Page 458 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing
P. 458
as in “Many members of my generation are bored and cynical
because everything—material possessions, good grades, and even
the respect of others—has come to them too easily.”
A cause-effect essay might be written in response to any of the
following questions.
What are the causes of violence in schools?
What are the major effects of stress?
What are some of the reasons that people fear growing old?
Identifying Causes and Effects
A cause is a reason. If you are asking a “why” question, the answer is
probably a cause. Why do toilets flush in a counterclockwise spiral
north of the equator and in a clockwise spiral south of it? Why did I do
so poorly on my history test? Why did the chicken cross the road?
From the scientific to the silly, these “why” questions can be answered
by finding reasons or causes.
Laying the Groundwork for Cause-
Effect Writing
