C&E: OUTLINE TEMPLATE

I. INTRODUCTION

GENERALIZATION:
* Introduce your subject with a
  • Generalization, Quote, or Statistic
  • reference to the history of the subject
  • reference to a current event
  • the contemporary status of the subject

NARROW TOWARDS C&E:
  • “Some” & “Others”
  • Personal anecdote
  • Continuation of one of the above

YOUR TOPIC & FOCUS: C&E
  • The “I” that follows the “Others”
  • “However, I …”
  • “As a matter of fact, I, too, …”
The significance of the C&E, of knowing/understanding the C&E
“TIP YOUR HAT”:
  • You could mention that other minor causes (and effects) exist as a way to segue to the 3 most significant causes that you will discuss in the Body of this paper.
  • This forces you to answer in your thesis: Why these 3?
  • You could save this tipping for the start of the Cause #1 paragraph, too.

THESIS:
(1) List the C&E as items in a series:
  • “However, the three most important (significant, obvious) causes of the Iraq War concern …. and the four most significant effects include….”
  • Why these 3? -the most significant
(2) OR Establish your Purpose:
  • SO WHAT?!:
  • Why should people know, understand, be aware of the C&E of your topic?
  • (You will explore this more in-depth in your Conclusion)


II. BODY PARAGRAPH #1 = CAUSE #1

TOPIC SENTENCE:
 You could “tip your hat” to the minor causes if you had not done so in the Introduction & the transition to the first significant cause.
  • “name” or identify the cause
  • “One cause of the Iraq War concerns the tragedy of September 11, 2001.”

EXPLAIN:
  • “explain” briefly—in a sentence or two—your cause (“in other words”)
  • clarify
  • specific, descriptive characteristics

EXAMPLES:
* be SPECIFIC
* be RELEVANT
* use Transitions:
  • “For example,” “For instance”
  • “Another example concerns…”
  • “A more positive example involves…”
* refer to a particular person, situation
*often quotes from your sources = here.
Clincher Statement:
  • “reiterate” the paragraph’s main idea
  • Echo the Topic Sentence
  • Warrant Statement:
* Relate your example to your point*
* Thus, Therefore, Hence
* “Thus, as Dr. Smyth clearly points out, 9/11 is a cause of the Iraq War.”
  • Wrap up this point & then segue to your next one.


II. BODY PARAGRAPH #2 = CAUSE #2

TOPIC SENTENCE:
* “name” or identify the cause
* “Another cause of the Iraq War concerns Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction.”
EXPLAIN:
* “explain” briefly—in a sentence or two—your cause (“in other words”)
* clarify
* specific, descriptive characteristics, traits
EXAMPLES:
* be SPECIFIC
* be RELEVANT
* use Transitions:
  • “For example,” “For instance”
  • “Another example concerns…”
  • “A more positive example involves…”
* refer to a particular person, situation
*often quotes from your sources = here.
Clincher Statement:
  • “reiterate” the paragraph’s main idea
  • Echo the Topic Sentence
  • Warrant Statement:
* Relate your example to your point*
* Thus, Therefore, Hence
* “Thus, as Professor James strongly asserts, Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction is a cause of the Iraq War.”
  • Wrap up this point & then segue to your next one.


II. BODY PARAGRAPH #3 = CAUSE #3

TOPIC SENTENCE:
* “name” or identify the cause
* “In addition to the previous causes, the most significant cause of the Iraq War concerns Saddam Hussein’s genocide programs.”
EXPLAIN:
* “explain” briefly—in a sentence or two—your cause (“in other words”)
* clarify
* specific, descriptive characteristics, traits
EXAMPLES:
* be SPECIFIC
* be RELEVANT
* use Transitions:
  • “For example,” “For instance”
  • “Another example concerns…”
  • “A more positive example involves…”
* refer to a particular person, situation
*often quotes from your sources = here.
Clincher Statement:
  • “reiterate” the paragraph’s main idea
  • Echo the Topic Sentence
  • Warrant Statement:
* Relate your example to your point*
* Thus, Therefore, Hence
* “Thus, as Charleston dutifully notes, Saddam Hussein’s genocide is the major cause of the Iraq War.”
 You can segue to the EFFECTS at the end of this paragraph OR at the start of the next, BUT you must transition.

