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The best cause and effect essay topics are those that are interesting, relevant, and compelling.
A good topic should also be capable of sustaining an entire essay with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
An example of a good cause and effect essay topic is the proposed legalization of marijuana. If it were legalized, then people would not have to face the consequences of arrest or criminalization if they choose to use marijuana recreationally.
As a result, they will no longer have to worry about prison time for carrying small amounts of the drug or facing possible deportation from the United States for drug trafficking charges.
They will also no longer need access to illegal street dealers who could provide them with unsafe substances such as crack cocaine or heroin in addition to weed.
This example causes many people to believe that legalizing marijuana has more benefits than drawbacks.
There are other causes and effects of legalizing this substance that can be explored too.
In sum, there are a lot of different ways to write a cause and effect essay.
You just need to find one idea you can explore over the course of your paper so you can come up with at least five detailed examples.
- To get started, simply brainstorm a list of potential topics.
The aim here is not to choose the best one but rather to generate as many ideas as possible. Once you have your topic, you can narrow it down from there by writing out what you know about the topic or by coming up with a few different effects that might happen as a result of this cause. For example, if your cause is the earth is running out of oil, one effect might be that domestic gas prices will rise. - Write down some causes for your chosen topic. Keep in mind that these are not mutually exclusive; in other words, there may be more than one cause for any given effect. Some examples are: (1) global warming (2) recession (3) genetic engineering
- Write down some consequences of these causes
- Brainstorm at least three more causes for each consequence to explore the issue further. For example, if an effect is low wages due to unemployment, then a cause could be an increase in immigration rates, while another cause could be a decrease in union membership. These two causes might lead to wage decreases for various reasons. One way this would happen is through competition for jobs with higher-skilled workers who earn higher wages because they’re competing against less-skilled workers who are willing to work cheaper because they need employment.
- Lastly, decide on which direction you want to take your essay: Do you want to write about causes or consequences first? It’s helpful to have both points of view available so that you can switch between them when appropriate. For instance, if you were discussing how high-school dropouts had higher crime rates, you could discuss how criminal behaviour affects society and the economy. You might also discuss how education helps prevent crime and create economic opportunity.
- However, before making a decision about whether to focus on causes or consequences, ask yourself whether you want to present the problems or solutions first. What type of people do you think will find your essay most interesting? Which perspective does your audience care most about?
Top Ten Topics for a Cause and Effect Essay
There are many options for a cause and effect essay.
An individual can explore how their life has been impacted by a single event, like being bullied as a child.
They could also explore how the death of someone close to them has impacted their life.
Generally, the topic choice depends on the author’s purpose.
If they’re writing for themselves, then they may choose something that is deeply personal or difficult to talk about in order to work through it.
If they’re writing for an audience, then it may be best to write about something that others have dealt with so that readers can relate.
Now then here are the top ten topic ideas for a college cause and effect essay:
- What are the main causes and effects of drug addiction?
- Why do people start using drugs?
- How does technology contribute to loneliness?
- What is bullying and what are some effects of bullying?
- Describe the consequences of not getting enough sleep.
- Discuss the impact of sexual assault on victims and their families.
- Explore whether family-friendly workplace policies lead to more satisfied employees
- How might social media affect our mental health?
- Why do kids bully other kids?
- Can video games create good gamers in spite of violent content?
- Does owning pets have any positive impact on human health?
COVID – 19 Cause and Effect Essay
Corona Virus also COVID-19 has had devastating effects on people and economies across the globe.
To write a good COVID-19 cause and effect essay, you must first identify the event that is the consequence of COVID-19, or what happened after it was discovered.
Then, list possible causes for the discovery of COVID-19.
Finally, explain how each cause led to the discovery of COVID-19 as an effect.
Here are examples of COVID-19 cause and effect essay topics to get you started :
- Discuss the main cause of COVID-19’s discovery
- What were some potential causes of the Viruse’s rapid spread?
