A cause and effect essay is both used in the academic setting, as well as everyday life. 

Cause and effect essays are the most common types of essays. They are often assigned at the university facilities. Thus it is of great importance to master writing that kind of paper. A cause is something that makes an event or condition happen. Begin with the cause, and develop the effect paragraphs.

Cause and effect essays examine the reasons a situation or event occurs and the outcomes that are involved as a result. The cause makes something happen, and an effect is the result of something that happened. Choose an event or condition that may be of an interesting cause-and-effect topic. In each section, explain briefly and clearly what supports the cause and the effect.  

It is necessary to highlight that each paragraph is devoted to one of the causes of the event. The effects of a certain situation are explained in a separate paragraph.

Drafting an essay

In the process of brainstorming, write the causes that lead to a particular event or situation. Choose the appropriate pattern to use in your writing  (effect multiple, cause multiple effects, etc.) In clustering, the main idea is to group similar ideas so that the writer can develop the information into a thesis statement, topic, topic sentences, and supporting details.

The supporting details may be chronological as details are organized in the order in which the events occurred. The order of importance means details are arranged from least to most important or vice versa. In the categorical setting, details are arranged by dividing the topic into parts or categories.  

Organizing an essay

There are several ways to organize a cause and effect essay. Certain essays might concentrate on causes, while others might focus only on effects. Some topics require a combination of both. The key is to discuss causes and effects without mixing them or forgetting to give details for one or the other.

The use of the following transitions is a must. In case of causes, you may use because, due to, on cause is, another is, since, for, first, second. For effects, you may use consequently. As a result, thus, resulted in, one result is, another is, therefore, etc.

While writing a thesis for cause, provide details, examples, and explanations, as well as in the thesis for effects.  The cause and effect essay may be organized in one of the following patterns.  

There are signal phrases that show causes such as: give a reason why, explain why, why, what is the cause of, another factor, because and results from. The signal phrases to show effects are the results of, consequently, what is the impact of, one important effect, another result, outcome, as a result, etc.