Cause and Effect

The cause and effect approach can be very affective when the author is trying to reach their audience. I like to think of dominos, all lined up in a row. The person who took all that time to set up the dominos is going to watch them fall with one slight tap. The cause of the dominos falling is the slight tap, and the effect is the domino's no longer standing. When we write we need to think of the domino effect. The benefits are that the reader will begin to recognize a pattern, and identify questions to make the reading more memorable or interesting.

The reader can best analyze the cause and effect by identifying the Chain of Cause. First recognizing the contributory causes which are the things that surround the main cause. Let's use the example of frozen ice outside. What elements contributed to the the ice freezing? The temperature outside, the water, the snow, a storm, there could be many. Second, identify the main cause. The ice outside frozen due to horrible winter storm that made the temperatures drop below freezing. Third, what was the immediate effect? The roads and streets became treacherous. Last, what were the remote effects of the ice? People were slipping off the roads, and there were numerous accidents. People who wrecked their cars had to buy new ones.

The cause and affect approach is very helpful in all forms of writing. If you can recognize the change, and ask yourself analytical questions your may be able to reach your audience in an effective way.