Analyzing causes and effects is something we do all of the time. At school, we may be asked to analyze the effect on society of a technological innovation. In our personal lives, we might want to find out the cause of why we gained or lost weight. At work, we might investigate the chain of events that led to the success or failure of a new product or service. This process of finding out the why is at the heart of cause and effect writing.

For this essay, you will be writing a cause and effect essay on one of the following topics.

• The success of a well-known company (such as Amazon, Netflix, or Apple)
• The failure of a formerly successful company (such as Toys R Us, Sears, Blockbuster Video, Enron, Arthur Anderson, or Theranos)
• A major disaster (such as the sinking of the Titanic, problems with the Boeing 737 Max, the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger, or the Hindenburg tragedy)
• The successful treatment, containment, or cure of a disease, or the spread of a disease
• The causes of an increase, or decrease, in crime, homelessness, or poverty in a particular city
• The reasons why a famous historical figure (such as John Adams, Richard Nixon, Nelson Mandela, or Margaret Thatcher) was successful or unsuccessful
  • Important note: if you choose this option, the person you choose must no longer be alive.

Other topics are possible, but consult your professor if you have an idea that is not on this list.

There are three main possible ways to organize a cause and effect essay.

1. Effects of a major cause (Example: The tremendous loss of life from the sinking of the Titanic was due to colossal arrogance.
2. Causes for a major effect (Example: The two main reasons that Tesla is so successful are environmentalism and distracted driving.)
3. Causal chain of events (Example: The break-in at the Watergate led to a cover up, which in turn led to Nixon’s eventual resignation.)

To help you to successfully write your essay, it is wise to begin with an outline. Sample outlines of these three main ways of organizing a cause and effect essay are available in Chapter 9. In addition, to help you to choose the best organizational structure for your essay and for additional tips and advice, please see the Assignment Connection in the Week 5 Lesson. The conclusion of the essay should synthesize the information and explain the enduring impact of the topic.

Research Requirements

• For this essay, you will need to find four or more sources. At least two of them should be found in the DeVry Library databases, and two others may come from high-quality, credible Internet sources. The purpose of using these sources is to provide support for your ideas in the form of facts, statistics, or expert opinion. Any time you make a claim, it needs to be supported. Hint: Never start a sentence with “everybody knows …”
• All sources listed in the references must be cited in text; all sources cited in text must be listed in the references.

Basic Requirements:

• Length: Four to five pages (1,000 to 1,250 words)
• Compose the essay using Microsoft Word and using 12-point Times New Roman.
• Format and cite sources using the seventh edition of APA. Consult Chapter 14, pages 389–420, for a sample essay and numerous types of citations.

Cause and Effect Essay Assignment Rubric