Listing Causes and Effects in a Reading
| Learning Objective: - Identify cause(s) and effect(s) in a reading.
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LESSON
Identifying causes and effects in a readingA piece of writing to be read. A reading can either be a full work (i.e., a book) or partial (i.e., a passage). is an essential skill to develop for several reasons. First, it will enable you to understand more complex textsWords that make up a book, essay, article, poem, or speech. more fully. Second, it will help you develop 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. for a cause and effect essayAn examination of the relationship between why and/or how something happened. Causes, which are usually events or actions, lead to effects, or the consequences of those causes.. Finally, it will provide you with the vocabulary and understanding to create a thoughtful and comprehensive discussion of topics in a cause and effect essay.
Identifying the causes and effects in a text is not always a straightforward exercise. In this lesson, you will learn five strategies to identify the causes and effects in a reading.
Strategy 1: Find the topic.
One key strategy to finding the topicThe subject of a reading. of a reading is being able to identify words and their synonymsA word or phrase that has an identical or very similar meaning to another word. Example: tiny is a synonym for small. that are repeatedly used throughout the text. These repeated terms signal to the reader the primary phenomenaHappenings or facts that can be observed. , issues, problems, or topics addressed in the reading.
For example, if you are reading an essay and you find the term "childhood obesity" throughout the text, then you will know that childhood obesity is the topic.
It is also important to be able to pick out those additional terms that are closely related to the primary term. These are typically synonyms, which are words that share the same or similar meaning. For example, a synonym for "childhood obesity" might be "overweight children."
Strategy 2: Find the thesis.
A thesisAn overall argument, idea, or belief that a writer uses as the basis for a work. is essential to the organization of any essay. It provides a roadmap, so to speak, of the writer's thoughts, arguments, and conclusions. The thesis statementA brief statement that identifies a writer's thoughts, opinions, or conclusions about a topic. Thesis statements bring unity to a piece of writing, giving it a focus and a purpose. You can use three questions to help form a thesis statement: What is my topic? What am I trying to say about that topic? Why is this important to me or my reader? is also very helpful in signaling the purposeThe reason the writer is writing about a topic. It is what the writer wants the reader to know, feel, or do after reading the work. of the reading, which will also help reveal its causes and effects.
The thesis of a cause and effect essay will look like one of the following two examples.
Example:
Childhood obesity is the cause of a multitude of dangerous and debilitating physical, psychological, and social conditions, such as pre-diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, depression, and social ridicule.
OR
Childhood obesity is caused by many factors, such as unavailable and expensive healthy food, reduced opportunities for physical exercise at school and at home, and societal perceptions about the safety of children playing outdoors.
By finding the thesis, you will be able to begin picking out the causes and effects in the reading. Using the first example, the thesis is that childhood obesity is the reason (cause) for many harmful consequences (effects).
Strategy 3: Find signal words.
Cause and effect essays employ words signal wordsWords or phrases that connect ideas and alert a reader to important relationships between subjects. For example, signal words in a cause and effect essay could include first, second, then, next, later, because, after, and due to. Signal words in a compare/contrast essay could include also, but, similarly, in contrast, unlike, in the same way, as well as, or on the other hand. such as like, because, since, consequently, this led to/so, if/then, as a result of, first/second/third cause, first/second/third result or effect, due to, first/second/third, then, subsequently, thus, for, but, as, therefore, and so. These words are clues to you about the relationships described.
Here is an example:
Childhood obesity is the result of multiple and often multifaceted causes. Therefore, it is key to identify such causes. The first cause of childhood obesity is the unavailability of affordable and nutritious food options. The second cause of childhood obesity is… etc. Due to these factors, childhood obesity has become more prevalent in our culture. Thus, we need to take a long, hard look at these issues and determine how we might help obese children and their families to make sustainable and healthy changes.
Strategy 4: Find the essay's organization.
Cause and effect essays are arranged in particular ways. If you can identify the organization of the ideas, you can identify the causes and effects more easily. There are typically two patterns used when organizing a cause and effect essay:
- Many effects stem from one cause.
