CAUSAL ESSAY IMPORTANT NOTES TO WRITE A GOOD DETAILED PAPER This presentation was created following the Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia. Certain materials are included under the Fair Use exemption of the U.S. Copyright Law. Further use of these materials and this presentation is restricted.

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?  Argue WHAT brought about the tragedy of Oedipus.  Logically explain the cause and effect of the tragedy.  EFFECT= his fall (loss of fame, fortune, family, eyesight, throne, reputation, money, etc.)

DETAILS AND SUPPORT  Use “quotes” and paraphrasing w/in-text cite  ANALYZE(explain/interpret) the evidence to JUSTIFY your thoughts  NO COMPLETE EXPLANATIONS= book report NOT 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!  A caused B which caused C etc.

ONE DROP CAUSES…

Strike or a spare?????

A Chain reaction…

Never ASSUME! EXPLAIN!  Do not assume your reader understands our example the way it is IN YOUR HEAD!!  Reader cannot know what you do NOT say!!!  You MUST explain how the EVIDENCE PROVES what you say.  Think like a lawyer-CONVINCE the jury (reader)  It is perfectly okay to think your reader is “clueless” about the topic!  EXPLAIN your thoughts

FREE-WILL/FATE ANALYSIS GROUP #1- P GROUP #2-P GROUP #3-P GROUP #4-P GROUP #5-P GROUP #6-P On your chart indicate 1. Quote 2. Line number (s) 3. Explanation how that information shows a cause effect relationship between fate or free-will as the cause of Oedipus’ tragic downfall.

EVIDENCE CHART Identify plot events, actions, specific lines-note pg #’s for direct quotes FATE/Beyond his controlFREE-WILL/His choices

WRITING REMINDERS

CITATIONS  MUST include in-text citation for everything that you borrow (textbook, the internet, the dictionary, notes, anywhere or anyone (your teacher included).  Use the MLA directions in agenda book (and available on the school website on the LMC page-NO EXCUSES FOR PLAGARISM!!!)  *What pages is it on?? Who can tell us?

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 in the essay

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!

AVOID “I” & “YOU”  Do not say “I believe,” “I think,” etc.  Do not say, “you should…” etc.  Make as a straight forward statement  I believe it was fate…  It was fate…

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 direct quotes.

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 for help)

PARTS OF THE ESSAY

INTRODUCTION Must include: 1. Attention-getter 2. Context (some background or set up of the cause/effect idea) 3. Title of the piece of literature being used 4. Author/playwright of the piece 5. Thesis statement (effect-cause- tragedy/tragic hero)  Transitions and flow as needed  Attention-getter MUST be first, but rest in order that makes sense *Optional/as needed- BRIEF plot summary or basic overview of the person.

INTRODUCTION MUST HAVES! ATTENTION GETTER: Open with something that gets the reader’s attention. A strong statement regarding tragedy/life/free will etc. A question? A quote (include a citation) etc. For CHARACTERS-Include the title and the author in your introduction. 2. Include the idea of cause-effect in the intro 3. THESIS STATEMENT (cause- effect-tragic hero) 11A

ATTENTION-GETTERS  Powerful quote that is connected to topic (cite it)- if from an outside source- must be listed on works cited page. ONLY PARAGRAPH THAT MAY BEGIN WITH A DIRECT QUOTE!!!  HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION (imagine)  RHETORICAL QUESTION(S)  DESCRIPTION (relevant to piece of literature or culture)  Combination of techniques as works.

THESIS MUST  Include these words: (character’s name) Cause Fate or free-will Effect (result) Tragic hero *Tragedy optional  SAMPLE: Character X’s loss of X was directly caused by X and he/she is a good example of a tragic hero.  SAMPLE: Character x’s loss of x was directly caused by x, but he/she is not a tragic hero. 11A

THESIS  You do NOT have to follow the exact wording of the samples, BUT all the key words must be in your thesis sentence.  Write a thesis statement TURN IN to turn it in BEFORE YOU LEAVE! 11A

BODY PARAGRPAHS

11A TOPIC SENTENCES  State them clearly.  Do NOT use a QUOTE as a topic sentence.  Quotes should support YOUR IDEA not be THE idea.  Do NOT retell the story-  Use plot events/quotes to show YOUR POINT!

INCORPORATING QUOTES  Direct quotations are a useful tool to use  Don’t Drop-in!  Use Signal Phrases (not just for direct quotes but paraphrases and summaries as well) (see next slide)  Should provide context (surrounding details/reasons) for the source material  Should name the author/speaker

Sample Direct Quote with Signal Phrase and in-text cite  When Oedipus declares, “Until now I was a stranger to this tale/As I had been a stranger to the crime” (Sophocles 211 l ) the irony is used to highlight his current ignorance of the situation. However, it also serves to set up how his personal choices not fate will bring about his tragedy. (continue on with explanation) 11A

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!

PSYCHOLOGICAL FULL CIRCLE  Return in a clever way to your attention- getter  Used a rhetorical questions-answer it  Used a vivid description-go back to it etc.

Works Cited  You must have a works cited page  In-text citations and NO Works Cited=PLAGIARISM  Works Cited and NO in-text citations=PLAGIARISM  They must work hand in hand!  THE WORKS CITED PAGE-follow your agenda book rules.

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 Print.

READ ALOUD! 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).