can't work those entire cause-and-effect writing out yet? Don't worry, professional college essay writers are always there for you.

Cause and Effect Essay Body: Block Method

The most difficult thing about writing a cause and effect essay is that readers may not follow all arguments and proofs. To save your work from possible confusion, you can structure your essay using body paragraphs. There are 2 methods to arrange your ideas in your main body:

• Block method
• Chain method.

The idea behind the block method is to provide arguments that are related to causes of events, and, then, use some evidence to show the effects. With this method, you can divide causal information into several blocks. This can simplify perception of your paper. You will get something like this:

• Body paragraph 1
  • Cause 1
  • Cause 2
• Body paragraph 2
  • Effect 1
  • Effect 2

It’s somewhat difficult for beginners to write a cause and effect essay body using this method. There may be too much space between the reasons and effects. However, using this method helps you eliminate any possible confusion in readers.

Make a short outline of your presentation and use it to think over some basic structure. This trick will help you focus on the main facts and unbiasedly assess any situation.  

Cause and Effect Essay Body: Chain Method

Chain method is another way to organize information in a cause and effect essay body. Unlike the block method, building a chain is much easier for beginners. Since great attention is paid to cause-and-effect links, you should use an appropriate practical chain method. By choosing this option, you can sort out all arguments without missing any important details.

Here’s how it will look like:  

• Block method
• Chain method.

The idea behind the block method is to provide arguments that are related to causes of events, and, then, use some evidence to show the effects. With this method, you can divide causal information into several blocks. This can simplify perception of your paper. You will get something like this:

• Body paragraph 1
  • Effect
  • Cause
• Body paragraph 2
  • Cause
  • Effect

By following this step-by-step cause and effect description in your project, you’ll be able to select a course and follow it throughout your whole work. As a result, you will draw up the main body that is structured according to academic requirements.

You will be able to focus on a certain thought thanks to a clear understanding of your motives. This approach has been developed for students to choose the main idea first and only then proceed to writing their essay. Still, reasons and consequences do not take a back seat since an essay’s structure is united by some common idea.  

Cause and Effect Essay Conclusion

Cause and effect essay conclusion is probably the easiest section. Here, students don't have to introduce any new ideas. You will deal with an entirely different task – summarizing your critical points. Make sure you include these details:

• Summary of main ideas
• Reworded thesis statement
• Food for thought.

Since your goal is to study cause-and-effect links, a conclusion is a great section to make some analysis. Students should organize their writing so that readers won’t have any questions after reading it. This being said, your final paragraph should confirm your thesis statement expressed in an introduction. In case you still have some questions, find an appropriate conclusion essay example.

Tips for Writing a Cause and Effect Essay

To make writing a cause and effect essay bring the result you need, use these simple tips:

• Look through different cause and effect essay topics. Choosing an unusual one is your lucky ticket, so you should use sensational details.
• Listed arguments should confirm your thesis and fit logically into the structure.
• Use striking examples to demonstrate cause-and-effect relationships.
• Study the existing opinions and make your choice. If you have a different point of view, find some evidence.
• Before submitting your paper, proofread it for grammar and stylistic mistakes.
• Make your essay title succinct and memorable. However, avoid long titles.

If you aren’t sure about the chosen topic, consult your professor. An expert opinion will help you choose a different direction and achieve the result you need. An irrelevant work is much worse than the one written with errors.

>> Read more: How to Write an Essay

Cause and Effect Essay Examples

Sometimes, all you need is good cause and effect essay examples. Luckily, we have lots of samples available on our website. Feel free to explore our collection of examples in the Sample section or check our ready-made essay below. Use this beautiful opportunity to save your time looking for essays. Alongside cause & effect, StudyCrumb proposes pretty great help with essay of any complexity.

Cause and Effect Essays: Final Thoughts

It takes some effort and practice to master your cause/effect essay writing skills. Choosing a topic, preparing an outline, and searching for reliable arguments takes much time. You can achieve your goal by composing an essay using our guide.