Cause and Effect: Background You’ll Need

Identify the use of cause and effect in a reading

Cause and Effect

As a college student, your readings will often explain complex ideas or events. An important skill that helps you understand what you are reading is identifying the cause-and-effect relationships that exist within these texts. Being able to do this will not only help you understand your reading, but it will also help you think more critically about the world around you.

Here are some guidelines to help improve your ability to identify cause-and-effect relationships while you read:

  1. Read carefully: Take your time to understand the author’s argument and the supporting evidence. Pay attention to the language used to describe events or ideas and try to identify patterns in the way causes and effects are presented.
  2. Look for keywords: Key words like “because,” “due to,” “resulted in,” and “as a result” are often used to signal cause-and-effect connections.
  3. Consider the big picture: Try to think about the text as a whole and how different events or ideas are connected. Ask yourself questions like, “What led to this event?” or “What were the consequences of this decision?”
It can be helpful to take notes as you read to keep track of important cause-and-effect relationships. This will not only help you remember what you’ve read but will also make it easier to identify patterns and make connections between different parts of the text.