Thinking About Cause and Effect
There are a number of considers relevant to any discussion of cause and effect. One of the most
basic is that generally cause and effects are not as simple and straightforward as one might think
or even wish. For example, why was Barak Obama elected President of the United States? The
simple answer is he got the most votes. Technically, maybe that’s the answer. But the real
answer is much more complex. Many causes have been proposed. He had new ideas. People
were tired of the Republican administration. John McCain was too old. These and dozens more
are all potential causes for one effect, Barak Obama’s election. Therefore, one effect could have
multiple causes. Likewise, one cause could have multiple effects. What are the effects of
Barak Obama being elected to the office of President? Only history will ultimately tell, but I’m
sure you can imagine that there will be many effects from this one election.
As we just considered, one effect might have multiple causes; one cause and have multiple
effects. However, effects can also be causes. Consider the following proverb:
For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
This is a classic example of a casual chain. A nail was lost; therefore, a horse shoe was lost. This
is a cause and effect relationship. Then, the lost shoe, previously an effect, becomes the cause of
the loss of a horse, and so on. In your writing, you might end up writing about a casual chain.
While most student writers “get this,” all too often in their own writing they want simple
solutions. Why? Well, maybe because simple, straightforward causes and effects seem easier to
write about. Whatever the reason, be careful not to be guilty of this.
Here are a few other considerations.

Your thesis should clearly identify your cause and effect relationship.

You do not have to use the words cause and effect endlessly. Try synonyms such as
reason, source, origin, etc., for cause and result, consequent, outcome, etc., for effect.

Correlations, where events or items have a strikingly close relationship to each
other, is not the same thing as a cause effect relationship.

Focus on why and because. For example, if you are writing about a cause-effect
relationship in your life, you will, of course, recount something about your life. However,
don’t lapse into just telling a story. Keep explaining why and because. Keep the focus on
cause and effect.