NROC Developmental English Foundations

Creating an Outline for a Cause and Effect Essay

Learning Objective:

Create an outline for a cause and effect essay.

LESSON
Among the most common college writing assignments is the cause and effect essayAn essay that covers why and/or how something happened. This type of essay requires that an event or action led to one or more consequences.. You may be asked to examine a cause, in other words, a thing or person that is the source or origin of certain effects. Effects can take the form of actionsA thing that is done, or the process of doing it., phenomenaHappenings or facts that can be observed. , statesThe condition that something is in., problems, illnesses, environments, and so forth. Regardless of the cause and effect you select, the development of an outlineA preliminary plan for a piece of a writing, often in the form of a list. It should include a topic, audience, purpose, thesis statement, and main and supporting points. is helpful. In this lesson, you will learn the two primary methods for organizing a cause and effect essay and how to select the method that best suits your subject matter.

Determining the Relationships Between Cause and Effect

It is important to understand what is cause and what is effect. While this may appear obvious in some cases, it is not always so. A cause may have multiple effects; a cause may in turn become an effect, as well.

For example:

I have decided to prepare breakfast for my family. While frying the bacon, I knock several eggs off the countertop. As I reach for a towel to clean up the mess, the dog jumps on the counter and knocks the sizzling bacon pan from the stove. Hot oil spills everywhere, burning my hands. The bacon also lands in the egg mess and becomes inedible. Breakfast is ruined and I am injured.

What is the cause of these effects? The initial cause of the accident could be said to be the falling of the eggs onto the floor. If that had not happened, the narrator would not have reached for a towel, giving the dog the opportunity to knock the pan of hot grease over. However, that effect—the dog knocking over the hot grease—is also a cause. The dog knocking over the hot grease led to severe hand burns. This is another effect. The dog knocking over the hot grease caused the bacon to fall into a puddle of uncooked egg, rendering it inedible. This is yet another effect. The effect is that breakfast was ruined and the narrator was injured.

This scenario is just one demonstration of the complexity of cause and effect and is often referred to as a causal chainA series of events, each triggered by the one before. Causal chains have three parts: the initial cause, the final consequence, and all the steps that link the cause to the effect. Also called "the domino effect.", or domino effectA sequence of events, each triggered by the one before. Another name for a causal chain, the domino effect, refers to the result of pushing over the first domino in a row of them - one domino knocks over the domino next to it, which falls and knocks over the domino next to it, and so on., because a string of events building on each other leads to a final effect. This complexity is another reason why organizing your thoughts and ideas into an outline prior to writing a cause and effect essay is essential. Without adequate planning, you might miss an event in the causal chain or fail to make relationships between events in the causal chain clear.

There are two major ways to organize a cause and effect essay: many effects stem from one cause or many causes lead to one effect.

1. Many effects stem from one cause.

In this type of essay, you are outlining all the effects stemming from a single cause. It is critical as you approach a cause and effect essay that you make the relationships between the effects and cause clear, as in the preceding example. If you address many causes at the same time as many effects, it will be unclear to the reader how they are connected to each other.

Example:

Cause: Childhood obesity

Effects: A number of immediate and long-term health and psychosocial effects

Outline:

Introductory Paragraph
1. Thesis statement: Today's parents have an obligation to help their children maintain a healthy weight because childhood obesity presents a number of negative health and psychosocial effects, both immediately and in the future.
Body Paragraphs (Effects)
1. Immediate Effects
  1. Health Effects
    1. Obesity can result in the development of cardiovascular diseases, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
    2. Obesity can put children in danger of pre-diabetes, a condition linked to increased potential for development of diabetes.
    3. Obesity is linked to sleep apnea, a condition that contributes to insomnia, fatigue, and mental illness.
    4. Obesity is known to negatively impact bones and joints.
    5. Obesity contributes to a child's inability to participate in vital physical activities.
  2. Psychosocial Effects
    1. Obesity has the potential to bring on increased feelings of sadness, low self-esteem, and depression.
    2. Obesity (and its related effects of hypertension and sleep apnea) can lead to anxiety.
    3. Obesity may negatively influence the forming of essential peer groups and create a difficulty forming friendships.
    4. Obesity may give rise to feelings of isolation due to the inability to participate in vital physical activities with schoolmates or peers.
    5. Obese children are more likely to be bullied by their schoolmates or peers.
2. Long-term Effects
  1. Health Effects
    1. Obesity is associated with higher rates of heart disease later in life.
    2. Obese children are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes as adults.
    3. Obesity increases the likelihood of adult stroke.
    4. Obesity is linked to the adult development of osteoarthritis.
    5. Children who are obese are at greater risk for continued obesity as adults.
  2. Psychosocial Effects
    1. Obesity increases the risk of long-term depression.
    2. Obesity increases the risk for long-term anxiety.
    3. Obese individuals experience increased loneliness due to difficulty in forming and sustaining long-term relationships.
    4. Obese individuals are more likely to experience social isolation.
    5. Obesity often invites criticism and judgment from peers, coworkers, family members, and communities at large.
Concluding Paragraph
1. Childhood obesity contributes to a number of dangerous, damaging, and potentially unavoidable short- and long-term physical, psychological, and social effects. Parents have the opportunity to encourage and foster healthful eating and exercise habits in their children so as to avoid the devastating consequences of childhood obesity.

