1. GE 117 Composition I
Week 7
Cause and Effect
Description and Illustration Essays
Show….don’t Tell

2. GE 117 Composition I Week 6
Cause and Effect
- Cause-and-effect writing gives reasons
and explanations for events,
conditions, or behavior. It answers the
need most of us have to understand the
world around us.

3. GE 117 Composition I Week 6
Cause and Effect
There are three likely objectives or reasons
to use C/E as a writing model.
1) To simply give information
2) To argue or persuade the reader
3) To speculate or predict
Let’s read an example—”Black Men and
Public Space” p 407

4. GE 117 Composition I Week 6
Cause and Effect
3. Think carefully and rigorously about
Cause and Effect relationships.
Understand Causal Chains and avoid
mistaking correlation for causation!!!
(Avoid commiting the logical fallacy Post
Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc)
4. In a small essay, focus just on the
causes of a phenomena, or just on the
effects. You won’t have enough room to
do both.

5. GE 117 Composition I Week 6
Cause and Effect
5. Use an organization pattern for your
Causes and/or Effects:
A) Chronological (the order they
happen in)
B) Emphatic (the order of importance
they have)
This will help to avoid reader confusion
Hand out In-class exercises.

6. GE 117 Composition I Week 6
Cause and Effect
6. Use language appropriate for C/E writing.
Nothing is black or white or guaranteed. Avoid
words such as “clearly”, “definitely”,
“obviously”, “without a doubt” or
“guaranteed.” Try to use words such as
“probably”, “most likely”, or “seems to be”.
They give you room for doubt and show you
understand the complexity of C/E relationships

7. GE 117 Composition I
Descriptive Writing – Chapter 11
Description – Writing that makes use of
and focuses on sensory details and
experiences.

8. Descriptive/Illustrative writing
 "Illustration is the use of examples to make ideas more
concrete and to make generalizations more specific and
detailed. Examples enable writers not just to tell but to
show what they mean. For example, an essay about
recently developed alternative sources of energy
becomes clear and interesting with the use of some
examples--say, solar energy or the heat from the earth's
core. The more specific the example, the more effective
it is. Along with general statements about solar energy,
the writer might offer several examples of how the home
building industry is installing solar collectors instead of
conventional hot water systems, or building solar
greenhouses to replace conventional central heating."
(Alfred Rosa and Paul Eschholz, Models for Writers. St.

9. GE 117 Composition I
Description
Descriptive writing makes use of 5 senses:
Sight Tastes
Sounds Smells
Touch
Whatever we experience, we do so through
our five senses….make use of them!

10. GE 117 Composition I
Description
Remember theses strategies for description:
1) Focus on a Dominant Impression – the
main “memory” or “image” you have.
2) Select only the relevant details that
support the Dominant Impression –
ignore all else.

11. Now Let’s Practice!
Look at this image. What emotions does it evoke? Can you, in any
way, relate to it? Are there any minor, hidden details that may be
relevant to what is happening in the image? In two paragraphs,
Explain what is happening in the picture. Use illistrative and

12. GE 117 Composition I
Illustration
Illustration: A form of descriptive writing that centers
around the use of specific examples that illustrate,
demonstrate, or support the Thesis Statement.
E.g., if someone asked you, “Have you been to any good
restaurants lately?” you probably wouldn’t answer, “Yes,”
and then changed the subject immediately. Likely, you
would go on to illustrate your answer with examples.
All “evidence” is made up of examples!

13. GE 117 Composition I
Illustration
Remember these strategies for drafting:
1) Based on your Thesis Statement, choose
the appropriate examples to include.
2) Develop your examples with a high level
of detail – Be sure to be specific!

14. GE 117 Composition I
Illustration
3) Choose an organizational method that fits
your subject and your Thesis Statement.
A) Chronological
B) Spatial
C) Simple to Complex
D) Emphatic Sequence

15. GE 117 Composition I
Illustration
4) Choose a consistent point-of-view:
A) If an author’s feelings, opinions, beliefs
don’t matter , choose 3rd Person POV
B) If the author’s feelings, opinions, beliefs
do matter, choose 1st Person POV

16. GE 117 Composition I
Homework Assignment
- Write an Illustration essay (see page 261
for topics)
- Use sensory details or specific examples
- Use action verbs
- Intro, 3 body paragraphs, Conclusion
- Typed, double-spaced, normal 12 pt. font.
Course Project Homework: No course
project assignments this week. Use this