159 Cause and Effect Essay Topics + Valuable Tips for Young Writers
Did you know the extinction of bees could be catastrophic for humanity? This is an example of several cause and effect essay topics gathered in this article for research.
In case your instructor gives you the assignment to write a cause and effect essay without assigning you a topic, you are lucky. You can pick any of the topics suggested below or use a topic as a building block to your idea.
What is a cause and effect essay?
The cause and effect essay is a type of argumentative essay that elaborates which events led to certain results. The author of a cause and effect essay demonstrates how a person, condition, phenomena, or event directly influences another person, condition, phenomena, or event. When writing a cause and effect, it’s imperative that you adequately research the exact causes and properly demonstrate why they lead to particular results.
The main aim of a cause and effect paper is to develop logic, critical thinking, and persuasive writing among students. A cause and effect essay may also be presented as a lab report abstract, scholarly research paper, or business presentation. It is, therefore, important to master writing a cause and effect essay.
How to write a cause and effect essay: smart tips & tricks to help you
The writing process of a cause and effect essay requires critical thinking and an elaborate outline. The steps below demonstrate how to write a cause and effect essay:
I. Brainstorm various essay topics
To come up with a good cause and effect essay topic, observe the world and speculate the different things you could write about. Consider works of literature, noting the interrelation of characters, settings, and events. Additionally, you may write on natural phenomena, business activities, and social or cultural movements.
II. Conduct evidence-based research
Collect resources and materials based on your chosen topic from primary and secondary sources. Use resources that are less than five years old from the date of your research.
III. Create a thesis
A thesis statement determines the point of view of the author in a research paper. In your paper, your thesis statement could highlight:
- a single cause and a single effect
- a single cause that has multiple effects
- multiple causes with a single effect
IV. Arrange your main points into paragraphs
Each paragraph should have an argument to back up your thesis statement. Introduce each paragraph with a hook sentence. A hook sentence could contain an interesting fact/ statistic, a metaphor, or an anecdote.
V. Write a draft
Use your thesis statement and your paragraphs to draft your essay. Use transition sentences in between sentences to connect them.
VI. Review and format your work
You should review your work to ensure that your essay presents a clear point of view, has relevant examples, and is informative. Additionally, format your paper in the writing style of your choice depending on your subject area.
VII. Write a final draft
As you write your final draft, remember that a cause and effect essay relies on critical thinking and logic to express your point. Finally, write a conclusion in your paper. Restate your thesis statement and summarize your cause and effect essay. Do not add any new information in the conclusion.
Funny cause and effect essay topics
You may want to write a paper of a light note. Here are a few suggestions on topics that could make your audience laugh:
- What caused Harry Potter to have more ratings than the Lord of Rings?
- Discuss the consequences of uploading the wrong photo online
- Why is Google the most popular search engine?
- Is there a correlation between science and flirting?
- What are the causes of pet training failure?
- Influence of expensive lifestyles
- What are the reasons for humans over-consuming fast food?
- Cause and effect of happiness
- State the advantages of using spy apps
- Discuss the cause and effect of dating at an early age
Interesting cause and effect essay topics
Cause and effect essays are thought to only address serious issues. There are some interesting case studies, facts, statistics, and phenomena you may write about. Below are several topics suggested on that:
- What causes people to be polite to each other?
- Discuss the causes and impact of divorce
- How can schools offer better high school education?
- What are the causes of the civilian war in contemporary society?
- Discuss the main cause of racism
- What is the cause and effect of telling lies?
- How do non-profit organizations impact a country’s wealth?
- Discuss the causes and effects of gambling addiction
- What are the possible benefits of making nutrition a compulsory subject in high school and college?
- What is the effect of genetically modified food?
Controversial cause and effect essay topics
Controversy is prolonged public dispute and opposing points of view. Take a look at the topics below for some ideas:
- Expound the major causes and effects of media violence
- Comparative analysis: homeschooling versus charter schools’ effectiveness in learning
- Why do females hate their significant relationships with other females?