In this type of essay, the writer is addressing all of the effects that stem from a single cause.
- Many causes lead to one effect.
In this type of essay, the writer is outlining all of the causes that lead to one effect.
Strategy 5: Find causal chains.
In reading a cause and effect essay, it is important to watch out for patterns where one thing affects another and so on. It may not always immediately be clear if you are reading about a cause or an effect. Further, there are times in which an effect can become the cause of a subsequent effect, and so forth. This connection between cause and effect is 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 sometimes as the 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..
Here is an example:
One winter day, I decided to go downhill skiing. It had been years since I had last skied, and since I had always thought of myself as quite a good skier, I simply dusted off my old, out-of-date skis and hit the slopes. On my first run down the mountain, I hit a patch of ice and fell down. The bindings on my skis did not release and I subsequently crashed into several other skiers. One of those skiers was a beautiful woman who was on the very first run of her life. Both of us were injured enough that the ski patrol had to take us down the mountain on sleds as a precaution. Fortunately, neither of us were hurt very badly and we spent the rest of the day together in the lodge. It turned out that we lived only three blocks away from each other back in the city. After dating for two years, we actually got married.
What is the main effect addressed in this example? The initial cause could be said to be the narrator's decision to go skiing although he had not been skiing in years. But that effect—the skiing—is also another cause. The narrator wore old skis with bad bindings and hit a patch of ice. This caused him to fall and crash into other people. This is another effect. So the falling and crashing is a cause and an effect. The crash caused the narrator and a woman to get hurt, which then led to a day in the lodge and eventual marriage. Therefore, the main effect is that the narrator got married.
+ PRACTICAL APPLICATIONIdentifying causes and effects is a valuable skill in understanding your college readings and assignments. It is also very useful in many career choices. For example, physicians use a similar procedure in working with their patients. Doctors need to identify all the symptoms (effects) in order to make a diagnosis (cause). Similarly, doctors may be presented with a particular disease (effect) and have to undertake examinations, run tests or blood work, and take a family history in order to determine the underlying reason (causes) for the illness. Similarly, a criminal investigator looks at all the evidence (effects) of a crime and determines the motive (cause).
Identifying cause and effect is also essential, for example, for accountants. Accountants often have to work with piles of paperwork and numbers, trying to put together all of the reasons (causes) why figures are not balancing or adding up (effect). Another example is historians, who oftentimes examine the events (effects) of an individual's life in order to discern the person's motivation (cause) for his or her choices.
Below are two examples of cause and effect essays. Take note of the topic, thesis, signal words, and cause(s) and effect(s) as you read.
The following is an example of a many effects stem from one cause essay.
Alcohol Abuse and Public Health
Alcohol abuse runs rampant in the United States' culture. While the actual definition of alcohol abuse is still debated, there is no confusion regarding the fact that alcohol abuse can and does lead to many problems for the individual: mental and physical illnesses, legal troubles, and negative familial, social, and economic consequences. Less frequently discussed is how these individual problems collectively result in widespread issues for local, national, and international communities.
Alcohol abuse is a major concern to which public health professionals have responded in a variety of ways. From disseminating information through education to advocating for higher taxes on alcohol or more stringent DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol) laws to urging physician intervention, the public health field has taken an active role in trying to reduce the development, progression, and third-party effects of alcohol abuse.
Currently, alcohol abuse plagues 15.5 million Americans and costs our society billions of dollars each year. These costs include not just expenses associated with treating alcoholics, but also lost earnings and criminal justice costs. Alcohol abuse has been linked to reduced work performance, criminal activities, vehicular crashes, falls, and property damage. Alcohol abuse leads to increased incidents of liver cancer, cardiovascular disorders, stroke, cirrhosis of the liver, and depression.
