what is a causal argument essay

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Start Writing a Causal Analysis Essay

A causal analysis essay is a research paper that examines the causes and effects of a particular phenomenon, event, or trend. It aims to uncover the relationships between various factors and their outcomes, providing insight into complex issues. It typically involves critical thinking, analysis, and logical reasoning to explore causality. A causal analysis essay example includes examining the causes of obesity, the effects of climate change, or the reasons behind economic fluctuations.

Writing a causal analysis paper is crucial for clear communication, honing analytical skills, and fostering academic and professional development. Our article offers a comprehensive step-by-step guide to writing a causal analysis essay , providing practical tips and strategies. The guide emphasizes practicality, offering actionable advice that writers can apply to enhance their writing skills. The guide aims to empower writers to tackle causal analysis essays with confidence, equipping them with the necessary tools and knowledge to write proficiently.

Definition of Causal Analysis Essay

Causal analysis essays are academic writings that examine the causal relationships between factors or events, aiming to explain why certain outcomes occur. They analyze complex phenomena, identify underlying causes and effects, explain the connections between elements and their impact on outcomes, and illuminate patterns by examining causality. They prioritize analytical thinking and critical evaluation of causation, providing an objective analysis without advocating for a specific viewpoint. 

Understanding causality allows for targeted interventions, better planning and decision-making, and the development of critical thinking skills. They also foster intellectual growth, empowering individuals to engage more deeply with complex issues in various disciplines. After answering your question, “ What is a causal analysis essay?” let’s understand how to write it properly.

Pre-Writing Stage

The pre-writing stage involves selecting relevant topics for causal analysis essays , conducting thorough research, and organizing and analyzing data. This involves choosing a topic that aligns with your interests, is significant in your field, and is narrowed down to a specific aspect. Thorough research involves identifying reliable sources, diversifying perspectives, and critically evaluating them. Keeping detailed notes of key findings and arguments helps in later analysis. The organization and analysis of data involve creating an outline, analyzing causality, prioritizing relevant information, and refining the thesis statement. This ensures your essay is specific, debatable, and supported by evidence.

Causal Analysis Essay Topics

A causal analysis essay provides an opportunity to explore the underlying reasons behind various phenomena. Below are some compelling causal essay topics:

• Impact of Social Media on Adolescents: Examine the impact of social media use on mental health.
• Causes of Climate Change on Global Weather Patterns: Investigate the factors contributing to climate change and its global weather effects.
• Effects of Parental Divorce on Children’s Emotional Well-being: Analyze the emotional consequences of parental divorce.
• Causes of Income Inequality in Modern Societies: Investigate the factors contributing to income disparities.
• Impact of Technology on Human Communication Skills: Explore how technology affects interpersonal relationships and communication abilities.
• Factors Contributing to the Rise of Obesity Rates in Developed Countries: Examine the factors driving the rise in obesity prevalence.
• Effects of Video Games on Behavior in Adolescents: Investigate the potential link between exposure to violent video games and aggressive behavior.
• Consequences of the Gender Pay Gap in the Workplace: Analyze the reasons behind the gender wage disparity.

These causal essay topic ideas offer rich avenues for analysis, allowing for a deeper understanding of complex societal issues and their underlying dynamics.

Causal Analysis Essay Outline

Let’s discuss what causal analysis essay outline should include. 

• Introduction: Hook/attention grabber, background information on the causal argument topic , thesis statement.
• Body Paragraphs: Identifying causes, analyzing effects, establishing connections.
• Conclusion: Restate the thesis, summary of key points, final thoughts, and references.

This causal essay outline provides a structured approach to writing a causal analysis essay, guiding the writer through the process of identifying causes, analyzing effects, establishing connections, and drawing conclusions based on the analysis conducted.

Causal Analysis Essays Writing Process

The writing process involves crafting a strong thesis statement, which should be clear, specific, and reflective of the causal relationship being explored. It should also be open to debate, encouraging critical engagement from readers.

The causal analysis essay format includes an introduction, body paragraphs, identifying causes, analysis effects, establishing connections, comparative analysis, synthesizing causal factors, and ensuring a logical progression from one paragraph to the next. The conclusion should restate the statement, summarise key points, and offer final thoughts on the broader implications of the analysis.

Incorporating evidence and examples is crucial, and it should be relevant and reliable. Use credible sources, such as scholarly articles, statistics, and expert opinions. Incorporate a variety of evidence, including quantitative data, case studies, anecdotes, and real-life examples, to provide depth and context on how to write a causal analysis essay . Analyze the evidence thoroughly, explaining its relevance to the argument and interpreting its implications for the causal relationships being examined.

Citation and attribution are also essential, as proper citation ensures credit to the original authors and avoids plagiarism. For example, the rising prevalence of social media addiction among teenagers can be attributed to excessive screen time, peer pressure, and the dopamine-driven feedback loop created by ‘likes’ and notifications.

Tips and Tricks

Practical causal analysis essay writing tips include using clear and concise language, defining key terms, removing redundant words, providing examples, and utilizing transitions effectively. Identifying common logical fallacies, evaluating arguments for flaws or weaknesses, providing evidence and reasoning, and seeking feedback is essential for improving the overall quality of your essay.

To revise and proofread, take breaks, focus on different aspects, read aloud, and use tools like spelling and grammar checkers, style guides, and writing handbooks. Listen for awkward phrasing, unclear sentences, or grammatical errors. Seek feedback from mentors to gain additional insights and perspectives on your writing.

Causal Analysis Essay Example and Illustration

Causal analysis essay examples are essential tools for analyzing causal relationships and understanding the underlying mechanisms driving phenomena. These essays can be found in academic journals, textbooks, or online writing repositories. The structure of each essay, including the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, is crucial for presenting causal relationships. Evidence, such as statistical data, case studies, expert opinions, or anecdotal evidence, is also essential. The causal chains presented in essays are crucial for understanding the connections between causes and effects.

Effective writing techniques, such as persuasive language, descriptive imagery, or logical reasoning, are employed in the sample essays. The effectiveness of each technique is evaluated to engage the reader, convey the author’s message, and support the overall argument. Comparing the writing techniques used in different sample essays helps identify patterns and trends in effective causal analysis writing.

Afterthoughts on Writing Causal Essays

In summary, developing the ability to write a causal analysis essay is an important life skill that not only improves academic performance but also develops the critical thinking and analytical reasoning needed to handle challenging situations in different contexts. 

To unravel causal relationships, shed light on the complexities of our world, and make significant contributions to knowledge and understanding, writers can confidently set out on their journey by adhering to the helpful advice provided in this guide and finding inspiration from sample essays and successful writing techniques. Thus, take on the task of writing a causal analysis essay with diligence, inventiveness, and a dedication to perfection, regardless of whether you’re a professional looking to hone your analytical skills or a student hoping to succeed academically.

• Academic Writing Guides

How to Write a Causal Essay

“Why” is the most popular question among little kids. They want to know how and why everything around happens. Why do we lose this curiosity when we’re getting older? Perhaps, we don’t have much time to figure out all the reasons and effects. When you really need to provide a decent answer on the “why” question, you can write a causal essay. In the guide prepared by our essay writing service , we’ll explain in detail what is a causal essay and how to write it properly.

At the end of our article, you’ll also find a bonus: a list of causal essay topics and an example of a causal essay provided by one of our authors. Enjoy reading and never stop asking, “Why?”

What is a causal analysis essay

Actually, a causal essay or a causal analysis essay is very similar to a cause and effect essay. Certain sources associate causal essays with complex and difficult topics, while cause and effect essays develop mostly simple and narrow topics. We think that it doesn’t matter how you call this essay type. The only important thing to know is what the main purpose of such writing is.

When you write a causal essay, you have to carefully investigate the reasons or consequences of a certain event or phenomenon depending on the topic. Sometimes it can be challenging, as not all the reasons are obvious. Dig deep, and you’ll discover the smallest nuances!

How to write a causal essay: 10 helpful tips

We are sure that these tips will help you to make your essay as effective as possible. We won’t mention the obvious points like dividing your text into paragraphs or grammar checking. Our readers need something more special, right? Check out 10 unusual tips for advanced causal essay writing!

1. Various categories

When you analyze a particular event or phenomenon, pay attention to how it influences different spheres of human life. When you compose an outline, divide all the causes or results into various categories – for example, social, economic, political, etc.

2. Forecasting

If you chose to describe the consequences of a certain event, try forecasting. Some results are not visible at the moment, but you can make suggestions about the further effects. Sure, your predictions should be reasonable and logical.