- How did knowledge about the virus evolve over time?
- Discuss how COVID-19 contributed to economic shifts around the world.
- What can be done to prevent future outbreaks from happening?
- Who is affected most by the COVID-19 virus?
- Which countries have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 outbreak?
- Is there any evidence suggesting which factors may have been responsible for starting the outbreak?
- Was COVID-19 caused by humans’ contact with animals in certain parts of Africa or Asia?
- What is being done to combat COVID-19 now that we know more about it?
- What advice would you give someone who contracted COVID-19 but cannot afford treatment?
- In your opinion, should COVID-19 still be treated as a pandemic threat at this point in time?
- How has the world changed since COVID-19 became a global issue?
- Where do you think there will be the next major COVID-19 outbreak?
- Do you think humans will eventually adapt to coexist with COVID-19?
- Should they do anything differently to protect themselves against the virus ?
- Would it be worthwhile to develop a vaccine against COVID-19 before such a vaccine becomes necessary?
- Who has benefited from COVID-19, and who has suffered from its consequences so far?
Pollution Cause and Effect Essay Topics
Pollution essays are often difficult to write because pollution does not always have a clear beginning or end.
The best way to choose an essay topic for a pollution paper is to look for the moment when it began.
Sometimes this can be hard to determine if there isn’t a specific date associated with the start of pollution.
If you’re writing about how polluted air harms human health, then mention when pollution levels increased significantly and what they measured (such as carbon dioxide).
Here are example essay topics for a pollution essay:
- What are the main causes of air pollution ?
- Discuss the effects of air pollution on human health.
- Name and describe the main causes of water pollution
- What long-term effects have water pollution had on the Earth’s ecosystem?
- How does food spoil faster in an environment where the air is polluted?
- Discuss the relationship between recycling and pollution.
- What is the importance of preserving natural habitats?
- Why do we need to take better care of our land and waters?
- Describe the effects of the Green Revolution on pollution.
- What is the connection between deforestation and climate change?
- Discuss the negative effects of pollution on wildlife.
- What is the impact of air pollution on climate change?
- Explain the effects of pollution on poverty.
- Define the term greenhouse gases
- Have humans contributed to global warming by polluting the atmosphere?
- Discuss possible solutions to reduce global warming.
- How does pesticide use contribute to air pollution?
- Which country produces the most greenhouse gases emissions?
- What would happen if all plastics were recycled instead of thrown away?
- Explore ways people can help reduce their personal impact on pollution.
- How might population growth contribute to environmental problems like climate change and water shortages?
- What should governments do to address the issue of pollution?
- How has climate change impacted biodiversity loss?
- Do you believe that man-made chemicals pose a greater threat than nature-made chemicals?
- Is marine littering an act of terrorism against ocean life?
- Does capitalism create more economic incentives for polluters than environmentalists?
- Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power plants.
- Can electric cars solve the problem of automobile pollution?
- Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of natural gas production.
- What types of precautions can coastal cities take to protect themselves from sea level rise caused by climate change?
- Will technological innovations such as carbon capture prevent harm from fossil fuels?
- Identify one difference between acid rain and smog.
- How do sulfur emissions affect human health?
- Who is responsible for finding a solution to acid rain?
Bullying Cause and effect essay topics
Choosing an appropriate topic for a cause and effect essay on bullying is a bit easier.
There is usually a known starting point. A good idea for a bullying essay topic is to think of the effects of bullying and who the victim is.
This can include topics such as cyberbullying, school bullying, parental abuse, etc.
Some examples include:
- What are the long-term effects of being bullied?
- Discuss the consequences of being bullied at school
- How does online bullying affect mental health?
- What happens to victims who are bullied at home?
- How does bullying affect the workplace?
- Discuss the effects of bullying on children.
- What are some long-term effects of childhood neglect?
- Are abusive parents likely to physically, verbally, and emotionally bully their children?