Alcohol abuse also negatively impacts third parties and communities at large. Not only does it cost our society a significant amount of money, alcohol abuse can have a disastrous effect on the family unit, peers, or a business. Drunk drivers jeopardize the safety of all other motor vehicles as well as pedestrians, bicyclists, and runners on the street. The impaired judgment resulting from alcohol abuse can result in any number of unplanned, risky, or deadly consequences. Alcohol abuse is a significant public health problem that must be addressed.
Topic: Alcohol abuse as a public health issue.
Thesis: Alcohol abuse has a long history and is linked to many negative individual and public health issues, such as physical harm, economic costs, and risks to third parties.
Signal words: costs, results, consequences, lead to
Organization: This essay is an example of many effects stem from one cause.
Causes/effects: Alcohol abuse is the cause. The effects include physical illness, criminal activity, vehicular crashes, public health interventions, family troubles, and work problems.
Now read the following example, which is a many causes lead to one effect essay.
Contagious Influenza and Widespread Panic
While the threat of getting the flu is perceived as the only reason for what may be referred to as widespread panic among populations, there are, in fact, other causes for the alarm, fear, and anger that surround influenza. This essay is focused on pandemic influenza, rather than the seasonal flu that most of us get at one time or another (although seasonal influenza can be quite dangerous to certain vulnerable populations).
Pandemic influenza is a flu virus that has either a) not circulated in the population before or b) has not been seen among the general public in a very long time. It is a flu strain for which people have no preexisting immunity. One recent example would be a recent H1N1 pandemic scare. Again, while fear of catching pandemic flu is certainly frightening, there are additional causes for the panic effect often triggered by public knowledge of a new flu strain.
The dissemination of vaccinations is often a topic that elicits not just fear but anger. Typically, first responders, such as EMTs (emergency medical technicians), nurses, doctors, firefighters, police officers, military, and so forth, are also first in line for vaccinations. While it is a logical maneuver as these are the people best suited to protect and treat individuals and provide large-scale public health initiatives, it often feels unfair to the average citizen.
Public knowledge of an impending or current pandemic is often gained through the media. Oftentimes, the media does not do a very good job of sharing information without frightening people. Just the knowledge of a new virus itself is enough to send some into panic mode.
People also fear drastic measures being taken to contain the virus, such as quarantines or isolation from family members, friends, and communities. These sorts of measures are rarely taken in actuality; however, they are often portrayed in films and television shows, giving the public the perception that they may be separated from their loved ones and never see them again.
Therefore, while pandemic flu is frightening in and of itself, there are many reasons other than fear of contagion that the public panics: miscommunication, lack of control of decision making, potential threat of quarantine, and the possibility of not having access to vaccinations. When next faced with a pandemic situation, authorities should be mindful of these additional causes of the well-known reaction of public panic.
Topic: There are many causes for public panic around pandemic flu scares.
Thesis: While it is often assumed the panic is triggered by fear of catching the virus, there are actually numerous causes.
Signal words: causes, reason why, numerous factors, triggered
Organization: This essay is an example of many causes lead to one effect.
Causes/effects: The effect is widespread panic over pandemic flu. The causes are fear of contagion, miscommunication, misperceptions about the role of quarantine and isolation, scarcity of resources and vaccinations, and lack of control.
Below are two cause and effect essays. For each essay, identify the topic, thesis, signal words, organization (many effects stem from one cause, or many causes lead to one effect), and the cause(s) and effect(s).
Essay 1:
The Building of the Golden Gate Bridge
While most people are familiar with San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, few know the detailed history behind its design and building. There are multiple and varied causes that led to its creation, including urban growth, wealth, the need to accommodate increased traffic and commuters, and changes in modes of transportation.
San Francisco was founded during the height of the California Gold Rush in 1848. Back then, San Francisco was considered a small town. Most of its buildings were relatively tiny and crafted from wood. People traveled by horse and buggy on unkempt dirt roads. At the same time, the San Francisco Bay was a hotbed of trading activity, containing many shipping lanes.
Just ten short years later, San Francisco became a larger urban area. Its population increased dramatically and those made wealthy by the Gold Rush began building large stone and brick houses and buildings. Travel by car, trolley, and bicycle became more common.