3. Official statistics

Use official websites to include statistical data in your essay. Don’t forget about citing your sources. In such a manner, your readers will be sure that you’ve based your research on a reliable base.

4. Examples

When you write about a tendency or phenomenon that is widespread, you can use concrete examples to sound more persuasive. For example, if you investigate the main reasons for unemployment, mention the statistical data about a particular country.

5. Different perspectives

Try to look at your topic from different angles. For example, the plague can be considered as one of the factors that boosted the beginning of the Renaissance. Surprised?

6. Focus on the main points

All events have primary and secondary consequences. Firstly, concentrate on the main points and then proceed to less significant results if you’re out of ideas.

7. Summarize

A conclusion is a crucial part of any causal essay. Restate each reason or result in the concluding section to remind readers about the main points of your text.

8. No stereotypes

Don’t fall into stereotypes! For example, adults often blame computer games for teenage aggression. In fact, domestic violence has a much more negative impact on adolescent mentality.

9. Clear language

Make sure that your thoughts are understandable to the general public. Use concise language and clear arguments to simplify the reading process.

10. Logical fallacies

Avoid logical mistakes! A causal essay is one of the essay types that requires extremely accurate logic. You can easily find a list of the most common logical fallacies on the internet and check your writing.

Causal analysis essay topics

Below, you’ll find 20 causal essay topics for different levels of difficulty. Analyze the causes and effects of events, phenomena, and tendencies with EssayShark!

• The effect of social networking on interpersonal relationships.
• Why is there no universal language in the world?
• The main reasons for a college dropout.
• Why has the social attitude toward news changed recently?
• The effect of social media on marketing strategies.
• Why is cultural diversity important for big corporations?
• The effect of bilingualism on an individual’s mentality.
• Is racism less widespread in developed countries?
• Reasons for using GMOs in agriculture.
• What causes water pollution?
• How does music influence our mental health?
• Why have many countries abolished the death penalty?
• The negative impact of social media on stereotypes.
• Why has a healthy lifestyle become popular today?
• How do technologies influence art?
• The effect of alcohol on memory and logical thinking.
• A positive impact of computer games on teenagers.
• What influences trends of the job market?
• Why is a teenager’s self-esteem vulnerable?
• What causes the majority of divorces?

Now we’re at the homestretch! The last section of our guide is a well-written causal essay sample. Learn more about the structure of this essay type thanks to one of our talented writers!

Causal essay example

Effect of Television in American Culture

Television is a part of everyday life for people regardless of culture, religion, or race. The diversification of the products of television companies allows viewers to get entertaining content that evokes interest and satisfaction of needs. It should be noted that the media has always played an essential role in the development of culture. Therefore, information from television sources has the ability to set the trend in society, to focus attention on critical global problems, and to impose a certain urge. In its turn, American culture had both a positive and negative impact on television. Television products set the fundamental values and foundations of life in society, showing fiction films and TV shows depicting people’s real lives. On the other hand, orientation to high ratings and earnings causes TV companies to create products that will be successful, but not of a high quality.

A person needs to be distracted from everyday life in order to avoid routine. Television is one of the ways to spend leisure time. Consequently, the content on the screen has a significant impact on people’s lives, including the subconscious. The global nature of television determines the fact that influence on a broad audience allows one to set trends and give universal messages. Undoubtedly, diversification of content allows the creation of different products that instill values and that are educational (Watson and Arp). It is especially true for entertainment content, including movies, TV shows, talk shows, and reality shows. The popular American TV series Friends is worth noting. This show presents the usual life of three girls and three guys in New York with their problems, difficulties in relationships, and triumphs. The series became a favorite because of the urge that is carried to the audience. Friends shows that any life obstacles are solvable, and real friendship helps to overcome any difficulty. The audience of the series consists of people 16-34 years old, and popularity increased with the onset of school holidays. Therefore, Friends is appropriate for a young audience because it is about a youthful way of life. The characters overcome life’s difficulties and win without the help of their parents, and also have many ways to self-perfection and self-realization. This TV series had an impact on Americans and representatives of other nationalities. First of all, it instilled courage and optimism to start adult life without fear of failures, and also to rely on the help of close acquaintances. Consequently, Friends gave the effect that life is not a set of complexities, but only tests on the road to success.

Television played an essential role in the fight against racism in the United States. Racial segregation was one of the most critical problems in the 20th century, which degraded the dignity of black people over white people. It is no secret that racism is a pressing problem in the modern world. Nevertheless, the gradual emergence of representatives of different races in similar roles on the screen smoothed segregation, allowing to overcome skin color as a factor of choice of the actor or the presenter in place in the television program. For example, the famous African-American actor and TV presenter Bill Cosby had a significant role in American culture through television series. The Cosby Show demonstrated black heroes who were not shown as stereotypical images of poor and badly educated people, but as a full-fledged family with a stable income that has daily life experiences, problems, and triumphs. At that time, it was the flagship show in which the principal actors were black. It is worth noting that in the 1980s such projects were risky because of the possibility of a severe reaction of viewers who were accustomed to seeing white characters on television. Nevertheless, The Cosby Show became a successful series and received many prestigious awards, including an Emmy. Since that time, the role of black people on television has increased, and the emergence of representatives of different races has become more acceptable and common. Undoubtedly, racism is a deeper problem that can not be eradicated through television content alone. As mentioned above, American culture is also characterized in particular by the strong influence of television on society. Therefore, frequent observation of representatives of different races on the screen allows Americans to have subconscious tolerance to all people.

The level of development of television in the US has no analogs in the world. Apparently, the diversity of television content allows one to reach different target audiences. Nevertheless, TV is also the central platform for promotional activities. Corporations invest in advertising, which millions of viewers will see, competing in the originality and effectiveness of the videos. Nevertheless, the negative side of the industry has a direct impact on society, making material income one of the main aspects of human success. It is no secret that advertising is created in order to obtain higher sales and revenue from a product or service. Consequently, the negative impact of advertising lies in the subconscious effect on the audience, forcing the person to make a choice contrary to rational desires. For example, studies show that the use of children in advertising increases the loyalty of viewers to the product and increases the likelihood of buying (Malik and Guptha). Proceeding from this, the constant psychological impact on the freedom of choice of a person violates the possibility of adequate thinking in the process of buying goods or services. The rapid development of advertising in conjunction with the exaggerated characteristics of products or services leads viewers into confusion and develops a subconscious desire to have this product. Consequently, the multi-year presence of advertising on television broadcasts has determined the constant impact on the psyche of viewers, becoming part of American culture.

Television has played a significant role in the development of modern American culture. Among the positive causes, it is worth noting the creation of films and serials that show the life of characters in the usual conditions familiar to many Americans. For example, Friends shows young people who independently achieve success in a big city.

Also worth noting is the contribution to the fight against racism and segregation. The Cosby Show was one of the first popular projects in which all the main characters were African-American and were not stereotypical images of this race. Nevertheless, television also has a negative impact on American society. The abundance of advertising demonstrates the thirst of corporations to have more sales and revenue, influencing the minds of the viewers. Using a variety of techniques that affect the psyche, commercials make people want and buy a particular product. In turn, it has become part of American culture, determining the set of spending of spectators on the goods imposed by advertising.

Works Cited

Malik, Garima, and Abhinav Guptha. “An Empirical Study on Behavioral Intent of Consumers in Online Shopping.” Business Perspectives and Research, vol. 2, no. 1, 2013, pp. 13–28. Watson, Jamie Carlin., and Robert Arp. What’s Good on TV: Understanding Ethics Through Television. John Wiley & Sons, 2012.

FAQ on how to write a causal analysis essay

What is a causal analysis essay.

Causal analysis essays are a form of academic writing. A causal analysis essay usually looks for the leading cause of a specific effect, although it can also be divided into two separate essays (one paper will focus on the cause and another on the effect). A causal analysis essay examines the causes of the economic or social problems stated in the introduction and explores various ways to solve them. This type of essay aims to determine what has led to a particular situation, problem, or effect and find the best way to reduce negative consequences.

How to make an outline for a causal analysis essay?

Causal analysis essays are not the easiest type to write, but they can be done. You just need to put your mind to it and follow certain writing process steps. To begin writing a good causal analysis essay, you need to outline your work, which means gathering all of the ideas and information you will use in your future essay and writing them on a piece of paper in a specific order. A good outline is always comprehensive and organized. It should always cover the main idea and include all the critical details. It should consist of a well-written thesis statement that expresses your opinion on the topic and at least three reasons supporting your idea.

What should be the structure of an excellent causal analysis essay?

