CauseÑ Effect Expository Essays
A research based writing unit

Bronwyn Rhoades

Mendocino High School

California State Framework Area: Language Arts-- Twentieth Century 
American Lit & Comp

Grade Level:  10-12
Unit Length:   4 weeks


I. INTRODUCTION:

	Expository writing continues to be the backbone of scholarly 
writing in high school and college.  The cause Ñ effect essay is ideal for 
high school students as it is both an  organizational method and a 
strategy for  analysis.  Sound reasoning and logic are essential and 
apparent in analytical writing.  The writer strives to be both convincing 
and logical.  The causeÑeffect essay allows the writer to explore some 
of the problems confronting us. 

	Through the use of  telecommunications, students can search 
and analyze information rather that "re"search and report.  Students 
can pose hypotheses or positions an use logic and reasoning to develop 
a causal analysis.  Using current topics and issues students can explore 
the human condition.  Investigating issues that have direct impact on 
students' lives gives them a sense of power over their lives and future.


Purpose:  To explore contemporary issues and topics facing Americans, 
to analyze interdisciplinary  information, develop a causal analysis, 
and write a logical expository essay supporting a thesis, through 
reading, writing, and speaking activities.

Framework Connections:  The framework states that writing should 
reflect the culture and times and allow students to explore the real life 
dilemmas faced by all human beings.  Student need frequent 
opportunities to write short papers to express their thoughts.

II. STUDENT OUTCOMES

Students will : 

1.  Select a discovery which has been made during the past twelve 
months that has the potential to impact and alter during their lifetime,  
life as we know it today.

2.  Students will use the Internet to explore  their topics through 
telecommunications keeping a log or "Bookmark" of their 
explorations. These resources can be created into Mosaic home pages.

3.  Read and analyze several causeÑeffect essays, for example, Mary 
Mannes' "The Thin Grey Line" and Victor Cline's "How TV Violence 
Damages Your Children."

4.  Evaluate the quality and quantity of information gathered in 
publications and over the Internet.

5.  Draft a thesis or position on their issue.

6.  Write a causal analysis based on an analysis of the evidence. 

7.  Use the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, & 
proofreading)

8.  Work cooperatively to critique others' papers.

9.  Use quoted material and MLA citation format.

10. Use MLA format standards for the final draft.

III. ACTIVITIES:

Beginning

  Students do "Quick Writes" about discoveries or inventions during 
their lifetime that have altered  American lifestyles.  Teacher provides 
reading  selections from Neil Postman about how various technologies 
(the fireplace hearth, the steam engine, nuclear fusion) have altered 
the course of human civilization.

Writing Prompt:

Research one of the following topics in the library and on the Internet. 
Write a 1000-1500 word expository essay in which you analyze the 
possible effects of this "discovery".  

	a newly discovered human gene
	the human genome project
	genetically altered foods
	a new treatment for AIDS and HIV infection
	ISDN telephone lines
    	Cyclosporine as a potential alternative to colon surgery
	a vaccine for Lyme disease
	breast cancer vaccine

Topics are not limited to this list, but your topic must be a discovery or 
invention made during the past twenty-four months.

Discussion:
Students with revisit the writing process (prewriting strategies; 
information organization and evaluation; thesis development; 
drafting the causal analysis; organizing the information logically, 
neither overstating or understating the  position;  drafting the 
paper; developing a conclusion which will suggest how understanding 
this "discovery" will help us cope better with what it means to be 
human; revising; editing)

Teacher will review with students the elements of expository writing 
and the distinguishing characteristics of cause-effect essays.

Reading:

Students will select and read three of the following CauseÑEffect 
essays:  "The Thin Grey Line," by Mary Mannes, "Confessions of a 
Working Stiff," by Patrick Fenton; "How TV Violence Damages Your 
Children,"  by Victor B. Cline.  "The Terror and Love in Loneliness," by 
Clark E. Moustakas, and "Marriage as a Wretched Institution," by 
Mervyn Cadwallader.   

Discussion:

Using jigsaw groups students will discuss the essays they read and 
discuss the author's topic, strategy and logic, diction and vocabulary.  A 
different member of the group will chair each discussion.

Calendar:

Week 1:  Introduce the CauseÑEffect essay and the writing prompt, 
review the writing process, review the expository form, select topics,
begin information research, read selected cause-effect essays, create a 
personal calendar-timeline for completion of project.

