C h a p t e r 6
Cause and Effect
T
he cause-and-effect method of development works well for analyzing a situation
from one of two directions. First, it works for examining the cause or causes of
a situation. A writer may be answering questions such as, “What caused these rock
formations?” “How did the incumbent lose the election?” “Why did the City Council
reject the petition for rezoning?” “What makes a lathe work?” The result is known,
and cause and effect is the best method of development to explain what brought it
about—the cause, the why, the how.
Second, the cause-and-effect method of development works well for examining the
effect or effects of a situation. A writer may be answering questions such as, “What
will happen if PCBs are spilled into the river above the city’s water intake?” “How do
FCC regulations affect what the television viewer sees?” “What happens if I overdraw
my checking account?” “How will safety glasses protect me during certain industrial
processes?” The cause is known, and cause and effect is the best method of develop-
ment to explain the result, the effect.
CHARACTERISTICS
Usually a cause-and-effect paper, either a paragraph or longer, includes
-^ an analysis of the cause or causes of a specific effect,
-^ an analysis of the effect or effects of a specific cause, or, in a really complicated
paper,
-^ an analysis of both the cause(s) and the effect(s) of a specific situation, and, in
any case,
-^ evidence of clear, logical relationships.
In addition to clearly established cause-and-effect relationships, a cause-and-effect
paper also
-^ begins with a good introduction,
-^ includes a clear topic or thesis sentence [see topic sentence and thesis sentence
in the Glossary],
-^ shows clear organization,
-^ uses effective transitional devices [see transitions in the Glossary],
-^ develops clear supporting details [see specific detail in the Glossary],