The structure of an excellent causal analysis essay is a bit different than the usual essays. You’ll need to provide a thesis statement, along with four main steps that support it. First create an introduction, then give some background information on this topic. After the introduction, the second step should be the body paragraph. Here, you can explain how each factor affected the development of this topic. To illustrate your point, add facts and examples from related sources. The third step is usually a brief statement that summarizes what you have just said in the previous points. After that, end your essay with a conclusion. It doesn’t need to repeat everything you have said before, but it should reaffirm your main point. It’s also helpful to provide the readers with valuable advice on how to deal with similar issues in the future or avoid those mistakes again.

Where to order a high-quality causal analysis essay?

If you have ever considered writing your paper and searched for a place to get it done, you may have encountered many companies that offer such services. Essays are a serious thing. You do not get the chance to make any mistakes. That is why using the service of an expert essay writer makes a lot of sense. This provides you the chance to earn high grades. What is even more important, if you choose the service of an expert essay writer, this person can make sure that your paper is checked for plagiarism before submission and thus make sure it is unique and of high quality.

How to make a conclusion for a causal analysis essay?

While writing a causal analysis essay, your instructor tells you to make a conclusion. To do this, you need to elaborate on the points you made earlier in your essay and integrate the ideas presented by the other side of the issue into your discussion. Causal analysis essays are generally used when writers are expected to examine the reasons behind certain events and occurrences. They should be able to determine why something happened and whether there is a reason for it.

Causal analysis writing assistance from us

Our mission is accomplished! Now, you know for sure what is a causal essay and how to write it properly. Moreover, you have a great list of causal analysis essay topics. And don’t forget about our amazing sample! We know that you’ll do your best and create a truly brilliant essay using all these helpful tools. In case you don’t feel confident about your writing skills, contact us! The EssayShark team will lend you a helping hand.

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14.2: Organizing the Causal Analysis Essay

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The causal analysis essay can be split into four basic sections: introduction, body, conclusion, and Works Cited page. There are three basic formats for writing a cause/effect:

• Single effect with multiple causes–air pollution is the effect, and students would identify several causes;
• Single cause with multiple effects–bullying is the cause, and students would establish several effects it has on children;
• Causal Chain–This is a more complex format. Causal chains show a series of causes and effects. For example, dust storms between Tucson and Phoenix can be deadly causing a chain reaction of accidents. The dust is the initial catalyst. It causes car A to stop. Car B crashes into Car A. Car C crashes into Car B., etc. Climate change is a good example of a causal chain topic. Population increase is causing an increase in traffic and greenhouse gases. It is also causing an increase in deforestation for housing, roads and farming. Deforestation means less plants to take up the CO2 and release O2 into the environment. Each item causes an effect. That effect causes another effect. All of this contributes to climate change.

Introduction

The introduction introduces the reader to the topic. We’ve all heard that first impressions are important. This is very true in writing as well. The goal is to engage the readers, hook them so they want to read on. One way is to write a narrative. Topics like bullying or divorce hit home. Beginning with a real case study highlights the issue for readers. This becomes an example that you can refer to throughout the paper. The final sentence in the introduction is usually the thesis statement.

Another way to introduce the topic is to ask a question or set of questions then provide background and context for the topic or issue. For example, if you are writing an essay about schizophrenia, opening questions might be “What are the main causes of schizophrenia? Who is susceptible?” The student would then begin a brief discussion defining schizophrenia and explaining its significance. Once again, the final sentence of the introduction would be a thesis statement introducing the main points that will be covered in the paper.

Body Paragraphs

The body of the essay is separated into paragraphs. Each paragraph covers a single cause or effect. For example, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, the two main causes of schizophrenia are genetic and environmental. Thus, if you were writing about the causes of schizophrenia, then you would have a body paragraph on genetic causes of schizophrenia and a body paragraph on the environmental causes. A second example is climate change where separate paragraphs explain each cause/effect relationship: population increases, increases in air pollution due to traffic exhaust and manufacturing, increases in food production and agriculture, deforestation. All are causes for climate change, and all are intricately linked.

A body paragraph should include the following:

• Topic sentence that identifies the topic for the paragraph,
• Several sentences that describes the causal relationship,
• Evidence from outside sources that corroborates your claim that the causal relationship exists,
• MLA formatted in-text citations indicating which source listed on the Works Cited page has provided the evidence,
• Quotation marks placed around any information taken verbatim (word for word) from the source,
• Summary sentence(s) that draws conclusions from the evidence,
• Remember: information from outside sources should be placed in the middle of the paragraph and not at the beginning or the end of the paragraph;
• Be sure and use transitions or bridge sentences between paragraphs.
• Draw final conclusions from the key points and evidence provided in the paper;
• Tie in the introduction. If you began with a story, draw final conclusions from that story;
• If you began with a question(s), refer back to the question(s) and be sure to provide the answer(s).

5.8 Causal and Proposal Arguments

Anna Mills and Darya Myers

Causal arguments attempt to make a case that one thing led to another. They answer the question “What caused it?” Causes are often complex and multiple. Before we choose a strategy for a causal argument, it can help to identify our purpose. Why do we need to know the cause? How will it help us?

 Purposes of Causal Arguments

• To get a complete picture of how and why something happened: In this case, we will want to look for multiple causes, each of which may play a different role. Some might be background conditions, others might spark the event, and others may be influences that sped up the event once it got started. In this case, we often speak of near causes that are close in time or space to the event itself, and remote causes, which are further away or further in the past. We can also describe a chain of causes, with one thing leading to the next, which leads to the next. It may even be the case that we have a feedback loop where a first event causes a second event and the second event triggers more of the first, creating an endless circle of causation. For example, as sea ice melts in the arctic, the dark water absorbs more heat, which warms it further, which melts more ice, which makes the water absorb more heat, etc. If the results are bad, this is called a vicious circle.
• To decide who is responsible: Sometimes if an event has multiple causes, we may be most concerned with deciding who bears responsibility and how much. In a car accident, the driver might bear responsibility, and the car manufacturer might bear some as well. We will have to argue that the responsible party caused the event but we will also have to show that there was a moral obligation not to do what the party did. That implies some degree of choice and knowledge of possible consequences. If the driver was following all good driving regulations and triggered an explosion by activating the turn signal, clearly the driver cannot be held responsible.
• To figure out how to make something happen: In this case we need to zero in on a factor or factors that will push the event forward. Such a factor is sometimes called a precipitating cause. The success of this push will depend on circumstances being right for it, so we will likely also need to describe the conditions that have to be in place for the precipitating cause to actually precipitate the event. If there are likely factors that could block the event, we need to show that those can be eliminated. For example, if we propose a particular surgery to fix a heart problem, we will also need to show that the patient can get to a hospital that performs the surgery and get an appointment. We will certainly need to show that the patient is likely to tolerate the surgery.
• To stop something from happening: In this case, we do not need to describe all possible causes. We want to find a factor that is so necessary to the bad result that if we get rid of that factor, the result cannot occur. Then if we eliminate that factor, we can block the bad result. If we cannot find a single such factor, we may at least be able to find one that will make the bad result less likely. For example, to reduce wildfire risk in California, we cannot get rid of all fire whatsoever, but we can repair power lines and aging gas and electric infrastructure to reduce the risk that defects in this system will spark a fire. Or we could try to reduce the damage fires cause by focusing on clearing underbrush.
• To predict what might happen in the future: As Jeanne Fahnestock and Marie Secor put it in A Rhetoric of Argument , “when you argue for a prediction, you try to convince your reader that all the causes needed to bring about an event are in place or will fall into place.” You also may need to show that nothing will intervene to block the event from happening. One common way to support a prediction is by comparing it to a past event that has already played out. For example, we might argue that humans have survived natural disasters in the past, so we will survive the effects of climate change as well. As Fahnestock and Secor point out, however, “the argument is only as good as the analogy, which sometimes must itself be supported.” How comparable are the disasters of the past to the likely effects of climate change? The argument would need to describe both past and possible future events and convince us that they are similar in severity.

Techniques and Cautions for Causal Argument

So how does a writer make a case that one thing causes another? The briefest answer is that the writer needs to convince us that the factor and the event are correlated and also that there is some way in which the factor could plausibly lead to the event. Then the writer will need to convince us that they have done due diligence in considering and eliminating alternate possibilities for the cause and alternate explanations for any correlation between the factor and the event.

Identify Possible Causes

If other writers have already identified possible causes, an argument simply needs to refer back to those and add in any that have been missed. If not, the writer can put themselves in the role of detective and imagine what might have caused the event.

