Page 186

Writing Guidelines

Prewriting ■ Choosing a Topic

Keep the word change in mind as you begin thinking of cause-effect topics. Change is always caused by something, and every change, even a small one, can produce a number of effects. For your essay, consider changes that have affected people locally, nationally, or globally.

Jamaine started his topic search by thinking about topics he was studying in his physical science class. To narrow his focus, he made a topics chart with three categories. He starred the topic that interested him most.

Topics Chart

Gathering Details

To write an effective cause-effect essay, you will need to research your topic. Jamaine used his physical science textbook as well as website articles. You might need to interview people or attend events.

Jamaine used note cards to keep track of his research.