CAUSAL ESSAY

IMPORTANT NOTES TO WRITE A GOOD DETAILED PAPER

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Cause and Effect

Cause makes something happen Effect is what happens as a result of the

Cause Ideas and events are connected in a

Cause/Effect relationship Even an insignificant event can cause

unexpected or even disastrous effects/results

What caused the tragedy of Oedipus Rex?

You need to decide in your opinion what happened to bring about the tragedy of Oedipus.

Then you have to logically explain the cause and effect of the tragedy.

DETAILS AND SUPPORT

Make sure you include “quotes” and your own paraphrasing from the play to support your thoughts about what caused the tragedy of Oedipus; moreover, explain WHY the quote or paraphrase supports your opinion!

You have to personally analyze, not just copy, what someone else has written.

Keep in mind that your paper is a Causal Essay. Show the domino effect, the chain reaction or the ripple effect of one action or event leading to another. It must make sense and flow from one to the other – CAUSE AND EFFECT!

ONE DROP CAUSES…

Strike or a spare?????

A Chain reaction…

Never ASSUME!

It is perfectly okay to think your reader is “clueless” about the topic!

Make sure you use specific details and explain your meaning and reasons for using them thoroughly.

CITATIONS

You must include an in-text citation for everything that you get from the book, the internet, the dictionary, notes, anywhere or anyone (your teacher included). Use the MLA directions given to you in your agenda book and available on the school website on the LMC page.

Cite your Quotes and Paraphrasing from the Text

In-text citations: Make sure you cite each paraphrase, direct quote, fact, statistic,

etc. that you found in your research. If you used someone else’s ideas, thoughts, facts,

anything at all that came from someone else’s brain, you MUST cite it!!!

You must have a minimum of 3 in-text citations.

WRITING REMINDERS

Content should be clear and AWESOME, but please do not forget the “rules” and expectations for good

writing that are easily found and corrected!

No Contractions

Do not use contractions (isn’t, wasn’t, I’m, he’s, you’ve, etc.). You may use them in dialogue only.

(Slim said, “You’ve got to leave that pup alone.”) Using contractions can cause spelling errors (“there”

for “they’re”, “your” for “you’re”); therefore, you may NOT use them at all except in dialogue.

Check spelling if you do use them in dialogue.

Careful authors check-

Spelling: Use the spell check and grammar check. These tools will not

catch all errors so read your paper to make sure you have spelled and used grammar correctly.

 Punctuation: Check punctuation. Be careful about Fragments and Run-on

sentences. Comma use is the biggest problem, so check your rule sheets in your grammar!

VERB Tense

 

Stay in past or present tense the entire paper. (If you begin using “was”, “were”, “had been”, “has

been”, “said”, “walked”, “spoke” etc., continue in PAST tense.

If you begin using “is”, “are”, “say(s)”, “walk”, “speak(s)” etc., continue in PRESENT tense.)

(may refer to grammar unit 4 in your packet)

CONCLUSION

Wrap it up with a “bow”- write a conclusion that addresses your point in an interesting way.

Summarize your paper. Make an evaluative statement. Do not just regurgitate your thesis statement from the introduction!

Must be 4-5 sentences just like your other paragraphs.

Works Cited Page

You must have a works cited page (page 3 of your Causal Essay) THE WORKS CITED PAGE The last page of a research paper is similar to a

bibliography page. It contains an alphabetical list of all the sources cited within the paper. The student’s last name should be in the upper right hand corner, ½ inch from the top followed by the last page number of the essay. The heading Works Cited must be centered at the top of the page, 1 inch from the top double space, then list the sources alphabetized according to the first letter of the first word of the entry (not including the words a, an, or the). numbers.

CITATION

Every line of the entries must be double-spaced with the first line at the margin and all other lines indented five spaces (hanging indent).

A work in an anthology or collection: (see agenda book)

Author of selection. “Title.” Copyright of essay. name of book/collection. Editor. City: Publishing company, Copyright of book.

The following is a sample of the type of entry for the Lit. Book. *Note punctuation.

• Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. 429 B.C. Elements of Literature: World Literature. Ed. Patricia McCambridge. Austin: Holt,

Rinehart and Winston. 2006. Print.

GOOD IDEA!

READ YOUR PAPER ALOUD TO YOURSELF TO SEE IF IT SOUNDS LOGICAL AND FLOWS FROM BEGINNING TO END (do this every now and then while writing the essay and then when you are finished).