As you can see in this outline, a number of immediate and long-term health and psychosocial effects (many effects) stem from childhood obesity (one cause). If you choose to organize your essay in this manner, it is important to clarify for your reader that while there could be multiple causes for the discussed effects, your essay is focused on one specific cause. For example, there are many potential causes of the effects listed in the outline, but this essay is focused on childhood obesity as the cause of those effects.

2. Many causes lead to one effect.

In this type of essay, you are outlining all the causes leading to a single effect. Again, avoid including more than one effect or it will be unclear which cause led to which effect.

For example:

Effect: childhood obesity

Causes: cost and availability of healthy foods, changes in the education system (increased seat time and decreased recess/gym), changes in family structure, and perception of decreased safety

Outline:

Introductory Paragraph
1. Thesis statement: While many are quick to blame fast food and television for juvenile obesity, the actual causes are more varied and complex.
Body Paragraphs (Causes)
1. Providing nutritious meals for children is difficult due to the unavailability of healthy foods.
  1. Many American families survive on minimum wage, making purchasing healthful foods financially difficult.
  2. Many poor urban areas lack grocery stores.
  3. Many poor urban areas are overrun with inexpensive and unhealthful fast-food restaurants.
2. Changes in education are associated with increased rates of childhood obesity.
  1. Many schools, particularly in poor urban areas, can no longer afford to offer "special" courses, including physical education and after-school sports activities.
  2. Schools have decreased recess time and increased seat time in order to extend study time for state tests.
  3. School food is often unbalanced and unhealthy.
3. Changes in the family structure have contributed to a more sedentary lifestyle for children.
  1. More families are comprised of single parents and/or dual working parents, leading to an increased number of "latch key" kids who are unable to play outside after school.
  2. More families are comprised of parents who must work more than one job in order to support their children, leading to children's participation in sedentary afterschool programs or being left in the care of individuals who are unable to oversee outdoor playtime.
4. Society's perception of decreased safety has led to a decrease in children's outdoor playtime.
  1. There is an increased number of Amber alerts (reports of child abductions).
  2. Twenty-four-hour news coverage with headline stories of child abduction, inciting greater fear among parents and families.
  3. While incidents of child abduction have actually decreased, parents are still unwilling to let children play outside.
Concluding Paragraph
1. While society's view of childhood obesity remains biased, there are in actuality a variety of causes contributing to the phenomenon that must be examined more closely.

In this outline, the cost and availability of healthy foods, changes in the education system, family structure, and perception of decreased safety (many causes) lead to childhood obesity (one effect) that the writer will develop when he or she writes this essay.

+ PRACTICAL APPLICATION+ EXAMPLE

Here is what a many effects stem from one cause outline might look like for the topic of cigarette smoking and teens.