- What can bystanders do to stop bullying?
- What are some things schools can do to stop bullying?
- What is an appropriate punishment for bullies?
- How does race play a role in bullying?
- Discuss the consequences of racism.
- How do social media networks perpetuate racist behaviour?
- What are the effects of racial profiling?
- Is it ever right to judge someone based on skin colour or ethnicity?
- What should you do if you witness racist behaviour happening or if you experience it yourself?
- Should we be teaching kids about slavery in history class (if they’re not black)?
- What are the long-term effects of sexual harassment/assault/rape?
- How does bullying affect education?
- Why do people bully others?
- What is a reason people might engage in bullying behaviours?
- Why don’t targets of bullying tell anyone about what’s going on with them?
- Describe how bullying causes depression.
- Discuss the psychological trauma caused by being bullied.
- What are some ways adults can help victims of bullying?
- Can adults be targets of bullying too?
- Do bullies bully other adults too?
- Why doesn’t everyone stand up to bullies when they see them doing something wrong?
- Does a parent’s job status impact whether or not their child gets bullied at school?
- Why are children more vulnerable to bullying than adults?
- How does being bullied affect students’ grades and performance in school?
- Discuss the short-term effects of bullying.
- How do girls respond differently to bullying than boys?
- What causes gay bashing?
- Discuss the culture of violence among teenagers today.
- The bystander effect – why do most people just watch rather than get involved when witnessing wrongdoing?
- In your opinion, what is the best way to prevent bullying from happening?
- What can parents do to prevent their child from becoming a bully?
- How can teachers prevent students from becoming bullies themselves?
- Why are public schools not addressing this issue effectively enough?
- Discuss the long-term effects of physical abuse.
- When does verbal abuse become physical abuse?
- Is it possible for people who were abused as children to have healthy relationships later in life?
Poverty Cause and Effect Essay Topics
Essay topics related to poverty are also worth exploring.
For example, the topic could be discussing the effects of poverty and exploring how this affects a person’s life.
Examples of these types of poverty essay topics could include:
- What are the effects of living in poverty?
- Discuss the consequences of living in poverty.
- How does living in poverty affect one’s mental health
- What are some long-term effects of living in poverty?
- How do families cope with extreme financial stress and its effects on the family unit?
- What is it like for children who grow up in poverty?
- How is homelessness affected by poverty?
- What are the causes of poverty around the world today?
- Does living in poverty lead to increased crime rates or gang involvement among children or adults?
- How has being born into a poor family influenced your life so far?
- What causes people to live in poverty?
- Why are certain people more likely to live in poverty than others?
- What factors contribute to increasing the likelihood that someone will live in poverty as an adult?
- Do you think there is any hope for people living in severe poverty, such as those living on less than $2 a day?
- Could economic growth ever significantly reduce the number of people living in poverty worldwide?
- Is there anything we can do about global poverty?
- Should wealthy countries give more aid to poorer countries?
- Can too much aid actually create dependency and perpetuate cycles of poverty?
- What other possible solutions exist to combat poverty in developing nations?
- Why is ending hunger, fighting malnutrition, and reducing maternal mortality considered crucial steps toward ending global poverty
- Which countries are the poorest today and what should we do about them?
- Should all children have access to education regardless of their social class or country they live in?
- Is school an effective way to fight poverty?
- Should governments try to provide citizens with social services to fight poverty such as affordable housing, food security, healthcare and other services?
- Should taxes on corporations that profit from exploiting low-wage workers be increased to discourage companies from moving jobs overseas where wages are lower and labor laws laxer? What else can we do now or in the future in order to help end poverty across the globe?
Cause and Effect Topics for High School
High school cause and effect essay topics could involve many things including the effect of bullying, drug addiction, and violence on children at school.
A good cause and effect essay topic for a high school paper might be how different aspects of schooling influence a child’s development, specifically studying abroad programs.
