Chapter 13: Causal Arguments ENG 101: Writing I from Practical Argument

What is a Causal Argument? Causal arguments attempt to find causes or identify possible effects Identifies the causes of an event or situation and takes a stand on what actually caused it Focuses on effects, taking a position on what a likely outcome is, has been, or will be In an essay you: Search for the causes of an event or situation Examine a number of different possible causes before concluding that a particular cause was the most likely one Consider the possible outcomes or results of a given event or situation Conclude that one possible effect would most likely occur

Examples Are designated bicycle lanes really safer cyclists? Is autism caused by childhood vaccines? Is fast food making Americans fat? Do charter schools improve students’ academic performance? Does profiling decrease the likelihood of a terrorist attack?

Visual Arguments

Understanding Cause-and-Effect Relationships Cause and effect relationships can be very complex A single event or situation can have many possible results Not all results are equally significant An event or situation may have more than one cause Identifying cause(s) may be difficult

Main and Contributory Causes In a causal argument, you focus on: Identifying what you believe is the most important cause Presenting arguments that convince readers why it is the most important cause Showing why other causes are not as important Identifying factors, if necessary, that are not causes and explaining why

Main and Contributory Causes Continued The most important cause is the main cause May be difficult to identify May not be the most obvious cause The less important causes are the contributory causes Identifying the main cause is important because you will use it to structure and support your argument

Immediate and Remote Causes The immediate cause is the most obvious cause because it occurs right before an event May not be the main cause Remote causes are factors that occurred further in the past but May have had a greater impact

Causal Chains A causal chain is a sequence of events in which one event causes the next, which in turn causes the next, and so on

Causal Chains Continued When you write a causal argument, you can organize your essay as a causal chain Example: Childhood Obesity Epidemic Thesis: US Elementary Schools are at fault for causing American children to fail to see the importance of a healthy lifestyle Elementary schools do not stress the importance of exercise and nutrition in gym and health classes As a result, children do not understand the importance of regular physical activity and eating right With little incentive to learn the essentials of a healthy lifestyle, children establish bad habits such as playing video games and snacking on junk food As a result, American children are more likely to be overweight or obese Concluding Statement: Because the habits of a healthy lifestyle are established early, US elementary schools should to take responsibility for encouraging children to eat right and exercise

Key Words for a Causal Argument When you write causal arguments, choose verbs that indicate causal connections Bring about Create Lead to Encourage Influence Contribute to Originate in Cause Use transitional words to help readers follow your argument Consequently As a result Repeat key words to help identify individual causes and effects Cause Effect Outcome Result

Post Hoc Reasoning Post Hoc Reasoning is the incorrect assumption that because an event precedes another event, it has caused the event As you develop your causal argument, be careful not to assume that every event that somehow precedes another event has somehow caused it

Structuring a Causal Argument Introduction Establishes a context for the argument by explaining the need to examine causes or consider effects States the essay’s thesis Evidence (first point in support of the thesis) Discusses less important causes or effects Evidence (second point in support of the thesis) Discuss more important causes or effects Evidence (third point in support of the thesis) Discusses major causes or effects Refutation of opposing arguments Considers and rejects other possible causes or effects Conclusion Reinforces the argument’s main point (thesis) Includes a strong concluding statement