Speculating about Causes or Effects--Prompt and Dropbox Essay Three: Speculating about Causes or Effects Essays that speculate about causes or effects require you, the writer, to fully  "connect-the-dots"  for me, the reader.    Essays that speculate about causes: In your examples/details in the body paragraphs, you must fully explain and analyze how the causes are the root, the genesis of the subject/topic discussed.  The research (direct quote/paraphrases) that follow the examples/details further validate/corroborate your examples/details.  Lastly, your analysis sentences that follow your direct quotes/paraphrases analyze and further clarify how the research validates the examples/details.    Essays that speculate about effects:  In your examples/details in the body paragraphs, you must fully explain and analyze how the effects are the results, the products of the subject/topic discussed.  The research (direct quote/paraphrases) that follow the examples/details further validate/corroborate your examples/details.  Lastly, in your analysis sentences that follow the direct quotes/paraphrases you must fully articulate how the research supports/validates the examples.  All in all, more writing is required to make the logic of your essay sound and drum tight. The Writing Assignment: Based on the Carr essay on p. 376, write an essay that: 1) analyzes the multiple effects (good effects, bad effects, or a mix of both good and bad effects) any form of technology (Google, Facebook, iPad, a specific video game, Android phone, iPhone, Tinder, etc...) has had on you and on society in general.   OR 2) write an essay that analyzes the social, psychological, and/or emotional causes of how a specific form of technology (Google, Facebook, iPad, a specific video game, Android phone, iPhone, Tinder, etc...) has become so popular, so pervasive, and so "necessary" in our culture.   Overall, choose one of the topics above and write an essay that speculates about its Causes OR its Effects.  Let me be very clear here: you are writing an essay only doing one of these tasks.  !!!An essay that asks you to write on both Causes and Effects will be a very large paper...and that is not what I'm requiring of you!!! Audience and Purpose : Your audience may not be completely aware of the causes or effects so you should take the time to explain everything and how either the causes or effects are relevant to their lives. Guidelines : 1) This essay will be 5 pages in length. 2a) Because you are required to use research, you will also have a Works Cited page.  Remember, this page is not part of the page requirement. 2b) Try to use the Carr essay as one of your sources for your essay.  Also, try to use the Carr video (Modules: Weblinks and Videos:  What the Internet is doing to our Brains ) as one of your sources.   3) This being a college essay, you will use proper MLA formatting.  This being an essay requiring you to use research, you will use proper ...

1. Speculating about Causes or Effects--Prompt and Dropbox
Essay Three: Speculating about Causes or Effects
Essays that speculate about causes or effects require you, the
writer, to fully
"connect-the-dots"
for me, the reader.
Essays that speculate about causes:
In your examples/details in the body paragraphs, you must fully
explain and analyze how the causes are the root, the genesis of
the subject/topic discussed. The research (direct
quote/paraphrases) that follow the examples/details
further validate/corroborate your examples/details. Lastly, your
analysis sentences that follow your direct quotes/paraphrases
analyze and further clarify how the research validates the
examples/details.
Essays that speculate about effects:
In your examples/details in the body paragraphs, you must fully
explain and analyze how the effects are the results, the products
of the subject/topic discussed. The research (direct
quote/paraphrases) that follow the examples/details further
validate/corroborate your examples/details. Lastly, in your
analysis sentences that follow the direct quotes/paraphrases you
must fully articulate how the research supports/validates the
examples.

2. All in all, more writing is required to make the logic of your
essay sound and drum tight.
The Writing Assignment:
Based on the Carr essay on p. 376, write an essay that:
1) analyzes the multiple
effects
(good effects, bad effects, or a mix of both good and bad
effects) any form of technology (Google, Facebook, iPad, a
specific video game, Android phone, iPhone, Tinder, etc...) has
had on you and on society in general.
OR
2) write an essay that analyzes the social, psychological, and/or
emotional
causes
of how a specific form of technology (Google, Facebook, iPad,
a specific video game, Android phone, iPhone, Tinder, etc...)
has become so popular, so pervasive, and so "necessary" in our
culture.
Overall, choose one of the topics above and write an essay that
speculates about its Causes
OR
its Effects. Let me be very clear here: you are writing an essay
only doing one of these tasks.
!!!An essay that asks you to write on both Causes and Effects
will be a very large paper...and that is not what I'm requiring of
you!!!
Audience and Purpose
: Your audience may not be completely aware of the causes or
effects so you should take the time to explain everything and