Here are other examples of popular topics for high school causal essays:
- How has attendance policy in schools changed over time?
- To what extent does disciplinary action really change student behaviour?
- Has the prevalence of substance abuse decreased over time?
- What role do extracurricular activities play in preventing boredom and depression among students?
- Have students become more tolerant of race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.?
- What effect does pornography have on teenagers’ attitudes towards sex?
- What is the impact of cyberbullying on a student’s psychological well-being?
- How does the use of drugs or alcohol affect teens psychologically and socially?
- Does segregation in schools still exist in America?
- What is the current state of higher education in America and how does it differ from what was found in the 1970s?
- Discuss the effects of living in an area with lots of crime on children.
- The connection between obesity and asthma
- Why video games can lead to increased aggression
- The impact of mixed-race relationships on society
- The difference between attending a private vs public school
- Causes and effects of psychological differences between men and women
- Causes and effects of rising rates of autism
- What causes adolescent suicide
- The impact of parental involvement on the academic success of adolescents
- The negative consequences of perfectionism
- Different ways that racial inequality manifests itself in our society today
- Why low self-esteem contributes to poor health later in life
- What are some common reactions to being bullied
- Is getting married before having kids beneficial or detrimental to one’s career prospects
- Do boys and girls have different personalities when they’re young due to socialization based on their gender?
- Are there benefits associated with punishment in schools?
- Should intelligence tests be used as a measure of determining which schools children should attend?
- What is the relationship between homework and academic achievement?
- Do events outside of school contribute to lower grades for students?
- Why do people who grow up in poverty sometimes experience downward mobility as adults despite hard work and ambition?
- Does peer pressure always have a negative effect on those who feel pressured into doing something wrong or illegal?
Business and Management Cause and Effect Essay Ideas
Here are some topics that might spark a business-related cause-and-effect topic for your next paper.
- To what extent is globalization responsible for causing economic difficulties?
- What effect do unions have on their members’ employment prospects?
- Have technological advances in communication (e.g., cell phones, e-mail) led to more efficient ways of doing business or less?
- How has financial deregulation affected Wall Street’s role in the economy?
- What is the impact of advertising on a person’s purchasing decisions?
- What are some different ways that businesses can benefit society?
- Do all small businesses eventually evolve into large ones?
- How does copyright law affect the production and distribution of content? 9)Is global trade helping or hurting the economy in America
- What are some risks involved with outsourcing labor to foreign countries for cheaper labor costs?
- How has the internet impacted how we live our lives?
- Why is it important for companies to take responsibility for any damage they may cause during the course of doing business?
- How can businesses maintain competitive advantages over other organizations that share similar products or services?
- Should companies be held accountable when they produce defective products which result in injury or death, even if such incidents are rare occurrences?
- What strategies do you think corporations should use to promote sustainability and green living at home and abroad?
- What are some positive effects of outsourcing jobs overseas?
- What effect has the increased availability of credit had on the American economy?
- What steps should companies take to ensure quality control standards remain high while saving money in terms of production and distribution costs?
- In your opinion, why is human capital crucial for a company’s success as an organization today?
- Which industries seem most promising for investment opportunities in the future – healthcare, technology, biotechnology, education, finance or tourism?
- Does it make sense for companies to be managed by just one individual?
- Should CEOs of publicly traded firms always set goals based on short-term performance rather than long-term growth objectives?
- Is outsourcing an effective way for private sector employees to reduce their work hours without reducing paychecks?
- How much power should private sector employees give up in order to boost productivity levels, but still retain a sense of fulfilment at work?
- What are some of the disadvantages of incorporating?
- How have increasing wages in China and India improved the fortunes of those countries, but worsened the outlook for U.S. manufacturing?
- What are some factors to consider before setting prices for goods or services?
- In your opinion, what makes great management teams so successful?
- What factors must be considered when determining which type of organizational structure will best suit a company’s needs?
