Cause and Effect Essay Topics

Cause and Effect Essay Topics – It’s Complicated

Probably the first difficulty students run into when writing a cause and effect essay is separating what is cause and what is effect. This is quite understandable, as the lines between the two can be blurred quite easily. Also, take into consideration something that causes a chain reaction of events. By the way, chain events should be avoided when selecting cause and effect essay topics. In this case, you could define many events as both cause and effect. A good rule of thumb, however, is this: Asking 'why?' will usually help you define the cause. Asking 'what?' will often reveal the effects. Please look at the following example:

• Why did the old building catch on fire? (cause)

There was a pile of greasy rags under a window with direct sun exposure.

• What happened when the old building caught on fire? (effects)

1. Thousands of historical documents were burned.
2. The neighborhood had to be evacuated for three hours.
3. A fire fighter sprained his wrist using his hatchet.
4. A child playing nearby had a minor asthma attack.

When selecting a cause and effect essay topic, it is a good idea to stick with a singular cause and its effects. Otherwise, it is too easy to run into the chain reaction snag mentioned earlier. It is also important to pay close attention to the professor's instructions. Remember that a cause and effect essay is slightly different than when you might be asked to choose cause or effect essay topics. To keep things simple in this post, the focus will be on cause-effect essay topics in particular, not on the chain reaction in which an effect becomes a cause of something else. Here is a cause and effect essay topics list that should prompt some creative thought and additional potential topics.

Cause and Effect Essays Topics:

Cause Effect Essay Topics on Family and Relationships

1. How does social media effect family bonding?
2. What are the effects of divorce on small children?
3. How does relationships with in-laws impact a marriage?
4. What are the cause and effects of internet gaming addictions on families?

Good Cause and Effect Essay Topics on Current Events

1. What are the cause and effects of ignoring climate change?
2. What are the cause and effects of the obesity epidemic in America?
3. What are the cause and effects of the widespread panic over GMO?
4. What are the cause and effects of the political change in Cuba?
5. What are the cause and effects of the 2014 mid-term elections?

Topic for Cause and Effect Essay Ideas Related to History

1. What are the cause and effects of the fall of the Soviet Union?
2. What are the cause and effects of the infrastructure damage to the Middle East during Operation Iraqi Freedom?
3. What are the cause and effects of the harsh winters during the Civil War?

The Sciences

1. What is the most significant cause of climate change and what effects have we already seen?
2. What is the root cause of interest in biogenetic engineering and what have been the effect of this research?
3. What is the cause of the recent measles outbreak and what have been the effects?
4. What effects can nanotechnology have on medicine?

This is only a brief list, but it should have accomplished a few things. You should now understand the difference between cause and effect and the pitfalls to avoid when writing these kinds of essays. Cause and effect essays can be fun to write with us!