Cause and Effect / 61-^ An analysis of the impact of World War II on an industry may take an order-of-
importance approach (either from most important to least or least important
to most).
-^ A descriptive analysis of the effects of a tornado may take a spatial approach,
following the path of destruction (for example, from southwest to northeast).
STEP 7: Prewriting—Checking the Logic
The following flaws in thinking can occur in the development of a cause-and-effect
paper
-^ a cause-and-effect relationship based only on a time relationship,
-^ a cause-and-effect relationship based upon coincidence,
-^ a cause-and-effect relationship simplified by citing only the immediate causes
when more remote causes are equally important.
To deal with these potential logic problems, try these three suggestions:
Suggestion 1. Sometimes Situation B appears to be caused by Situation A simply
because A happened before B. But merely because an earthquake occurred imme-
diately after a heated argument does not mean that the argument caused the earth-
quake. Be sure the cause-and-effect relationship you analyze depends on more than
a time relationship.
Suggestion 2. Sometimes an analysis breaks down because the writer finds what
seems to be more than a time relationship but in fact is merely coincidence. A court
of law would label such an analysis as circumstantial. For instance, if a monkey
plays with a camera long enough, it may manage to take a decent picture. The pic-
ture, however, is not proof that the monkey has learned how to take pictures. It is
only coincidence. Do not include what may be coincidence as primary evidence of
causes or effects.
Suggestion 3. Certainly any analysis must cope with recent and more remote causes
and effects. The length of your paper determines how far back or forward you can
take your analysis. The real problem, however, occurs when the writer looks at
remote causes or distant effects instead of recent ones. While indeed a serious auto-
mobile accident was ultimately caused by the invention of the automobile, such a
remote cause is ridiculous in light of the immediate cause: The driver ran a stop
sign. Be sure your analysis deals with recent causes and effects, delving into the
remote past or distant future only as logic and space allow.