- Is it hard to grow up with a single parent?
- What is the role of sexism in contemporary society?
- Is social media a channel of extremism?
- What are the drawbacks of generational gaps?
- Discuss the importance of living together before marriage towards a good relationship after marriage
- What are the causes and effects of homelessness, is it low morale?
- What causes terrorism?
Personal cause and effect essay topics
A personal cause and effect essay looks at an individual’s private life, relationship, and emotions. Take a look at the topics below for some insight:
- Views on discrimination based on gender
- Influence of parent’s job on child’s career
- What are the cause and effects of rich children bullying poor children?
- The effect of continued racism in Afro-American children
- What does poor sanitation do to one’s health?
- Discuss the role of a teacher in a student’s life
- What causes break-ups between couples in long-distance relationships?
- Expound on the cause and effect of cheating in examinations
- Does the family structure affect an individual’s personality?
- What are the major drivers of commitment phobia among men?
Historical cause and effect essay topics
History is the series of past events connected to a person or a thing. To showcase your knowledge of the past, pick one cause and effect essay topic below:
- Comparative analysis WW I and WW II: cause and effect essay
- How did Christianity impact the Roman empire?
- Descriptive analysis: the effects of WWII on Jewish people
- Discuss the importance of the invention of electricity
- What was the impact of the cold war on international relations?
- How did the dark ages affect humanity?
- Was China’s one-child policy an effective strategy in preventing an economic crisis?
- What do feminists contribute to political movements?
- Will the drug war in Columbia?
- What are the effects of the civil rights movement?
Technology cause and effect essay topics
The application of scientific knowledge in industry, gadgets, and equipment is technology. Here are a few topics based on technology for a cause and effect essay:
- Are cell phones beneficial or detrimental to business practices?
- Cyberbullying in the contemporary technological world
- Advantages and disadvantages of using a phone in class
- What are the causes of data protection?
- Has technology impacted surgery?
- Do cell phones influence how humans communicate with each other?
- Why is Android more popular than iOS?
- What are the effects of video and image media (such as TikTok) on young people?
- Why are certain social media networks losing popularity?
- Why would you purchase an unlimited phone plan?
- Do online marketplaces entice people to shop more?
- Wireless technology: pros and cons
- Should everyone in the world have a smartphone?
- What is the impact of a large-scale switch to Mac computers?
- Is keyboard assist a useful tool in helping impaired individuals interact with a computer?
Cause and effect essay topics on sports
Sports are a great way to engage in physical activity and understand athlete welfare. Pick a topic below to write a cause and effect essay on sports:
- How is hormone release in the human body activated by sporting activities?
- Describe the genesis of the Olympics
- Violence in sports
- Do sports improve the discipline of an athlete?
- How has technology impacted sports?
- Explain how excessive workout can damage the body
- Can playing team sports help an individual develop social skills?
- What are the negative effects of steroids on an athletes’ health?
- How have the Olympics influenced international relations?
- What causes a lack of concern about sports?
Environmental cause and effect essay topics
The recent past has seen great concern in natural disasters, climate change, and environmental issues. In case you want to write on any of these issues, here are a few suggestions:
- Discuss the importance of conserving water
- What are the causes of the rapid change in oceans?
- Does noise pollution affect the ozone layer?
- What are the effects of pollution?
- Discuss the cause and effect of forest fires
- What are the most significant causes of natural disasters?
- Is malaria spread caused by an increase in global temperatures?
- How does hunting animals create an imbalance in the ecosystem?
- What are the causes of the greenhouse effect?
- What causes a tsunami?
Mental health cause and effect essay topics
Mental health refers to a state of psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Pick a topic below and explore it:
- Why do relationships cause mental health?
- Do troubled family relationships lead to suicide among young people?
- How do emotional issues affect the immune system?
