Essay 1 – Cause and Effect OR Comparison or Contrast

This structure of this essay is “cause and effect” OR “comparison or contrast.”

You may pick any one of the structures and any topic as well.

Here are a few basic guidelines for the Essay:

Guidelines

• At least 3 – 4 pages in length—5 pages maximum
• Adhere to all MLA guidelines, including the following:
•  
• Proper heading in the upper left margin of your first page only.
  •  

• Full Name
• Teacher’s Name
• Class
• Date
• Double-spaced
• 1” margins on all four sides
• Page numbers in the upper right margin of every page

Here is a list of possible topics but you are not limited to these. This is just to help with brainstorming for a great topic.

1. The effect of a parent, teacher, or friend on your life
2. Comparing majors
3. Cramming for an examination versus studying
4. The effects of peer pressure
5. Why some students cheat
6. The effects of growing up with a personal computer
7. The effects of poverty on an individual
8. Why one college course is more rewarding than another
9. Why many people don’t bother to vote in local elections
10. Why more and more students are taking online classes
11. The effects of racial, sexual, or religious discrimination
12. Why people exercise
13. Why people keep pets
14. The effects of computers on our everyday lives
15. Why some people choose not to carry a cell phone
16. The environmental effects of bottled water
17. Why reality shows are so popular
18. The effects of pressures on students to get good grades
19. The effects of a coach or teammate on your life
20. The effects of not keeping a personal budget
21. The causes of noise pollution
22. The effects of noise pollution
23. Why so few students read newspapers
24. Why many Americans prefer foreign-built cars
25. Why many adults enjoy animated movies.
26. Why baseball is no longer the national pastime
27. The effects of stress on students in high school or college
28. The effects of moving to a new town or city
29. Why sales of DVDs are declining
30. Why growing numbers of people shop online
31. The effects of the steady increase in the cost of going to college
32. Why students drop out of high school or college
33. Why college mathematics (or any other subject) is so difficult
34. Why some roommates don’t get along
35. Why adults have more fun than children on Halloween
36. Why so many people eat junk food
37. Why many children run away from home
38. The long-term effects of unemployment on a person
39. The influence of a book or a movie on your life
40. The effects of music downloading on the music industry

You may choose any one of the above options or find a topic of your own.

Remember, your essay needs a claim/thesis statement that the rest of your essay will support.

The essays needs to be double-spaced, 12-point font New Times Roman, and a minimum of 3 full pages and a maximum of 5 full pages.