3. how either the causes or effects are relevant to their lives.
Guidelines
:
1) This essay will be 5 pages in length.
2a) Because you are required to use research, you will also have
a Works Cited page. Remember, this page is not part of the
page requirement.
2b) Try to use the Carr essay as one of your sources for your
essay. Also, try to use the Carr video (Modules: Weblinks and
Videos:
What the Internet is doing to our Brains
) as one of your sources.
3) This being a college essay, you will use proper MLA
formatting. This being an essay requiring you to use research,
you will use proper MLA documentation of sources. Also, you
are required to use the Sandwiching Technique to properly
introduce and analyze quoted or paraphrased sources in the
essay.
4) For this essay, you can use the informal first person "I, me,
my, you" voice. Like the Carr essay, I want you to personally
connect with the reader and be relatable to the reader. In order
to do this, I want you to speak from your "heart" and your
position, and help me see how I have been changed by
technology; or, help me see how and why this technology
originated, and how and why it is so pervasive in our society.
5) "Whether you choose to write about causes or effects, you
need to do two things: 1) establish the existence and
significance of the subject, and 2) convince readers that the
causes or effects you propose are plausible" (Axelrod 399). Let

4. me break this down for you:
Establish the existence and significance of the subject
: What this is suggesting is that in the Lead-in of the
Introduction you need to educate and edify the reader on the
subject you are going to write about before you try to
argue that X, Y, and Z are causes of the subject/topic under
discussion. Likewise, you need to educate and edify the reader
on the subject you are going to write about before you try to
argue that X, Y, and Z are the effects of the subject/topic under
discussion. So,
never assume that your reader knows what you are writing
about. Your reader will appreciate a brief yet thorough
history/summary of the topic/subject that is being discussed.
Convince the readers that the causes or effects you propose are
plausible
: What this is suggesting is that in your examples/details of
your body paragraphs you must fully explain and analyze how
that particular example is a legitimate cause or effect.
Remember to be very detailed in your body paragraphs'
examples. Moreover, if you have research to corroborate and
legitimize that example (either in the form of a direct quote or
paraphrase) then you need to further analyze the
quote/paraphrase in effective analysis sentences (remember,
I'm emphasizing the Sandwiching Technique
). These analysis sentences really sell your whole argument and
show that your examples are further legitimized by a researched
source and you are providing more explanation and analysis to
prove it.
Let's do a scratch outline of an essay speculating about causes:
Outline: Speculating about Causes--Causes to investigate the

5. popularity of Social Media
I) Introduction
Lead-in: General history of popular sites like Facebook,
Twitter, and any Social Media Site. A statistic that shows how
many people are logged on to Social Media to shock the reader
with its popularity.
Thesis: Social Media sites are not just places to visit on the
Internet. Social Media sites are churches/religions with many
devoted followers. One has to investigate the reasons behind
it's popularity.
Essay Map: Due to the need to stay in touch with family and
friends, the excitement of meeting new people, and the need to
be entertained, Social Media's popularity is a force to be
reckoned with.
II) Body Paragraphs
A) Body Paragraph 1: Topic Sentence--Social media is popular
because of the need to stay in touch with family and friends.
Family who live in other states or countries can keep in touch:
Describe/Explain with great explanation and analysis why this
is a cause of Social Media's popularity. If possible, find a
direct quote/paraphrase from a source to corroborate this point.
Lastly, provide analysis sentences (the Sandwiching Technique)
to further validate how this source legitimizes the example and
how the example supports the Thesis.
Friends who live in other states or countries can keep in touch:

6. Same as above.
Family or friends in the Military
OR
friends from Grade School, Middle School, High School,
College can keep in touch:
Same as above.
B) Body Paragraph 2: Topic Sentence--Another reason why
Social Media sites are popular is because of the excitement of
meeting new people.
Dating sites are a great way to find love:
Describe/Explain with great explanation and analysis why this
is a cause of Social Media's popularity. If possible, find a direct
quote/paraphrase from a source to corroborate this point. Lastly,
provide analysis sentences (the Sandwiching Technique) to
further validate how this source legitimizes the example and
how the example supports the Thesis.
Facebook, for instance, is a wonderful way of making new
friends:
Same as above.
Professional sites like
Linkedin
are a great way to make business/professional connections:
Same as above.

7. C) Body Paragraph 3: Topic Sentence--Lastly, another good
reason why Social Media sites are so popular is because they
are another way of finding entertainment beyond the traditional
television programs and movie theaters.
YouTube
offers real-life comedy or drama situations with real people
(non-celebrities) that you don't find on commercial television or
movies:
Describe/Explain with great explanation and analysis why this
is a cause of Social Media's popularity. If possible, find a direct
quote/paraphrase from a source to corroborate this point. Lastly,
provide analysis sentences (the Sandwiching Technique) to
further validate how this source legitimizes the example and
how the example supports the Thesis.
Twitter is fun because you are in touch with what everyone
around the world (regular people and celebrities alike) are
saying about current topics:
Same as above.
Instagram
is a wonderful way to entertain people with self made pictures
and mini-home movies:
Same as above.
III) Conclusion
Leave reader with a light-hearted feeling. End essay talking
about the enjoyment people get from Social Media and that
Social Media will never go away in the foreseeable future.

