Cause and Effect: Tracing Reasons and Results
Directions: Write an essay of 500-750 words using the technique of cause and effect. Your essay should include an introductory paragraph, two or more body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. Be sure to include a thesis statement as the last sentence of the introduction and a topic sentence to top each body paragraph. Reminder: Essay grades drop one full letter grade for each day that they are submitted late. ALL ESSAYS MUST BE IN MLA FORMAT. VISIT THE PURDUE OWL WEBSITE (Links to an external site.) FOR ALL MLA FORMATTING.
Topic: Write an essay that explores the key to college success. In other words, pick the most important cause to college success. Is it grit? High expectations? Test scores? Support? Faculty mentors? Something else? If you would like, it might help to narrow your focus by choosing a particular group of students, i.e., students of color, women, community college students, lower-income students, etc. In addition, you may narrow your focus by how you define college successit could be specific to a particular major or group of majors, or how many graduate college with a degree, or how many obtain jobs or go on to graduate school afterward, etc.
Essay Parts:
INTRODUCTION: Stimulate the readers interest in the central point with your hook that leads up to the thesis (last sentence or two of the introduction paragraph). Thesis should 1) mention your topic, 2) your assertion, 3) overall CAUSE, and 4) WHY. [An example of an effective thesis for this assignment: Grit i
s the key to college success because it is the driving force that enables students to complete and excel in their college studies.]
BODY PARAGRAPHS (2-3): Each topic sentence breaks down the overall cause from the thesis into a more specific cause. Each particular cause is directly connected to the thesis. Topic sentences of cause are followed by detailsspecific explanation, examples, description, or narration (show and tell). Consider that this event likely has multiple causesits not your job to show all of them, just the ones that fit your purpose. Also, where needed, use transitions for clarity.
CONCLUSION: Close the essay with a consequence- and solution-oriented conclusion that closes the essay in a satisfying way. Restate the thesis first and then summarize key components of your essay.
Note: I require a MINIMUM of 5-7 sentences in every paragraph.
***IMPORTANT: Although the topics above are inspired by this weeks readings and videos, you are NOT to quote or use any sources for this essayI only want YOUR ideas.
This assignment will be automatically submitted to TurnItInRemember, no need to register or log in to TurnItIn.com on your own. This tool is embedded into our course and when you submit your essay, it will be automatically submitted to TurnItIn. For every assignment, please use your own words, stay away from using outside sources, and always aim for a TurnItIn similarity score of 0%.
***Submit your essay on the above topic by 11:59 PM Thursday***THIS ASSIGNMENT WILL DROP A FULL GRADE FOR EACH DAY SUBMITTED LATE***