III. BODY PARAGRAPH #4 = EFFECT #1

TOPIC SENTENCE:
 If you had not done so at the end of the previous paragraph, you MUST transition from the Causes to the Effects at the start of this paragraph.
 You could “tip your hat” to the minor effects if you had not done so in the Introduction & then transition to your first significant effect.
  • “name” or identify the effect
  • “One effect of the Iraq War concerns the rise in American patriotism.”

EXPLAIN:
  • “explain” briefly—in a sentence or two—your effect (“in other words”)
  • clarify
  • specific, descriptive characteristics

EXAMPLES:
* be SPECIFIC
* be RELEVANT
* use Transitions:
  • “For example,” “For instance”
  • “Another example concerns…”
  • “A more positive example involves…”
* refer to a particular person, situation
*often quotes from your sources = here.
Clincher Statement:
  • “reiterate” the paragraph’s main idea
  • Echo the Topic Sentence
  • Warrant Statement:
* Relate your example to your point*
* Thus, Therefore, Hence
* “Thus, as Dr. Smyth clearly points out, the rise in patriotism is an effect of the Iraq War.”
  • Wrap up this point & then segue to your next one.


III. BODY PARAGRAPH #5 = EFFECT #2

TOPIC SENTENCE:
  • “name” or identify the effect
  • “Another effect of the Iraq War concerns the rise in the President’s popularity.”

EXPLAIN:
  • “explain” briefly—in a sentence or two—your effect (“in other words”)
  • clarify
  • specific, descriptive characteristics

EXAMPLES:
* be SPECIFIC
* be RELEVANT
* use Transitions:
  • “For example,” “For instance”
  • “Another example concerns…”
  • “A more positive example involves…”
* refer to a particular person, situation
*often quotes from your sources = here.
Clincher Statement:
  • “reiterate” the paragraph’s main idea
  • Echo the Topic Sentence
  • Warrant Statement:
* Relate your example to your point*
* Thus, Therefore, Hence
* “Thus, as Jannson notes, the rise in the President’s approval ratings is an effect of the Iraq War.”
  • Wrap up this point & then segue to your next one.


III. BODY PARAGRAPH #6 = EFFECT #3

TOPIC SENTENCE:
  • “name” or identify the effect
  • “While the others were significant effects of the Iraq War, its most important effect concerns the increase in soldier recruits.”

EXPLAIN:
  • “explain” briefly—in a sentence or two—your effect (“in other words”)
  • clarify
  • specific, descriptive characteristics

EXAMPLES:
* be SPECIFIC
* be RELEVANT
* use Transitions:
  • “For example,” “For instance”
  • “Another example concerns…”
  • “A more positive example involves…”
* refer to a particular person, situation
*often quotes from your sources = here.
Clincher Statement:
  • “reiterate” the paragraph’s main idea
  • Echo the Topic Sentence
  • Warrant Statement:
* Relate your example to your point*
* Thus, Therefore, Hence
* “Thus, as Smyth notices, the increase in soldier recruits is an effect of the Iraq War.”


IV. CONCLUSION

FULL CIRCLE:
  • refer to opening generalization, scenario, anecdote,…

THESIS:
  • repeat thesis (not exact words)
  • repeat the minor causes
  • repeat the major causes
  • repeat the minor effects
  • repeat the major effects

CONCLUDE:
  • “conclude” based on your findings
  • refer to your Introduction’s purpose or justification
 (SO WHAT?!)
 Why should we understand the C&E of the Iraq War?
CLINCHER SENTENCE:
  • perhaps suggest further study
  • write a single sentence to signal the end to this essay
  • make it relevant to the essay’s topic, purpose, audience