How to Write Cause and Effect Essay Step by Step

It will be helpful for you to read all about this type of paper if, after your professor has given you an assignment, you are wondering, “What is a cause and effect essay?” Among young people, there is a widespread opinion that writing a good essay about causes and effects is comparable with the name of a famous movie: “Mission: Impossible”. Choose a good topic, think a little about the points and use your mind — that is the recipe of a well-prepared cause and effect essay. Let us help you to speed up this process.

What’s so special about a cause and effect essay?

A cause and effect essay represents just exactly what its title suggests — the main purpose of this paper is to explain what the reasons are for a special problem and then state what the possible consequences are of this problem. First of all, you should clearly understand what both “cause” and “effect” mean (considering them separately). A cause is usually conceived as a phenomenon, the outcome of which produces, determines or causes another phenomenon—the latter can be defined as an effect. Joined together, the cause and effect process represents a fundamental law of nature and the basic logical category of connection.

These are the main types of effects and causes you should take into consideration: primary, contributory, remote, and immediate.

Are you worried about the question of how to write a cause and effect essay step by step? The last additional point that will be addressed before going to the structure and writing stages is the types of cause and effect essays. Even though we are accustomed to the fact that the cause and the effect are in tandem, students can easily get confused by the terms, as it is quite a common situation for students to be required to write an essay either about causes or effects of some phenomenon. Regarding this, please note that a cause and effect essay reflects the type of relation (logic connection) between issues in the text. However, there can be several types of this kind of link — for example, there might be several causes that contribute to a single effect and vice versa. Compare the following cause and effect links:

Causes — being good at languages; admiring world-known authors; taking part in several literature contests.
Effect — the decision to enter a bachelor program in literature.

Cause — medical reform.
Effects — lower prices for insurance and medicines; greater availability for various population groups; increase in the number of working hours for medical workers.

Video guide about cause and effect essays

In 2023, we are more likely to look for information not in written form but in graphic and visual sources. Why is that? Over the decade of digitalization, people have become accustomed to this way of thinking, and now we first look for all guides and explanations on YouTube, Google, etc. After watching a video guide on how to write cause and effect essays, you can imagine yourself not just as a student who could understand such a complex type of academic writing but also as a writer. The guide from our essay writing service is convenient and easy to understand because it contains all the necessary information in the most concise way. Watch the video and create your cause and effect essay format to get a decent grade and turn in your work on time.

Cause and effect essay writing structure

The basic structure of cause and effect essays is just the same as the traditional structure of any essay writing types, with an attractive introduction, reasonable body, and clear conclusion. At the same time, depending on the topic and the mentioned types of papers you may use three patterns of construction for your future cause and effect essay. It can tell you how to write a cause and effect essay.

The first type of structure is the Multiple Causes & Effect structure.

In this particular type, each paragraph is devoted to one of the causes and can be supported with the minor ideas. Here, your attention should be paid to the explanation of both major and minor points, which should be written in an understandable manner.

In this case, the thesis statement is presented in this form: the phenomenon is caused by Cause 1, Cause 2, Cause 3.

Multiple causes and effect body paragraphs structure

When you are using the Multiple Causes & Effect structure, your draft will look like this:

I. Cause 1
A. Minor idea 1.1
B. Minor idea 1.2
II. Cause 2
A. Minor idea 2.1
B. Minor idea 2.2
III. Cause 3
A. Minor idea 3.1
B. Minor idea 3.2

Cause and multiple effects essay writing structure

The second type of structure is called Cause & Multiple effects.

How to start a cause and effect essay? If the topic assumes that there are several effects of a single issue, the first step is to identify all of the issues or at least several of them. This structure also suggests to group effects connected with each other in two or three main points. Do not forget to give examples and explanations to each thought.

Cause and multiple effects body paragraphs

The general cause and effect essay outline for this type of paper will be:

Thesis statement for cause and effect essay: Phenomenon has three groups of effects.

I. Group 1
A. Effect 1.1
B. Effect 1.2
II. Group 2
A. Effect 2.1
B. Effect 2.2
III. Group 3
A. Effect 3.1
B. Effect 3.2

Causal chain effect essay writing structure

The third cause and effect essay structure you can use while working on your cause and effect essay is called the Causal chain / Domino effect.

This pattern presents a situation when each effect becomes a cause for the next one. This scheme is really similar to dominoes (especially when you need to discuss the causes and effects of some negative issue — you may draw a parallel with the falling domino chain).

In this pattern, the events lead to one another, as in the following organization:

Cause 1 leads to Effect 1.
Effect 1 (Cause 2) leads to Effect 2.
Effect 2 (Cause 3) leads to Effect 3.

The Thesis Statement for this case in the general form can be represented as follows: Cause 1 leads to Effect 3.

The biggest challenge for this type of structure for a cause and effect essay is to sustain the logic while proving the main idea. At the same time, this pattern is the most creative and gives an opportunity to prove even “the most insane” theories and connections.

Stages of writing a cause and effect essay

Follow these steps to create a great cause and effect essay:

1) Choose an event or a phenomenon to analyze. Make sure you clearly understand the difference between causes or effects. Causes are the answers to the question “Why did this happen?” while effects can be understood after asking yourself “What happened because of this?”
2) Create an essay introduction that lets readers understand the general purpose of your cause and effect essay.
3) Write your thesis statement. List the causes and/or effects, as it will give your reader the view of the situation. Also, highlight whether you will discuss causes, effects, or both in the statement, and do not be afraid to use terms “cause” and “effect”.
4) Create the body of your essay. Adhere to a clear structure for the essay, and do not forget to explain every idea (cause or effect) and find supporting ideas. The paragraphs can be organized either in chronological order or in order of importance.
5) Use appropriate transitions. As it was already mentioned, a cause and effect essay is based on the fundamental law of the nature and logic of thinking, therefore each idea should be properly connected to another one.
6) Make a conclusion. Include not just the summary of the whole paper, but explain why this analysis was important. Explain what the practical application or possible solution is to the problem.