Cigarette Smoking Among Teens and Immediate/Lifelong Physical Illness

Introductory Paragraph
1. Thesis statement: While teenage smoking may be on the decline, smoking as a teenager presents a number of immediate and future negative health effects associated with the nicotine, tar, and carcinogens found in smoked tobacco.
Body Paragraphs (Effects)
1. Immediate Health Effects
  1. Recent studies have linked early cigarette smoking with damage to genetic materials related to the development of cancer.
  2. Not only does the act of smoking a cigarette lead to a nearly instantaneous spike in blood pressure, it can result in increased blood pressure overall.
  3. The nicotine released during cigarette smoking increases the smoker's heart rate and can result in increased heart rate overall.
  4. Cigarette smoking has been linked to headaches, including being a trigger for migraines.
  5. Cigarette smoking decreases the blood flow to the smoker's extremities, an effect that can contribute to cardiovascular problems.
  6. Cigarette smoking often triggers coughing, bronchial spasms, and difficulty breathing.
  7. Cigarette smoking increases the likelihood of bad breath.
  8. Cigarette smoking has been linked to an increased likelihood of teenage acne and other skin problems.
2. Long-term Health Effects
  1. Those who begin smoking at an early age—adolescence—are much more likely to become lifelong smokers.
  2. Cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke, increased blood pressure, and arterial blockages that restrict blood flow to the arms and legs, are long-term risks of smoking cigarettes.
  3. Heart conditions, such as coronary heart disease, blocked arteries, and heart attacks are associated with cigarette smoking.
  4. Smokers are at greater risk of developing respiratory diseases, such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, and lung cancer.
  5. Smoking increases the likelihood of cancer in many organs beside just the lungs; for example, the esophagus, liver, pancreas, and stomach.
  6. Smoking increases the likelihood of damage to tooth enamel, tooth staining, tooth loss, and gum disease.
  7. Smoking increases the likelihood of premature and increased skin damage, including discoloration and wrinkles.
  8. Cigarette smoking is associated with approximately twenty percent of all deaths in the United States each year.
Concluding Paragraph
1. Teenage smoking increases the potential for individuals to become adult and/or lifelong smokers, a habit that is associated with a number of dangerous, debilitating, and often deadly health issues. It is our responsibility, as a society, to do what we can to discourage teenage smoking so as to decrease the disease burden brought on by cigarette smoking and improve the overall health of our communities.

Here is what a many causes lead to one effect outline might look like for this topic.

Cigarette Smoking Among Teens and Immediate/Lifelong Physical Illness

Introductory Paragraph
1. Thesis statement: While many attribute the phenomenon of teenage smoking to advertising to minors, smoking in television shows and movies, and peer pressure, the actual causes are more varied and complex.
Body Paragraphs (Causes)
1. The "taboo" nature of smoking may attract teenagers looking for ways to rebel.
  1. Many adolescents seek ways to "act out," i.e. to engage in attention-getting behaviors. Smoking may be one of those behaviors.
  2. While smoking is less socially acceptable among teenage peer groups, it may appeal even more to those teens feeling alienated by their peer groups.
2. Cigarettes are readily available to minors.
  1. Although cigarettes are kept behind store counters today, and businesses are heavily fined for not checking identification of purchasers, there remain stores that bend those rules and sell tobacco to minors.
  2. Young teen smokers can have their older peers, friends, siblings, or co-workers purchase their cigarettes.
  3. Children of smokers have access to their parents' cigarettes.
  4. Some tobacco can now be purchased online, with motivated teenagers able to find ways to bypass regulatory and safety systems.
3. Cigarettes are highly and quickly addictive.
  1. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance.
  2. Nicotine provides an enjoyable rush of pleasure and stress relief, often making it a substance upon which people become quickly dependent.
4. Teenage smokers who wish to quit may feel there are few resources available to them.
  1. They may be hesitant to ask their parents for help out of fear of punishment or disappointment.
  2. Addiction remains a highly stigmatized issue in our culture, eliciting embarrassment and shame.
  3. Teenagers may lack the financial resources to seek their own smoking cessation treatment.
  4. Teenagers may not wish to take advantage of health insurance programs around quitting smoking for fear of parental knowledge.
Concluding Paragraph
1. While there remains a societal perception that what keeps teenagers smoking is the glamorization of the act by Hollywood and Joe Camel, in actuality, there are a variety of causes contributing to the continued phenomenon that must be examined more closely.

+ YOUR TURN

Develop your own outlines for a cause and effect essay by creating both a many effects stem from one cause outline and a many causes lead to one effect outline.

Choose from one of these subjects:

A) Cell phone use while driving

B) Procrastination

C) Divorce

D) Bullying

Develop a many effects stem from one cause outline.