- Expound on how unemployment causes psychological issues
- What are the causes of PTSD among military personnel?
- What is the impact of social anxiety on the youth?
- How are sleep patterns affected by chronic stress?
- Does too much academic pressure cause depression among students?
- What are the causes of depression among older adults?
- Discuss the correlation between physical activity and proper mental health
- What is the effect of abortion on an individual’s stress and anxiety?
- What causes stress during pregnancy?
- Discuss the vitality of water on physical health
Cause and effect essay topics for middle school
Are you a middle school student and can’t find a topic for your cause and effect essay? Well, here are a few suggestions for you:
- Impacts of playing violent video games?
- What is the effect of poverty on a person’s life?
- How does art influence your life?
- Why do adults still watch cartoons?
- How do technology and online services influence daily life?
- What is the influence of the internet on children?
- Discuss the causes of the constant battle between siblings
- What are the major causes of car accidents?
- The role of ancient Rome and ancient Greece in Rome
- Discuss the difference between college and high school
- Is wearing a school uniform a fair practice?
- Discuss the importance of having regular hospital check-up
- Is sex education important to students?
- What are the effects of heavy metal?
- Are digital toys effective for play development?
Cause and effect essay topics for high school
In a cause and effect essay, you need to explain the relationship between things. Have a look at the following topics for high school students:
- What are the consequences of bullying in high school?
- What are the causes of teacher burnout?
- Why is cancer such a difficult disease to cure?
- How do communication skills foster healthy family relationships?
- Is social media the most suitable platform for teenagers to socialize?
- What is the effect of cycling to work?
- The history of immigration
- What is the correlation between unemployment and homelessness?
- What is the effect of remote learning on education?
- Digital books replacing traditional literature
- What is the effect of a smoking pregnant mother on the unborn child?
- How do sugary foods affect the attention of an individual?
Cause and effect essay topics for college students
Cause and effect essays are predominant in one’s initial years in college. Below are a few suggestions for what you may write about:
- Colleges that do not educate students on what they should learn
- What is the effect of legalizing abortion on society?
- Is ADHD a disability?
- How has globalization affected women?
- Elaborate on the effect of social media on relationships
- Critical analysis on the collapse of the USSR
- Suffragist movements in the U.S.
- Discuss the impact of drug legalization in North America
- What would result in someone starting their sexual life early?
- Why do women choose to stay in relationships where they experience domestic violence?
Simple cause and effect essay topics
Would you like to make your readers’ lives a little bit easier? Here are a few essay topics you can write on.
- Discuss the causes and effects of hunger
- What are the major causes of airplane delays?
- Critical analysis on the need for legislative bodies such as the European Union and African Union: cause and effect approach
- The significance of the sexual revolution
- What are the consequences of marriage?
- Discuss the effects of large-scale deforestation
- What are the effects of polluting the earth’s water sources?
- What are the major causes of traffic in New York City?
- Does playing with dogs help to reduce stress?
- What causes people to commit crimes?
Easy cause and effect essay topics: social science, sociology, & psychology topics
Social topics provide a good source of material for cause-and-effect essays. Here are a few examples:
- Discuss the causes and effects of cheating in families
- Market occupancy methods by market leaders
- What are the causes and effects of drug abuse?
- Discuss causes and effects of immigration: a look at the U.S.- Mexico border
- What are the causes of overpopulation: a look at China and India?
- Write a cause and effect essay on alcoholism
- Discuss the causes and effects of global warming?
- What choice does a child have after their parents’ divorce?
- What role do children play in the modern community?
- What would cause governments to solve social needs and the impact that would have?
Concluding thoughts
A cause and effect essay explains how events lead to certain results. You need two things to make the most out of the cause and effect essay topics suggested in this article. You need to have a clear outline and use critical thinking to write a good cause and effect essay. Be sure to follow your tutor’s instructions while writing your cause and effect research paper.