Determine Which Factor Is Most Correlated with the Event

If we think that a factor may commonly cause an event, the first question to ask is whether they go together. If we are looking for a sole cause, we can ask if the factor is always there when the event happens and always absent when the event doesn’t happen. Do the factor and the event follow the same trends? The following methods of arguing for causality were developed by philosopher John Stuart Mill, and are often referred to as “Mill’s methods.”

• If the event is repeated and every time it happens, a common factor is present, that common factor may be the cause.
• If there is a single difference between cases where the event takes place and cases where it doesn’t.
• If an event and a possible cause are repeated over and over and they happen to varying degrees, we can check whether they always increase and decrease together. This is often best done with a graph so we can visually check whether the lines follow the same pattern.
• Finally, ruling out other possible causes can support a case that the one remaining possible cause did in fact operate.

Explain How That Factor Could Have Caused the Event

In order to believe that one thing caused another, we usually need to have some idea of how the first thing could cause the second. If we cannot imagine how one would cause another, why should we find it plausible? If we are talking about human behavior, then we are looking for motivation: love, hate, envy, greed, desire for power, etc. If we are talking about a physical event, then we need to look at physical forces. Scientists have dedicated much research to establishing how carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could effectively trap heat and warm the planet.

If there is enough other evidence to show that one thing caused another but the way it happened is still unknown, the argument can note that and perhaps point toward further studies that would establish the mechanism. The writer may want to qualify their argument with “may” or “might” or “seems to indicate,” if they cannot explain how the supposed cause led to the effect.

Eliminate Alternative Explanations

The catchphrase “correlation is not causation” can help us to remember the dangers of the methods above. It’s usually easy to show that two things happen at the same time or in the same pattern, but hard to show that one actually causes another. Correlation can be a good reason to investigate whether something is the cause, and it can provide some evidence of causality, but it is not proof. Sometimes two unrelated things may be correlated, like the number of women in Congress and the price of milk. We can imagine that both might follow an upward trend, one because of the increasing equality of women in society and the other because of inflation. Describing a plausible agency, or way in which one thing led to another, can help show that the correlation is not random. If we find a strong correlation, we can imagine various causal arguments that would explain it and argue that the one we support has the most plausible agency.

Sometimes things vary together because there is a common cause that affects both of them. An argument can explore possible third factors that may have led to both events. For example, students who go to elite colleges tend to make more money than students who go to less elite colleges. Did the elite colleges make the difference? Or are both the college choice and the later earnings due to a third cause, such as family connections? In his book Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual , journalist Michael Pollan assesses studies on the effects of supplements like multivitamins and concludes that people who take supplements are also those who have better diet and exercise habits and that the supplements themselves have no effect on health. He advises, “Be the kind of person who takes supplements—then skip the supplements.”

If we have two phenomena that are correlated and happen at the same time, it’s worth considering whether the second phenomenon could actually have caused the first rather than the other way around. For example, if we find that gun violence and violence within video games are both on the rise, we shouldn’t leap to blame video games for the increase in shootings. It may be that people who play video games are being influenced by violence in the games and becoming more likely to go out and shoot people in real life. But could it also be that as gun violence increases in society for other reasons, such violence is a bigger part of people’s consciousness, leading video game makers and gamers to incorporate more violence in their games? It might be that causality operates in both directions, creating a feedback loop as we discussed above.

Proving causality is tricky, and often even rigorous academic studies can do little more than suggest that causality is probable or possible. There are a host of laboratory and statistical methods for testing causality. The gold standard for an experiment to determine a cause is a double-blind, randomized control trial in which there are two groups of people randomly assigned. One group gets the drug being studied and one group gets the placebo, but neither the participants nor the researchers know which is which. This kind of study eliminates the effect of unconscious suggestion, but it is often not possible for ethical and logistical reasons.

The ins and outs of causal arguments are worth studying in a statistics course or a philosophy course, but even without such a course we can do a better job of assessing causes if we develop the habit of looking for alternate explanations.

Reflect on the following to construct a causal argument. What would be the best intervention to introduce in society to reduce the rate of violent crime? Below are some possible causes of violent crime. Choose one and describe how it could lead to violent crime. Then think of a way to intervene in that process to stop it. What method from among those described in this section would you use to convince someone that your intervention would work to lower rates of violent crime? Make up an argument using your chosen method and the kind of evidence, either anecdotal or statistical, you would find convincing.

Possible causes of violent crime:

• Homophobia and transphobia
• Testosterone
• Child abuse
• Violence in the media
• Role models who exhibit toxic masculinity
• Violent video games
• Systemic racism
• Lack of education on expressing emotions
• Unemployment
• Not enough law enforcement
• Economic inequality
• The availability of guns

Proposal Arguments

Proposal arguments attempt to push for action of some kind. They answer the question “What should be done about it?”

In order to build up to a proposal, an argument needs to incorporate elements of definition argument, evaluation argument, and causal argument. First, we will need to define a problem or a situation that calls for action. Then we need to make an evaluation argument to convince readers that the problem is bad enough to be worth addressing. This will create a sense of urgency within the argument and inspire the audience to seek and adopt the proposed action. In most cases, it will need to make causal arguments about the roots of the problem and the good effects of the proposed solution.

Common Elements of Proposal Arguments

Background on the problem, opportunity, or situation

Often just after the introduction, the background section discusses what has brought about the need for the proposal—what problem, what opportunity exists for improving things, what the basic situation is. For example, management of a chain of daycare centers may need to ensure that all employees know CPR because of new state mandates requiring it, or an owner of pine timberland in eastern Oregon may want to make sure the land can produce saleable timber without destroying the environment.

While the named audience of the proposal may know the problem very well, writing the background section is useful in demonstrating our particular view of the problem. If we cannot assume readers know the problem, we will need to spend more time convincing them that the problem or opportunity exists and that it should be addressed. For a larger audience not familiar with the problem, this section can give detailed context.

Description of the Proposed Solution

Here we define the nature of what we are proposing so readers can see what is involved in the proposed action. For example, if we write an essay proposing to donate food scraps from restaurants to pig farms, we will need to define what will be considered food scraps. In another example, if we argue that organic produce is inherently healthier for consumers than non-organic produce, and we propose governmental subsidies to reduce the cost of organic produce, we will need to define “organic” and describe how much the government subsidies will be and which products or consumers will be eligible. These examples illustrate the frequency with which different types of argument overlap within a single work.

If we have not already covered the proposal’s methods in the description, we may want to add this. How will we go about completing the proposed work? For example, in the above example about food scraps, we would want to describe how the leftover food will be stored and delivered to the pig farms. Describing the methods shows the audience we have a sound, thoughtful approach to the project. It serves to demonstrate that we have the knowledge of the field to complete the project.

Feasibility of the Project

A proposal argument needs to convince readers that the project can actually be accomplished. How can enough time, money, and will be found to make it happen? Have similar proposals been carried out successfully in the past? For example, we might observe that according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Rutgers University runs a program that sends a ton of food scraps a day from its dining halls to a local farm. If we describe how other efforts overcame obstacles, we will persuade readers that if they can succeed, this proposal can as well.

Benefits of the Proposal

Most proposals discuss the advantages or benefits that will come from the solution proposed. Describing the benefits helps you win the audience to your side, so readers become more invested in adopting your proposed solution. In the food scraps example, we might emphasize that the Rutgers program, rather than costing more, led to $100,000 a year in savings because the dining halls no longer needed to pay to have the food scraps hauled away. We could calculate the predicted savings for our new proposed program as well.

In order to predict the positive effects of the proposal and show how implementing it will lead to good results, we will want to use causal arguments.

Sample Annotated Proposal Argument

The sample essay “Why We Should Open Our Borders” by student Laurent Wenjun Jiang can serve as an example. Annotations point out how Jiang uses several proposal argument strategies.

• Sample proposal essay “Why We Should Open Our Borders” in PDF with margin notes

Browse news and opinion websites to find a proposal argument that you strongly support. Once you have chosen a proposal, read it closely and look for the elements discussed in this section. Do you find enough discussion of the background, methods, feasibility, and benefits of the proposal? Discuss at least one way in which you think the proposal could be revised to be even more convincing.

Rhetoric Matters: A Guide to Success in the First Year Writing Class Copyright © 2022 by Anna Mills and Darya Myers is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Causal Arguments

Sample causal argument.

Now that you have had the chance to learn about writing a causal argument, it’s time to see what one might look like. Linked, you’ll see a sample causal argument essay written following MLA formatting guidelines.

• Sample Causal Argument. Authored by : OWL Excelsior Writing Lab. Provided by : Excelsior College. Located at : http://owl.excelsior.edu/argument-and-critical-thinking/argumentative-purposes/argumentative-purposes-sample-causal-argument/ . Project : ENG 101. License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike

How to Write a Causal Argument Paper

Jody wilber.