Week 2-3: Gather information and analyze and evaluate it. Keep a log 
or a printed "Bookmark" on your search using the Internet. Create a 
Mosaic home page on your topic. Create a graphic representation of 
your causal analysis. Draw some conclusion about the effect based on 
the evidence. Formulate the thesis and draft the essay.

Week 4:  Peer review and critique on both form and content.  Revision 
and editing of essay. Citations and footnotes or end notes for citations. 
Proofreading.  Final copy submitted.

Telecommunications log:

Students will be introduced to the primary strategies for finding 
resources on the network:
	a. browsing
	b. print and on-line resource lists
	c. search engines such as the W3 catalog and Veronica

Students will be given the option of recording the locations of the 
information they find either via HTML Mosaic pages or by written log 
of addressing.  A brief sample Mosaic page created based on the topic of 
AIDS/HIV follows the ASSESSMENT section of this unit. It appears 
first in a text format and then in HTML for those who would like to 
view it in a Mosaic client. 


IV. ASSESSMENT:

Evidence of the research process, including the telecommunication log 
that show when they were on-line and which servers they visited, and 
what they took from those sources.

Evidence of analyzing and interpreting the information.

Evidence of logical organization.

Evidence of the writing process.

Logical thesis supported by quality and quantitative evidence.

Correct MLA form for citations and end notes.

Form and content become merged in a well crafted 1000-1500 word 
composition.

The entire class will create Mosaic pages to guide the searches for others 
on these topics.

This piece may become one of those selected by the student for his/her 
portfolio.

AIDS/HIV Page in Text Format

Aids Information

Blueline from Austin Texas was found using the W3 Catalog Search 
Engine. The initial announcement simply listed AIDS awareness 
information as a topic on the server. 

Further investigation proved the server difficult to use as the icons to 
move through the directories donÕt have text by them. Delving further, 
one finds that this Austin based company is providing local 
information about AIDS resources and a local project called The 
Transition Project and also a brief overview of the AIDS virus . 

Using Network Starting Points for exploration, then choosing data 
services by subject and then medicine takes one to a National Institute 
of Health Gopher full of information about AIDS including the 
following directories: 

NIAID AIDS-Related Press Releases Nursing HIV/AIDS CDC Daily 
Summaries More General AIDS Information CDC National AIDS 
Clearinghouse Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report National 
Commission on AIDS VA AIDS Information Newsletter U.S. 
Community AIDS Resources International AIDS Resources CDC HIV 
Surveillance Reports 

Searching the Gopher Jewels turned up the World Health Institute 
Gopher and The Aids BBS 

  

HTML Format AIDS/HIV Page

<Title> HIV/Aids Page </Title>

<h1> Aids Information</h1>
<p>

Blueline from Austin, Texas was found using the W3 Catalog Search 
Engine. The initial announcement simply listed AIDS awareness 
information as a topic on the server.
<p>
Further investigation proved the server difficult to use as the icons to 
move through the directories donÕt have text by them. Delving further, 
one finds that this Austin based company is providing local 
information about AIDS resources and a local project called 
<A HREF=http://www.bonnell.com/passenger-deck/proj-
trans/mission.html> The Transition Project</A> and also a brief 
overview of the <A href= http://www.bonnell.com/passenger-
deck/proj-trans/hiv.html> AIDS virus </A>.
<p>
Using Network Starting Points for exploration, then choosing data 
services by subject and then medicine takes one to 
<a href=gopher://odie.niaid.nih.gov/11/aids> a National Institute of 
Health Gopher </a> full of information about AIDS including the 
following directories: 
<p>

NIAID AIDS-Related Press Releases
	
	Nursing 
HIV/AIDS
	
	CDC Daily 
Summaries
	
	More 
General AIDS Information
	
	CDC 
National AIDS Clearinghouse
	
	Morbidity 
and Mortality Weekly Report
	
	National 
Commission on AIDS
	
	VA AIDS 
Information Newsletter
	
	U.S. 
Community AIDS Resources
	
	International AIDS Resources
	
	CDC HIV 
Surveillance Reports
<p>
Searching the <a href=gopher://cwis.usc.edu> Gopher Jewels</a> 
turned up the <a href=gopher://gpagopher.who.ch> World Health 
Institute Gopher</A> and <a href=gopher://itsa.ucsf.edu/11/.i/.q/.d> 
The Aids BBS <a/>