- Why are shared values so important for organizational culture?
- How can managers develop employee engagement in their workplaces?
- How can a company’s business model improve to meet the changing needs of consumers?
- What are some ways that a company can increase its market share and profitability?
- How do some people define leadership?
- What is it about charismatic leaders that attract people to them?
- How has the rise of social media changed leadership styles in recent years?
- What are some ways that companies can enhance their customer loyalty?
- What is the difference between good customer service and great customer service?
- What are some of the benefits of outsourcing to a third party?
- How has outsourcing helped multinational companies stay competitive in the global marketplace?
- How has outsourcing helped multinational companies stay competitive in the global marketplace?
- How can a company’s business model improve to meet the changing needs of consumers?
- What are some ways that a company can increase its market share and profitability?
Education Cause and Effect Essay Topics
A good topic for a cause and effect essay in education studies should demonstrate the ways that schools have an impact on society, society’s impact on schools, or both.
As an example, The Effects of Kindergarten is an excellent subject for a cause and effect essay.
The title itself hints at the possible effects of being exposed to kindergarten.
It could be theorized that kindergarten has beneficial effects on children because it can make them more sociable, and teach them how to read, or other such possibilities.
Other example topics for an education cause and effect essay include :
- Testing causes stress and anxiety
- Standardized testing eliminates creativity
- Testing produces high levels of stress and anxiety
- Standardized testing stifles creativity.
- What are the effects of standardized testing?
- Describe the negative effects of standardized testing.
- How do budget cuts affect teachers and students?
- How does college affect your outlook on life?
- Is homework an effective learning tool?
- Are video games educational tools?
- Do video games lead to violence?
- Does social media have any benefits when it comes to educating people about the world?
- Do graphic novels contribute anything worthwhile to education?
- Should we use corporal punishment as a form of discipline in schools?
- Is bullying prevalent in our society today?
- Why is there so much emphasis on test scores when they only represent one metric of success?
- Does middle school discourage self-expression and independence among kids as they transition into adolescence?
- How is homeschooling different from attending public school?
- Which system would be better: a traditional public education or homeschooling?
- Does the type of family structure you come from influence your educational outcomes?
- What role does home life play in determining academic success among youth?
- Can technology help solve some of the problems facing urban youth living in poverty?
- Have computers made students smarter or dumber over time?
- Do changes to grading systems improve student achievement over time?
- Will competency-based assessment eventually replace letter grades?
- Do students learn differently depending on their gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or cultural background?
- Who decides what curriculum gets taught in public schools and why does it matter?
- What evidence exists for the effectiveness of charter schools?
- Do private schools give all students equal opportunities to succeed academically?
- Does racial segregation persist in our nation’s public schools?
- Should everyone go to college if it is available and affordable, or should vocational training also be considered a viable option for career readiness?
- How do teacher salaries compare with those of similarly educated professionals outside of teaching professions?
- What is the effect of low pay on retention rates for educators?
- How does the quality of education differ between public and private schools?
- Do urban schools offer a rich, diverse, and challenging curriculum to all students?
- Does cheating in schools become a habit in adulthood?
- What are the effects of cyberbullying on students who experience it in school or out of school?
- How does starting college later than age 18 affect success rates for students?
Example Cause and effect essay topics on Global Warming
A good global warming cause and effect essay topic might be to analyze the environmental and economic effects of rising sea levels.
Here are more examples of a cause and effect essay on the topic of climate change and global warming:
- What are the causes of global warming?
- Is it just one factor, or is it a culmination of many factors that we need to consider?
- Do we have an idea about how much longer this trend will continue?
- How do humans contribute to these problems?
- How does global warming affect our bodies and minds?
- What are some ways we can help slow down or prevent global warming from happening in the future?
- Will our children live in a world without natural resources because of our actions today?
- Can you cite any resources (articles, books, scientific journals, etc.) that support your arguments in this paper?