An causal argument essay uses reasoning, questions, resources and inductive thinking in order to present a conclusion to an argument. It should begin with a statement of the writer's view or theory about an argument. A causal argument paper should not be based solely on the author’s opinion, but must include research and resources to back up the writer's position.

Explore this article

• Being asked to write an argument essay
• Your position on the argument
• Write out your arguments for the topic
• Establish your evidence
• Include six parts to your casual argumentative paper

1 Being asked to write an argument essay

Why are you being asked to write an argument essay? Decide on the topic and and the goal of writing the essay. The answers to these questions will become your thesis for the paper.

2 Your position on the argument

Determine why your position on the argument is more valuable than other theories and positions. This will also be a part of your thesis and opening paragraph.

3 Write out your arguments for the topic

Write out your arguments for the topic. Continue by supplying any supporting evidence. For instance, if you are writing an argument on why drilling for oil is bad for the environment, then state statistics that show how oil has destroyed the environment, such as in the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

4 Establish your evidence

Establish why your evidence is more credible than any other evidence. It is important to have reliable resources in order to make the reader agree with your argument and theory. Some examples of credible resources come from government or educational sites.

5 Include six parts to your casual argumentative paper

Include six parts to your casual argumentative paper. These sections are an introduction, ways the problem has been addressed in the past, the social and political consequences of the problem, what will happen if the problem is not solved, facts that back up your argument, and a summary, which concludes the paper with a rephrasing of main ideas and the thesis statement.

About the Author

Based in Las Vegas, Jody Wilber has been freelance writing since 2004. Her articles have appeared in "Christianity Today," "The Upper Room" and "The Review Journal." She is formally a high-school English and journalism teacher. She graduated from California Baptist University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and went on to achieve her Master in Education from Sierra Nevada College.

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25 Causal Argument

Department of Psychological Sciences Birkbeck, University of London London, England, UK

Institute of Philosophy and Political Science TU Dortmund University Dortmund, Germany

Department of Philosophy & Cognitive Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

• Published: 10 May 2017
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This chapter outlines the range of argument forms involving causation that can be found in everyday discourse. It also surveys empirical work concerned with the generation and evaluation of such arguments. This survey makes clear that there is presently no unified body of research concerned with causal argument. It highlights the benefits of a unified treatment both for those interested in causal cognition and those interested in argumentation, and identifies the key challenges that must be met for a full understanding of causal argumentation.

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Complete Guide on Causal Analysis Essay Writing

Don’t worry if you have been given a causal analysis essay to write and have no idea how to start. We have put together an easy to follow guide for you on our essay service to be done as fast as possible!

What is Causal Analysis Essay?

The aim of a causal analysis paper is to show either the consequences of certain causes and effects and vice versa. This is best explored through an essay in which the question " why? " is answered.

Navigating the academic landscape requires a blend of analytical prowess and financial planning. As you delve into the intricacies of crafting a compelling causal analysis essay, you are also honing skills that can significantly bolster your scholarship applications. High school seniors stand at a pivotal juncture, where the right scholarship can markedly ease the transition into tertiary education. In this vein, seeking financial aid should parallel your academic endeavors.

The overall conclusion is usually intended to either prove a point , speculate a theory or disprove a common belief .

This could also be explained through a philosophical narrative by saying it tries to answer the “why” in our lives by clarifying the world in which we inhabit. So, therefore the causal analysis can be said to help us comprehend the complex series of events that shape our life.

To simplify further into an equation this is how you could write it:

50 Causal Analysis Essay Topics

The choice of causal analysis essay topics is by far one of the most responsible steps in handling the task because it affects how easy and fast the process goes and how good the result will be.

Depending on your academic level and the subject, the choice of causal argument essay topics can be very extensive.

So, how do you make the right choice?

This may surprise you, but the key to choosing the best causal essay topics is focusing on one’s own interests. When writing on a topic that you are genuinely interested in, the process will not feel as stressful and boring, and the result will be much better than if you’d write on a topic that is too boring or complex to you.

Need some ideas? To help you get on the right track, we prepared a list of 50 great topics for inspiration:

Technology Causal Analysis Essay Topics

• How can the popularization of e-learning harm the traditional educational system?
• The effects of too active Internet use on children’s personalities.
• What are the reasons that make cyberbullying such a major issue in the modern world?
• How does technology make our day-to-day lives more complicated?
• The impact of IT industry growth on immigration.
• The positive impact of technology on the healthcare industry.
• Influence of technology on attention spans and perception of information.
• How is technology changing a modern classroom?
• How has increased internet access influenced children’s and teen’s behavior?
• What effects does growing misinformation on the internet have on us?

Political Causal Analysis Essay Topics

• Does social media influence politics in any way today?
• What causes a growing number of mass shooting cases in the US?
• Cause-and-effect of the feminist movement.
• The correlation between success in the political sphere and the chosen style of language.
• Are there still hints of gender bias in politics?
• Why do successful political leaders tend to resign at the peak of their careers?
• What has caused stricter gun policies in the US?
• The role of the Civil Rights Movement in the US politics.
• Cause-and-effect of globalization and labor market.
• What led to the US government shut down in 2013?.

Global Occurrences Causal Analysis Essay Topics

• Why did Covid-19 have such a negative impact on the global economy?
• The positive impact the Black Lives Matter movement has on our society.
• How well did we handle the global pandemic?
• Why is the Chinese government planning to back away from its one-child policy?
• What has caused the Israel-Palestine Crisis?
• Why did Donald Trump become the first US president to be impeached twice?
• Why do cryptocurrencies have the potential to replace traditional money?
• Why are people investing in cryptocurrency?
• Why does Elon Musk consider using Bitcoin again?
• Why is the gradual border reopening strategy vital for the EU countries?

Education Causal Analysis Essay Topics

• What causes a consistently high number of bullying cases in schools?
• The negative impact of bullying at schools.
• How is children’s emotional development being affected by the educational system?

How well did we handle adaptation to e-learning during the pandemic?

• What factors make distance learning a bad thing in terms of socializing?
• Why does school uniform have a positive effect on students’ performance?
• The perks of the blended learning approach.
• Why do children tend to perceive new information faster and retain it better than adults?
• The pros and cons of homework.
• Why should parents get more involved in school life?

Nature and Environment Causal Analysis Essay Topics

• What is causing global warming, and what effects might it have on our environment?
• The negative effects of the increasing water pollution levels on our lives.
• What factors cause certain species of animals to go extinct?
• What are the positive effects of owning a pet for children?
• How do our daily activities affect nature and the environment?
• The positive effects of various environmental protection programs on wildlife and nature.
• What makes zoos worse than national parks?
• Why do scientists use animals for research and studies?
• Cause-and-effect of environmental pollution.
• The positive effect of fully organic food and goods on a human health.

Causal Analysis Essay Outline

Plan out an outline to make your writing easier and faster then all the elements of the article will come together better in the end. Also if you want to pay for essay - EssayService it is a good idea.

Choose a Causal Analysis Essay Topic

To start it is best to decide on a topic you wish to explore and is something that has meaning or is a subject area already known about. Think carefully about the causes and effects that could transpire from a given area or topic and also perhaps something that is controversial and open to discussion. It may not be possible to write fully about both the causes and effects so keep in mind which will be the stronger point to include in the paper.

Write a Causal Analysis Essay Thesis Statement

After the chosen topic is decided it is possible to plan out what the causal analysis will find out by creating the thesis statement. This should be summarized into one or two sentences and focus on a particular subject area that can be explored. Try not to limit the essay too much by including too much detail or using language that prevents exploring further possibilities.

An example of a thesis statement could look like:

Governments around the world are meant to have our best interests at heart, yet why do their policies anger many and cause protests. Is this related to bad choice of politicians and political voting systems used and what other factors can be involved?

Create a Causal Analysis Essay Introduction

It is a good idea to put the thesis at the end of the introduction which should give some basic information on the topic. You should start with a “hook” or opening sentence that will grab the reader's attention and want them to continue reading. An interesting quote or statistic can be a good example or something that will make the reader think about the topic.

Write a Causal Analysis Essay Body Paragraphs

Create every paragraph to illustrate one cause or effect chain and write it logically. Use examples to demonstrate the thinking process and the specific chain of causes or effects. Make sure each chain is set out chronologically to make everything clear to the reader. Always clarify the cause to effect or vice versa relationship instead of making comparisons as this will make your statements stronger.

