Analyze possible causes.

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The following activity will help you analyze an array of possible causes and decide which ones you could use in your essay. Remember that causal analysis essays often speculate about several possible causes but usually also argue for an especially interesting or plausible cause.

Ways In

HOW CAN I ANALYZE POSSIBLE CAUSES?

  1. List the possible causes you’ve identified so far—ones that your readers are likely to think of, that your classmates suggested, that you found doing research, and that you thought of yourself.
  2. Write a few sentences about each cause, answering questions like these:
    • Why do [I/my readers] think could have caused ?
    • Is necessary to bring about ; that is, could not happen without it? Is sufficient—enough in itself—to cause ?
    • If is one of several contributing factors, what role does it play? For example, is it a minor or a major cause, an obvious or a hidden cause, a triggering cause (the one that got the cause-effect process started) or a continuing cause (the one that keeps it going)?
    • What kinds of evidence could I use to argue in favor of or to argue against [cause]? (If you don’t already have supporting evidence, make a Research To Do note indicating what kind of evidence you need and where you might possibly find it.)
  3. Classify the causes you plan to discuss in your essay into three categories: plausible cause(s) you want to argue for, causes your readers may favor that you can concede but put aside as obvious or minor, and causes you should refute because your readers are likely to think they are important.

Turn to the Writer at Work on pp. 453–54 to see how Sheila McClain used this activity to analyze her list of possible causes.

Plausible cause(s) to argue for Readers’ causes to concede/put aside Readers’ causes to refute
     
     
     
     

Remember that the only category you must include in your essay is the first: one or more causes you will argue played a major, and perhaps surprising, role.