For more revising and editing strategies, see Ch. 23.
Because explaining causes and effects takes hard thought, set aside plenty of time for rewriting. As Yun Yung Choi approached her paper’s final version, she wanted to rework her thesis for greater precision with more detail.
WORKING THESIS | The turnabout for women resulted from the influence of Confucianism in all aspects of society. |
REVISED THESIS | This turnabout in women’s place in Korean society was brought about by one of the greatest influences that shaped the government, literature, and thoughts of the Korean people — Confucianism. |
She also faced a problem pointed out by classmates: how to make a smooth transition from recalling her own experience to probing causes.
If you are tracing causes,
See more on evidence. See more on mistakes in thinking called logical fallacies.
If you are determining effects,
See more editing and proofreading strategies.
After you have revised your cause-and-effect essay, edit and proofread it. Carefully check the grammar, word choice, punctuation, and mechanics — and then correct any problems you find.
See the relevant checklist sections in the Quick Editing Guide for more help. See also to the Quick Format Guide.
Have you used correct verb tenses and forms throughout? When you describe events in the past, is it clear what happened first and what happened next? | A3 | ||
Have you avoided creating fragments when adding causes or effects? (Check revisions carefully, especially those beginning “Because...” or “Causing...”) Have you avoided comma splices or fused sentences when integrating ideas? | A1, A2 | ||
Do your transitions and other introductory elements have commas after them, if these are needed? | C1 |