Write a Causal Analysis Essay Conclusion

At the end of the paper include a concluding paragraph which should be a summary of the connections that have been discovered on significant cause-effect relationship. Remember to finish the paper with something that is thought provoking or memorable that highlights the conclusions within the article. For example, if the paper was about World war II, say due to these causes or effects that a third world war is possible if these factors are not kept in check.

Tips for Writing a Causal Analysis Essay

Unless you decide to buy essays online from our service, you should follow the tips below to make your writing worth the best grade.

Keep all the links . Do not leave out any links in the chain of causes and effects unless you are certain that the reader can make the correct connections.

Leave any biases out. It is important to develop an honest essay, to be impartial, and not already have any prejudices. According to our write my essay service professionals, to be a credible writer and make the audience believe in the analysis, the work should be from a neutral stance.

Backup everything with sufficient evidence. Always give specific details and support with hard evidence. Never be vague with the connections in the chain and explain all the links.

Don't oversimplify things. While it is needed to focus and limit the analysis to particular points of the thesis, do not be too quick to assign cause and effect conclusions. Think carefully before making statements and do not jump to any false predictions before evaluating properly.

Try not fall into the post hoc trap. This can be avoided by not making any errors in the logic used and carefully researching each link in the chain. This is a typical causal relationship error that links a previous subject in time just because it happened before. For example, coming to the conclusion that marijuana smokers will go on to smoke crack. This could be based on that crack smokers have tried marijuana before they tried crack but this is a false connection. With the same logic, it could said that cigarette smoking would lead to smoking crack and marijuana, but this is also post hoc fallacy.

Avoid circular thought processes. Try not use thought processes that have no definite conclusion and just restate the thesis. Make new links and ideas that do not end at where the statement started, finish with a sense of conclusion.

Causal Analysis Essay Example

As mentioned above, a causal analysis essay is a form of academic writing task that analyzes the cause of a problem. Some people also refer to causal analysis essays as cause and effect essays.

This type of essay explores the critical aspects of a specific issue to determine the primary causes. You need to state your claim and back it up with supporting facts and arguments. Besides, example essays on causal analysis correlate every issue with an underlying problem.

For instance, most global warming essays are a typical example essay on causal analysis because they highlight factors like human activity (and inactivity) and how it impacts the environment. 

Now let’s check out a sample essay on the following topic: ‍

The global pandemic has presented massive challenges in all aspects of human life. Many individuals have lost their livelihoods, while companies had to digitize their processes to address the financial strains. In schools, the shift to e-learning has also come at an unprecedented pace, forcing teachers and school administrators to adopt new technologies and teaching methods to keep the learning process going. However, the adaptation process to e-learning has not been a major success for students.

Since the start of the pandemic, schools have tried to switch to e-learning and replicate traditional classes online. However, this process has been hindered by unpreparedness in most schools. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, lecturers did not have enough time to acquaint themselves with modern technological platforms. Consequently, they lacked the technical knowledge to get the best of the available learning tools and platforms.

Furthermore, students seem to enjoy e-learning, but the problem lies in the fact that they cannot harness their academic potential to the fullest. In developing countries, poverty, corruption, and inadequate access to learning infrastructure present a massive obstacle to students. Moreover, students living in countries without stable electricity and internet connection lag behind their peers from other countries. And since most schools cannot change the financial situation of disenfranchised students, these young people get left out of the overall academic cycle. 

In line with the lack of access to essential learning materials, students are losing interest in academics. As a result, the dropout rates in higher institutions have reached record numbers over the past 18 months. Some experts ascribe the increasing dropout rates to poverty and financial instability across the globe (Morin, 2021). However, other experts claim that these dropout rates are directly correlated with the hasty and poor implementation of e-learning in schools across the globe. Students who feel abandoned by the system have no motivation to continue pursuing their degrees. Alternatively, they are exploring other career options to maintain financial stability or support their siblings.

On the other hand, student engagement has remained high throughout the pandemic. Teachers now use advanced communication channels and learning tools to connect with their students during and beyond class hours. Gamification has also become an integral part of learning, as online laboratories and virtual reality tools come to the fore. Moreover, the introduction of exciting digital tools into the curriculum has motivated students to stay engaged in the educational process, thus improving their overall performance across the board. Essentially, the increase in online classroom engagement has also boosted students’ academic performance and their understanding of the curriculum.

In conclusion, the merits of the current iteration of e-learning are few and far between. Schools need to address their e-learning models right away to avoid pushing more students away from the academic system. Students from low-income communities should be encouraged to stay in school by creating subsidies for them and re-integrating them into the academic fold. Ultimately, the entire academia should focus on creating modern technological solutions to bridge the expanding knowledge gap caused by the pandemic.

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137 Intriguing Cause & Effect Essay Topics for Students

Teach critical thinking, logic, and the art of persuasion.

Cause-and-effect essays aren’t just a way to help students strengthen their writing skills. They’ll also learn critical thinking, logic, and the art of persuasion. In addition, they teach students to demonstrate how one thing directly influences another. Coming up with engaging cause-and-effect essay topics can be challenging, but we have you covered. This list of ideas includes a variety of topics that range from social and cultural movements to mental health and the environment.

Science and Environment Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• Describe the effect of urbanization on the environment.
• What is the impact of air pollution on health?
• What are the causes and consequences of plastics on marine life?
• What is the impact of rising sea temperatures on fish and marine life?
• Describe the impact of human behavior on global warming.

• What is the effect of social media on environmentalism?
• What causes volcanic eruptions?
• What causes trees to die?
• What are the effects of gravity?
• Why are plants green?
• Why do trees shed their leaves?
• What causes a species to become endangered?
• What are some of the causes of animals losing their habitats?
• Describe the effect of overpopulation on the environment.
• What are the effects of famine on human population?
• What are the causes and effects of Antarctica floods?
• What are the effects of pollution on the ocean?
• What effect do cars have on the environment?
• Why is it important to manage wildfires?
• What has been the impact of DNA on crime scene processing?

• What are the impacts of deforestation in Brazil?
• What are the effects of GMO foods on human health?
• What are the impacts of immunizations on human health?

Technology and Social Media Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are the effects of social media on adolescent development?
• How does technology affect productivity?
• What are the effects of video games on childhood development?
• How do cell phones affect human relationships?
• What are some reasons a teacher might ban cell phones from class?

• What effects do cell phones have on sleep?
• What effects did the invention of the Internet have on technology?
• What were the origins of cyberbullying?
• What are the effects of tablet use on small children?
• How has online dating changed relationships?
• What makes some people less likely to use social media?
• What are the effects of social media on privacy?
• How does the rise of TikTok affect Facebook and Instagram?
• In what ways could social media lead to extremism?
• What is the impact of social media on the increasing popularity of plastic surgery and other enhancements?

• What are some of the benefits of owning a smartphone and what are some of the drawbacks?
• What has been the impact of online shopping on brick-and-mortar stores?
• What has been the impact of smartphones on marriages and relationships?
• What are the causes and effects of texting while driving?
• What has the rise of “influencers” meant for Hollywood?
• In what ways have photo filters influenced young people’s self-esteem?

Culture and Social Issues Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are some of the reasons for substance abuse in young people?
• What are some of the effects of bullying?
• How does economic status affect the quality of health care?
• What are some of the causes of homelessness?
• Explain the effects of ignorance on discrimination.
• What are the impacts of death sentences on social justice?

• How does financial success affect societal privilege?
• What effects does growing up poor have on children?
• In what ways does religion influence society?
• What are the effects of immigration on a host country?
• What are the effects of ageism on job opportunities?
• What is the impact of LGBTQ+ representation in TV and movies?
• What are the effects of school shootings on politics?
• How do school uniforms affect students?
• What are the impacts of high student debt?
• What are the impacts of body shaming on people?
• What were the lasting impacts of the AIDS epidemic on society?

• What impact does banning abortion have in the United States?
• What has been the impact of marriage equality in the United States?
• What are the causes and effects of noise pollution?
• What are the causes and effects of inflation on the economy?
• What are the effects of TV shows on our behavior?

Sports Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• Examine the effects of exercise on mental health.
• What led to baseball being an iconic American sport?
• What drives people to participate in extreme sports?
• In what ways did globalization affect modern sports?
• What were the effects of doping on amateur and professional sports?
• Select a sport and write about the historical factors that led to the popularization of that sport.

• Describe the ways in which youth sports influence a child’s development.
• What were the driving forces behind the first Olympics?
• How can team sports help develop social skills?
• How have e-sports changed the sporting landscape?
• In what ways do race biases influence sports?

• What are the effects of regular workouts on immunity?
• How does participating in sports affect leadership skills?
• In what ways can sports lead to character development?
• What effect does famous athletes’ social commentary have on their fans?

History Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are the effects of the war in Syria on the United States?
• What have been the lasting effects of the Civil Rights Movement?
• What were the causes and effects of the attack on Pearl Harbor?
• What led up to the Berlin Wall being torn down and what effects did that have?

• What lasting impact did 9/11 have on modern American society?
• What were the causes of the Salem Witch Trials?
• What was the cultural impact of the Spanish-American War?
• How has globalization led to modern-day slavery?
• What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
• What were the impacts of the Great Depression on women’s employment?
• How did cartels come into existence? What effect have they had on the United States and Mexico?
• What were the causes and effects of the Women’s Liberation Movement?
• Give an example of colonialism in history and name the resulting impact to the affected society.

• What led to the rise of ISIS and what has the impact been on international security?
• What factors led to the Titanic’s sinking?
• What were the causes and effects of the Vietnam War?
• Choose an American president. What led him to become president and what were the effects of his presidency?

Mental Health Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• How can stress affect the immune system?
• How does social anxiety affect young people?
• How can high academic expectations lead to depression?
• What are the effects of divorce on young people?
• How does service in the armed forces lead to post-traumatic stress disorder?

• What are the effects of mindfulness on mental health?
• Describe the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted mental health.
• How does childhood trauma impact childhood development?
• What impact does witnessing violence have on mental health?
• What is behind increasingly high levels of anxiety in modern American society?

• What are the causes and effects of panic attacks?
• What are the causes and consequences of high stress in the workplace?
• What are some of the causes of insomnia and in what ways does it affect mental health?
• What is the impact of staying home for an extended period of time?

Current Events Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• Choose a local public education campaign. What are the effects of that campaign?
• What are the causes and effects of migration?
• What are the causes and effects of terrorist attacks?

• What are the effects of legalizing genetic engineering research?
• How do low voting rates impact elections and government?
• What is the effect of raising the minimum wage?
• What are the effects of globalization on society?
• How does gerrymandering affect election outcomes?
• What are the causes and effects of police brutality?
• What are the causes and effects of political polarization?

• What are the causes and effects of fake news?
• What are the effects of global war on citizens?
• What is the effect of international aid on poverty or health?
• Why do some countries have nuclear weapons, and what does this mean for other countries?

Education Cause & Effect Essay Topics

• What are the effects of teacher quality on student success?
• What are the causes and effects of student loan debt?
• What are the causes and effects of low graduation rates?

• What are the effects of assigning homework?
• What are the causes and effects of school funding disparities?
• What are the causes and effects of the digital divide in education?
• What is the effect of AI on education?
• What are the causes and effects of student burnout?
• Should students be required to study a foreign language in school, and what are the effects of learning a foreign language?

• What effect has the COVID pandemic had on education?
• What are the effects of same-sex classrooms or schools?

What are your best cause-and-effect essay topics for students? Come exchange ideas in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out our list of interesting persuasive essay topics for kids and teens..

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Guest Essay

I’m an Appellate Lawyer in Manhattan. If Trump Appeals His Conviction, He Faces Long Odds.

By Roger L. Stavis

Mr. Stavis is a defense and appellate lawyer and a former prosecutor in New York City.

Donald Trump has vowed to appeal his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Some on the right have argued that the trial was a target-rich environment for an appeal. Others have said that the U.S. Supreme Court should step in and provide relief to Mr. Trump.

Nevertheless, the process will begin in New York, where state law gives Mr. Trump — and any other individual with a criminal conviction — an absolute right to an appeal before an intermediate appellate court known as the Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department.

As a prosecutor and a defense attorney for decades, I have argued hundreds of cases at this court. I’ve looked closely at the Trump case. The burning question now is: Could his conviction be reversed on appeal? My answer is: The chances of that are not good.

Mr. Trump’s legal team can approach his appeal on several fronts, but only one, concerning the legal theory behind the falsifying business records charge, is likely to hold out anything more than the slimmest of hopes for the former president.

In recent years, the Appellate Division, First Department, has reversed appeals from criminal convictions in only about 4 to 6 percent of cases. These long odds should come as no surprise. While the Constitution guarantees criminal defendants a fair trial, it does not guarantee them a perfect one.

To warrant reversal of a jury’s verdict on account of an error, the appellate court must find that an error of some kind led directly to the conviction. A technical error that does not rise to that level is called a harmless error and will not cause a reversal of a conviction.

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Amy Coney Barrett Sounds Fed Up with Clarence Thomas’ Sloppy Originalism

This is part of  Opinionpalooza , Slate’s coverage of the major decisions from the Supreme Court this June. Alongside  Amicus , we kicked things off this year by explaining  How Originalism Ate the Law . The best way to support our work is by joining  Slate Plus . (If you are already a member, consider a  donation  or  merch !)

A minor dispute over a trademark registration erupted into a heated battle over originalism at the Supreme Court last week, splintering the justices into warring camps over the value and practicality of history in constitutional analysis. No surprise there—as the term accelerates toward a contentious finale, the tensions roiling major cases are bound to spill over into littler ones. What’s remarkable is who seized on this squabble over intellectual property to launch a scathing salvo against the conservative majority’s “laser-like focus” on “supposed history and tradition”: Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a conservative who presented as a true believer in originalism when joining the Supreme Court four years ago. Barrett’s latest opinion exudes disenchantment with the methodology, at least as it’s used by this court; it also suggests she has buyer’s remorse about signing on to Bruen , a significant expansion of the Second Amendment that’s arguably the most radical and unworkable “originalist” opinion she’s joined so far.

We will know soon enough. Last week’s squabble reads like shadowboxing over a much bigger decision to come: U.S. v. Rahimi , a follow-up to the Bruen decision. Rahimi gives the court an opportunity to walk back the most disastrous and lethal aspects of its Second Amendment extremism. Barrett now seems like she may be eager to take it.

Vidal v. Elster , last Thursday’s decision, is not the kind of case that usually makes headlines. Steve Elster is a labor lawyer who wanted to trademark the phrase “Trump too small,” inspired by Sen. Marco Rubio’s crude debate joke about Donald Trump’s hands in 2016. The Patent and Trademark Office, however, refused to register the trademark, citing a law that bars trademarks made up of a name “identifying a particular living individual except by his written consent.” (Needless to say, the former president did not give his consent.) Elster sued, alleging a violation of the First Amendment. He pointed out that the Supreme Court has held that two similar provisions of federal law violate free speech, one that bars disparaging trademarks and another that bars “ immoral or scandalous ” trademarks. So, he argued, the prohibition against trademarks that use other people’s names—the so-called names clause—should also be declared unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled against Elster, upholding the statute. But the justices fractured badly on the reason why, dividing more or less into a 5–4 split. Writing for the five men, Justice Clarence Thomas relied exclusively upon history (or his version of it) to resolve the case. Typically, he explained, laws that discriminate on the basis of content—that is, their “topic,” “idea,” or “message”—are subject to heightened scrutiny under the First Amendment. And by targeting trademarks that reference other people, the “names clause” is a “content-based regulation of speech.” But Thomas then declared that the law is not constitutionally suspect because it aligns with the “history and tradition” of the nation “since the founding.” Trademark restrictions “have always turned on a mark’s content” yet “have always coexisted with the First Amendment,” so they represent an exception to the usual constitutional limitations. Embarking upon a grand journey from the 1700s through today, Thomas presented a smattering of comparable laws from the past to demonstrate this “historical rule.” In short, he concluded, it has always been done, so it always may be done. Case closed.

In a separate opinion, Barrett agreed with Thomas’ bottom line but sharply disagreed with pretty much everything else. His history-only approach, she wrote, was “wrong twice over”: Thomas both botched the relevant history and failed to make a persuasive case for its use in the first place. Start with “the court’s evidence.” Thomas’ law-office history , Barrett explained, consists of “loosely related cases from the late-19th and early-20th centuries” that do not “establish a historical analogue for the names clause.” His analysis of these cases is shallow and often dubious; Barrett highlighted unfounded inferences in Thomas’ skim of the historical record, questioning his generalizations from a handful of archaic decisions. She also noted that Thomas declined to “fully grapple with countervailing evidence,” citing old decisions that cut against his conclusory assertions.

Clearly, Barrett is growing tired of her colleague’s bogus originalism: She also criticized his highly selective frolic through the archives in last term’s Samia v. U.S. , questioning his reliance on a somewhat random “snapshot” of history to cut back protections of the Sixth Amendment. “The court overclaims,” the justice wrote then, risking “undermining the force of historical arguments when they matter most.”