Sample Answer

Cell Phone Usage and Car Accidents

Introductory Paragraph
1. Thesis statement: The use of cellular telephones while driving is illegal in some states. Regardless, people continue to remove one or both hands from the wheel while driving in order to talk and/or text on their cell phones. This practice is associated with a number of negligent, reckless, dangerous, and deadly effects.
Body Paragraphs (Effects)
1. Negligent
  1. Using a cell phone to converse or text while driving is distracting to the driver.
  2. Drivers are less likely to pay as close attention to their surroundings, driving conditions, and other cars when on their cell phones.
  3. Drivers may be less likely to hear emergency vehicles while using a cell phone.
  4. Drivers may drive faster than the speed limit due to failure to see speed limit postings.
2. Reckless
  1. Most drivers are taught to place both hands on the steering wheel while operating their car. Using a handheld device requires removing one or both hands from the wheel.
  2. By not gripping the steering wheel with both hands, drivers have less control over their own car.
  3. Letting go of the steering wheel or using only one hand to steer can lead to over-steering, jerky driving, weaving across lanes, and other reckless driving behaviors.
  4. Reduced control of the steering wheel, combined with being distracted by a phone conversation or texting exchange can lead to an inability to react quickly when faced with other drivers' negligent or reckless driving.
3. Dangerous
  1. Having less than full control of the steering wheel can make it difficult, if not impossible, to react quickly to difficulties with the automobile, such as tire blow-outs, gear shift problems, transmission issues, and so forth.
  2. Over-steering, jerky driving, weaving across lanes, and other reckless driving behaviors can quickly become dangerous when faced with unexpected events, such as other drivers stopping short, accidents, lane closures, and rapid changes in weather conditions.
4. Deadly
  1. Any of these negligent, reckless, or dangerous effects of using a cell phone while driving has the potential to result in a collision with another automobile, median strips, animals, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
  2. Collisions with other automobiles, median strips, animals, pedestrians, and bicyclists have the potential to be deadly for the driver/operator of the cell phone or any car, animal, or person he or she hits with his or her car.
Concluding Paragraph
1. Due to the potential for numerous negative effects from talking or texting on cell phones while driving, we all have an obligation to refrain from such cell phone usage, pull over while needing to make phone calls or text, or invest in hands-free devices.

Now develop a many causes lead to one effect outline.

Sample Answer

Cell Phone Usage and Car Accidents

Introductory Paragraph
1. Thesis statement: There is a common perception that the use of cell phones while driving is the primary cause of car accidents in this country. While the practice may certainly contribute to traffic accidents, there are many other causes that deserve equal attention.
Body Paragraphs (Causes)
1. Drivers are often in a hurry.
  1. People often run late, provoking them to drive faster than the speed limit to reach their destination.
  2. Unexpected traffic jams disrupt drivers' schedules, requiring them to take unfamiliar routes or, once beyond the traffic, drive too fast to reach their destination.
  3. Emergency situations not managed by the authorities (for example, a pregnant driver goes into premature labor) may lead to speeding and otherwise reckless driving maneuvers in order to reach a place of safety and help.
2. Drivers often commute long distances and are overly fatigued.
  1. Many people live in the city and commute far into the outer parts of the suburbs to work or reside in the suburbs and drive over an hour to reach the city for work.
  2. So much driving, particularly in poor weather conditions or in the dark, can lead to reduced attention span, a decreased ability to focus on surroundings, and even falling asleep behind the wheel.
3. Unexpected changes in traffic patterns contribute to driver disorientation and confusion.
  1. Road construction is a common occurrence.
  2. Oftentimes, such construction requires rerouting of traffic and detours.
  3. Drivers unfamiliar with such detours, coupled with other factors mentioned earlier, such as hurry and fatigue, could result in hasty lane changes and other potentially dangerous driving choices.
4. Drivers are distracted by other actions they undertake while driving.
  1. People often engage in other distracting behaviors while driving, such as putting on makeup, shaving, tooth brushing, eating, drinking hot coffee, and so forth, impacting their ability to hold the steering wheel with both hands or react to the conditions around them.
  2. People also listen to music in their cars and often at unreasonably loud volumes, compromising their ability to hear what is happening around them and respond appropriately.
Concluding Paragraph
1. Although talking and texting on cell phones may add to the incidents of traffic violations and accidents on our roads, there are numerous other causes of such incidents that should be examined more closely.

+ METACOGNITIVE QUESTIONS