Guidelines and tightening your essay

From the previous section of this guide, you know that the process of creating a cause and effect essay starts similarly to other types of essays with the choice of what to write about. Here is a list of good topic examples for essays:

1. Does attending institutions of higher education cause people to have better marriages?
2. Why has the poverty level in the United States increased in the twenty-first century?
3. What are the causes of the rapid rise in overweight and obese young adults in the United States in the last twenty years?
4. Why did Google become the most popular search tool?

You can modify them with the help of AI essay writer free tool if you can’t cope on your own.

Useful transition words and phrases

It was already highlighted that the correct presentation of thoughts and ideas is the primary condition for a successful cause and effect essay. Below you can find phrases and transitional words for cause and effect essay that will help you to master your writing.

– in the event that
– granted (that)
– as / so long as
– on (the) condition (that)
– for the purpose of
– because of, as, since, while, lest
– in case, provided that, so as to, owing to, inasmuch as, due to
– hence
– consequently
– therefore
– thereupon
– forthwith
– accordingly
– henceforth

Mistakes to avoid while writing a cause and effect essay

Check the list of common mistakes most students make in their writing to make sure you avoid them:

1. Using an interrogative form for the thesis statement. Students often forget to rewrite a thesis to sound like a statement, not a question. Remember, the main purpose of the thesis is to express your opinion, not to ask your readers.
2. Making the thesis is too long. A thesis by its cause and effect essay definition is capacious, but not a long statement. Distinguish the conclusion from the arguments (within the sentence) and do not paint the thesis on the whole sheet.
3. Being uncertain. Do not use the thesis for further polemics — the reader should easily trace the chain of your thought and its ending.
4. Emphasizing quantity over quality. Students often make attempts to find as many causes and effects as possible without discussing each of them in sufficient volume.
5. Paying excessive attention to the details of one single cause and/or effect.
6. Being inconsistent. If in the one paragraph you use a link with another reason, make sure that this reason was described above. Do not confuse the logical connection, running ahead.

Cause and effect essay writing checklist

And now we move to the traditional checklist for your essay. Reread it as you listen to these questions to make sure everything is perfect:

• Does the essay have a focus on causes, effects, or both? Is there a clear indication of this information?
• Check whether the thesis statement clearly identifies the focus of the essay. Also, ask yourself if the thesis statement is free from typical mistakes.
• Did you consider all suitable causes or effects? Is there something you have forgotten or, on the contrary, some ideas that should be omitted? Check if some irrelevant causes or effects were included.
• Is the logical chain maintained? Is the chosen order of arranging causes and effects the most effective one?
• Check whether you used enough transitions and all of them were used properly.
• Did you explain each cause and effect clearly and convincingly? Are there additional examples or details needed?
• Finally, check the conclusion for cause and effect essay. Did you summarize all of the ideas?
• Did you prove the cause and effect connection between trigger and points? If it was appropriate, check whether.

Cause and effect essay topics from experts

If you have an example of several cause and effect essay topics, it will be easier for you to come up with something for yourself. Inspired by ready-made themes, you can write a significant task and adjust the topic for yourself if one of them appeals to you. Check out the topics we have prepared for you and start working on your essay.

1. What are the consequences of pollution?
2. Effect of alcohol on the CNS.
3. What leads women to frequent co-dependent relationships?
4. What impact does social media have on the younger generation?
5. What causes racism?
6. How exactly does traveling around the world affect a person’s life?
7. What causes stress in college and university students?
8. What does growing up in poverty lead to?
9. How does the lack of water as a resource affect people?
10. What causes bullying on the Internet?

Sample cause and effect essay

Sometimes the easiest way to write any task is if we have an example of a correctly written work of high quality. The sample cause and effect essay will help you see precisely what your assignment should look like and see the correct structure, format, and presentation of information. Read the example, get inspired by the cause and effect essay sample, and then write a good paper and get a decent grade.

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FAQ about cause and effect essays

• How can I write a cause and effect essay?

This type of essay requires critical thinking and a clear understanding of the topic. To correctly state this in a paper, you need to analyze the topic, study various sources, write a plan for the cause and effect essay structure, and decide on the main theses and critical thoughts. You can always ask for help from our professional service and use our experts’ articles on the blog of our website.

• What is the structure of a cause and effect essay?

In general, the structure of cause and effect essays is the same as the traditional structure of any academic paper. And it consists of an intriguing introduction, an exciting body, and a well-formed conclusion. This type of essay has three types by which you can build the structure of your assignment, which you can read in detail in our blog post. Please look at our sample essay and develop your project on inspiration.

• How do you write a cause and effect essay?

To write a high-quality essay, the authors of our service conduct a detailed study of the topic, prescribe a straightforward and clear plan, and create fundamental theses and everything that should be in an academic essay. Thanks to their education and experience, it will not be difficult for professional service writers to write an essay on any topic. You can see for yourself their professionalism by reading an example essay from them or by starting cooperation with them by filling out an application.

• How can I choose cause and effect essay topics?

Choosing a topic on your own is not as easy as it seems because the result depends heavily on this stage. To select a great topic, you need to find your strengths in the discipline, remember what interests you, and choose a topic that will cover both your knowledge and interest. This way, you can write a captivating and exciting paper that can qualify for a good grade. And if you have any difficulties, you can look at the topics offered by our experts or ask them to help you with an essay.