But this time, Barrett’s critique cuts much deeper: Thomas, she wrote, “never explains why hunting for historical forebears on a restriction-by-restriction basis is the right way to analyze the constitutional question.” The majority “presents tradition itself as the constitutional argument,” as though it is “dispositive of the First Amendment issue,” without any “theoretical justification.” In a passage that must have made the liberal justices proud, Barrett continued: “Relying exclusively on history and tradition may seem like a way of avoiding judge-made tests. But a rule rendering tradition dispositive is itself a judge-made test. And I do not see a good reason to resolve this case using that approach rather than by adopting a generally applicable principle.” Plucking out historical anecdotes, ad libbing some connective tissue, then presenting the result as a constitutional principle “misses the forest for the trees.” When applying “broadly worded” constitutional text, “courts must inevitably articulate principles to resolve individual cases.” This approach brings sorely needed “clarity to the law.”

Barrett sketched out a better path: assessing the “names clause” within a framework “grounded in both trademark law and First Amendment precedent.” When the government “opens its property to speech,” she wrote, restrictions are permissible so long as they aren’t cover for the “official suppression of ideas.” Thus, courts should uphold trademark laws if they “are reasonable in light of the trademark system’s purpose.”

Why did Barrett spill so much ink repudiating Thomas’ opinion when the two justices landed in the same place? Her opinion reads like a rebuttal of Bruen , Thomas’ 2022 decision establishing a novel right to carry guns in public—which Barrett joined in full. Bruen marked a sea change because it upended the way courts looked at firearm restrictions. Previously, the courts of appeals applied heightened scrutiny to gun laws, asking whether the regulation was carefully drawn to further public safety. SCOTUS applies this test in countless other contexts, including the First Amendment and equal protection. It requires judges to balance the interests on both sides, a well-worn tool of judicial review. Yet Thomas spurned this “means-ends scrutiny,” demanding that courts rely exclusively on the nation’s “history and tradition”: A gun restriction, he wrote, is only constitutional if it has a sufficient number of “historical analogues” from the distant past.

This brand-new test has flummoxed the lower courts and led to ludicrous outcomes —partly because judges are not historians and have no reliable way to produce a complete historical record, and also because American society has evolved to the point that a great deal of “tradition” now looks barbaric . This term, the Supreme Court has been confronted with the fallout from Bruen in a follow-up called Rahimi , which asks whether domestic abusers have a right to bear arms . During oral arguments in Rahimi , Barrett sounded deeply uncomfortable with what her court had wrought. Rahimi has not yet been decided. But Barrett’s concurrence in Elster reads like a preview of her opinion in that case. The justice seems to have second thoughts about pinning constitutional interpretation entirely on a court’s amateur historical analysis; she now seems to see the immense value in “adopting a generally applicable principle” that courts can apply across cases.

The liberal justices were right there alongside Barrett in Elster , gladly signing on to her more sensible approach to the case. Justice Sonia Sotomayor also wrote a separate concurrence raising many of Barrett’s objections, taking more explicit aim at Bruen and the “confusion” it has caused. And some of Barrett’s Elster concurrence echoes a recent opinion by Justice Elena Kagan—which Barrett notably joined—that offered an alternative to Thomas’ rigid focus on founding-era history in a case upholding the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

This shadowboxing foreshadows a bitter split in Rahimi , though with Barrett and the liberals appear poised to wind up on the winning side. There’s no doubt that Barrett is still a Second Amendment enthusiast , but with one more vote, this bloc is well positioned to walk back the excesses of Bruen . What’s certain right now is that the justice, at a minimum, has serious doubts about the legitimacy and workability of this Supreme Court’s sloppy, results-oriented originalism . That doesn’t mean Barrett has abandoned her broader commitment to the conservative legal movement’s cause. But it does signal a disillusionment with conservative orthodoxies that could put her vote up for grabs in cases much more important than a trademark dispute.

The Washington Post’s essential guide to tech policy news

Surgeon general puts onus on social media giants to prove they’re safe

Happy Tuesday! A brutal heat wave is starting in D.C. that is sure to test people’s views on senators wearing shorts . Send news tips and scorching hot etiquette takes to: [email protected] . Today:

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy on Monday urged Congress to require tobacco-style warning labels for social media, as Aaron Gregg and I reported . In an essay unveiling the plan, Murthy notably argued that social media “has not been proved safe” for children.

Public officials for years have cited research linking social media use to youth mental health issues in pushing for new restrictions on digital platforms , even as the topic remains hotly contested in academic circles amid calls for more data from many researchers .

But Murthy’s remarks flipped that debate on its head, shifting part of the burden onto tech companies to prove their apps are safe enough for kids to use.

In a public health advisory last year on social media and youth mental health, Murthy wrote that while “[m]ore research is needed to fully understand the impact of social media” on kids, there are “ample indicators” that it can pose a “profound risk” to children’s well-being.

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“At this time, we do not yet have enough evidence to determine if social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents,” he added.

Murthy took the argument a step further Monday, calling on companies to convince consumers and public officials of the safety of their products. “While the platforms claim they are making their products safer, Americans need more than words. We need proof,” he wrote.

In an interview with the Tech Brief, Murthy said that the “gaping question” of whether social media is safe enough for kids is one he hears from parents all the time.

“That’s where there’s a gap. There isn’t sufficient evidence to tell us that,” he said.

Part of the issue, he explained, is how tough it can be to pry data from Silicon Valley. “Researchers are consistently telling us that they can't get access to the full data from companies that speaks to the health impacts that their platforms have on young people,” he said.

For their part, tech industry groups and digital rights advocates have cited reports finding little to no proof of a causal link between social media use and youth mental health issues to push back on calls for more stringent digital regulations.

One widely cited National Academies report in December concluded that “the literature did not support the conclusion that social media causes changes in adolescent health at the population level.”

Still, the report found that special media use can “displace time” that could otherwise go to sleep, exercise or other activities; that it can have a “distracting power” during key development stages in life; and that it could impact some people differently, including those with depression.

Alvaro Bedoya, a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission, told me at a conference in February that last year’s surgeon general advisory and the National Academies report, critically, set out to answer different questions.

In the National Academies report, Bedoya said, “the burden [on researchers] is to prove the danger,” while in the surgeon general’s advisory, “the burden is on the company to prove safety.”

In a statement Monday, Bedoya endorsed Murthy’s proposal for social media labels. He said it would help teens and their parents understand that any struggles they experience in dealing with social media “isn’t just in their heads.”

“There is a growing body of peer-reviewed evidence that certain uses of social media may harm young people,” Bedoya said. “I support the Surgeon General's proposal and hope Congress enacts it. It’s not going to solve everything, but it will absolutely help.”

A broad group of tech industry and civil society groups spoke out against Murthy’s plan, however, saying there’s not yet scientific agreement on the issue and that the burden should fall on public officials to prove the necessity of their plans.

“Regulating speech and activity until it’s affirmatively proven safe is a good way to run afoul of the First Amendment,” said Todd O’Boyle , senior tech policy director of the Chamber of Progress, a left-leaning tech trade group that counts Apple, Amazon and Google as members. (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.)

“There is no scientific consensus that social media is harmful to children’s mental health,” said Aaron Mackey, director of free speech and transparency litigation at the digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Government scanner

Court will hear challenges to TikTok ban on Sept. 16 (Axios)

U.S. sues Adobe over hard-to-cancel subscriptions (New York Times)

Elon Musk and the SEC are on a collision course again (Wall Street Journal)

U.S. Supreme Court to hear Nvidia bid to scuttle shareholder lawsuit (Reuters)

Inside the industry

OpenAI expands health care push with Color Health’s Cancer Copilot (Wall Street Journal)

Apple is shutting down Apple Pay Later just months after launch (The Verge)

Privacy monitor

Hackers detail how they allegedly stole Ticketmaster data from Snowflake (Wired)

It won an award for AI images. Just one problem: It was a real photo. (María Luisa Paúl)

McDonald’s pulls AI ordering from drive-thrus — for now (CNN)

2 political outliers claim seats in European Parliament by leveraging social media’s viral power (AP)

• Trade group TechNet announced Rose Feliciano , formerly a manager of government affairs at Desimone Consulting Group in Seattle, will serve as executive director for Washington state and the northwest region starting June 24.
• The Federal Trade Commission holds a closed meeting on Thursday at 12:30 p.m.

Before you log off

@caitlin.kriete She really was trying to get the water but it’s hard to see and brother just kind of took over. She’s an old lady. #cats #catsoftiktok #cat #catvideos #seniorcat #seniorcats #seniorcatsoftiktok ♬ Dear Theodosia - Leslie Odom Jr. & Lin-Manuel Miranda

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