8. Okay class, let's do a scratch outline of an essay speculating
about effects:
Outline: Speculating about Effects--The bad effects of Social
Media in our society.
I) Introduction
Lead-in: Shock the reader with a news report of a woman
meeting "Mr. Right" on a dating site. This man eventually stole
her identity and left her financially destitute. Shock the reader
with this story to set up the notion that not everything on Social
Media is good.
Thesis: Although Social Media has given joy to many, there are
many more who have been harmed by Social Media.
Essay Map: Some of the bad effects of Social Media are the
women and children who have been sexually assaulted, the
people whose identities have been stolen, and the victims who
have been deceived by dishonest perpetrators on the Internet.
II) Body Paragraphs
A) Body Paragraph 1: Topic Sentence--One of the devastating
effects we have seen as a result of Social Media are the many
women and children who have been sexually assaulted.
Retell an account of a woman who made a date with a man on
Match.com who was actually a serial rapist looking to victimize
her:

9. Describe/Explain with great explanation and analysis how and
why this is an effect, a product of, a result of Social Media.
Explain and analyze with great detail how Social Media is
responsible for this occurring. If possible, find a direct
quote/paraphrase from a source to corroborate this point. Lastly,
provide analysis sentences (the Sandwiching Technique) to
further validate how this source legitimizes the example and
how the example supports the Thesis.
Retell an account of a 12 year old boy who made friends with
another "12 year old boy" on
Facebook. When they agreed to meet at a local skate park, the
other person was actually a child predator looking for another
victim:
Same as above.
Retell an account of a woman who befriended a friend's fr iend
on Facebook. When they agreed to meet for coffee, the other
person put
rohypnol
in her coffee and victimized her:
Same as above.
II) Body Paragraph 2: Topic Sentence--Another bad effect from
the world of Social Media are the numerous identities that have
been stolen.
Retell an account of a person whose
Linkedin

10. account was hacked and his/her identity was stolen:
Describe/Explain with great explanation and analysis how and
why this is an effect, a product of, a result of Social Media.
Explain and analyze with great detail how Social Media is
responsible for this occurring. If possible, find a direct
quote/paraphrase from a source to corroborate this point. Lastly,
provide analysis sentences (the Sandwiching Technique) to
further validate how this source legitimizes the example and
how the example supports the Thesis.
Retell an account of a person whose
Facebook
account was hacked and his/her identity was stolen:
Same as above.
Retell an account of a person who never shut down his/her old
MySpace
account, and how that account was hacked and his/her identity
was stolen:
Same as above.
III) Body Paragraph 3: Topic Sentence--Lastly, one of the most
obvious bad effects to occur on Social Media is the overall
deception and dishonesty of one's true identity.
Retell an account of a man who met a "woman" on
Facebook. They eventually became romantically involved by
sending each other romantic messages; however, they never
meet face-to-face because she's always "busy". When the man

11. sought "her" out, "she" turned out to be a man:
Describe/Explain with great explanation and analysis how and
why this is an effect, a product of, a result of Social Media.
Explain and analyze with great detail how Social Media is
responsible for this occurring. If possible, find a direct
quote/paraphrase from a source to corroborate this point. Lastly,
provide analysis sentences (the Sandwiching Technique) to
further validate how this source legitimizes the example and
how the example supports the Thesis.
Retell an account of a woman who met a man on
Facebook. He sends her romantic messages and photos of
himself lifting weights and showing off his muscles. She falls
in love with him, believing him to be the perfect package. This
man, however, is seemingly busy and never agrees to meet the
woman. When she sought him out, he turned out to be 500 lbs
and isolated in his bedroom:
Same as above.
Retell an account of a man who met a woman on
Facebook. Her status says she's single. They eventually
become romantically involved and meet for dates in the
evenings and on some weekends. This woman is in fact married
with 12 children. The man finds out she's married when her
husband interrupts their date by crashing his car into the coffee
place and by swinging a baseball bat at the man's head:
Same as above.
III) Conclusion
End the essay with the same feeling of foreboding and fear just
like the Lead-in. Scare the readers into realizing that the world

12. of Social Media isn't all fun and games.