Fast forward another fifty years, and San Francisco had become more of what we consider a modern city. Again, its population shot up and building increased. Smoother concrete and tar streets replaced dirt roads. Because the city had become crowded with people and automobiles, San Francisco's government began to see the need for alternative forms of transportation.
Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge began in 1933 and the world-renowned structure was completed in 1937. Finally, citizens and commuters had a way to cross San Francisco Bay other than by ship or ferry. The bridge helped to redirect cars so that traffic became less of an issue. The Golden Gate Bridge—with its enormous steel towers and thick cables—quickly became a tourist attraction, as well, bringing even more money to the city of San Francisco.
Although the planners and builders of the Golden Gate Bridge may not have foreseen the extent to which the structure would become a monument and symbol of the city of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge was the end result of multiple causes—urban sprawl, population growth, increased wealth, and the need for more efficient routes of transportation.
What is the topic?
What is the thesis?
The Golden Gate Bridge was built due to a number of causes around urban growth and the need for different transportation options.
What are the signal words?
multiple and varied causes, because, the end result
What is the organization of the essay?
This is an example of a many causes lead to one effect essay.
Identify the cause(s) and effect(s).
Causes: Urban sprawl, greater wealth, increased population, new transportation needs
Effect: the decision to build the Golden Gate Bridge
Essay 2:
Automobile Accidents and Cell Phone Usage
There is a common misperception that the leading cause of car accidents in this country is currently the use of handheld cellular phone devices. Although using phones while driving is certainly inadvisable and may contribute to the accident rate, it is not the sole reason for vehicular incidents.
There are many other reasons why people get into car accidents. For example, many of us are in a hurry. We rush to get from home to work and then to pick up the kids from daycare and then back home to prepare dinner. When we are hurried, we can be careless. We may drive faster than is legal or advisable. We may encounter traffic, frustrating us so that we take a new or unfamiliar route, leaving us lost and disoriented—and more likely to be in an accident.
Many people often commute long distances to and from work, as well. There are people who reside outside of New York City who spend over four hours each day in their cars. So much driving, particularly when faced with poor weather, darkness, extreme fatigue, lack of attention span, and a genuine inability to focus on surroundings, can be quite dangerous and contribute greatly to car accidents. Sometimes drivers even fall asleep behind the wheel!
Another factor is unexpected changes in traffic patterns. This happens quite frequently in urban areas under construction or on rerouted highways. It can be disorienting and confusing to the driver. There may be poorly marked detours. People get lost and frustrated. These things can also lead to a reduced focus on driving itself and lead to vehicular incidents.
Finally, people do all kinds of things when driving that require the use of their hands (not just talking or texting on a cell phone). Drivers have been spotted putting on makeup while zipping down the highway, brushing their teeth in traffic, flossing, eating, drinking hot beverages, and so forth. Another distracting behavior is listening to loud music or talk radio while driving. This compromises the drivers' ability to hear what's going on around them and is distracting.
Although talking and texting on handheld 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 just as closely.
What is the topic?
Reasons for car accidents.
What is the thesis?
While the use of handheld mobile devices may contribute to the number of car accidents in this country, there are many other causes, as well.
What are the signal words?
not the sole reason, many other reasons, another factor, numerous other causes.
What is the organization of the essay?
This is an example of a many causes lead to one effect essay.
Identify the cause(s) and effect(s).
Causes: poor driving habits, long commutes, changes in traffic patterns, distracted driving
Effect: Car accidents
When in life will you need to be able to identify causes and effects?
I may need to be able to identify causes and effects while reading for school and/or work. I may also need to be able to identify causes and effects so that I may prepare my own essays and assignments for school and/or work. Being able to identify causes and effects may also be useful for me to better understand causal connections in the "real world." For example, I might think about causes and effects when reviewing media and manufacturing information regarding a new car I would like to purchase or in the inspection process of buying a home.
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