Causal Analysis

Cause & Effect, Part 1 : 

Cause & Effect, Part 1 Explanation for Essay #4: Causal Analysis

Causes: Why, why, why??? : 

Causes: Why, why, why??? When you focus on causes, you discuss reasons why actions, events, attitudes, or conditions exist.

Causes: Why, why, why??? : 

Causes: Why, why, why??? Why does this occur? Why does this person do this? Why do we continue to act this way? Why do we tolerate this? Why do we ignore this? Why don’t we stop this? Why don’t we intervene?

Causes: Why does/did it happen? : 

Causes: Why does/did it happen? What can we examine IMMEDIATELY BEFORE it happens/happened? What is essential to the event’s existence? What CONTRIBUTES to the event? What may have REMOTELY caused the event to occur?

Causes: Example : 

Causes: Example Event: Student fails a class. When performing Causal Analysis, we begin looking for CAUSES… We ask…WHY…why did the student fail?

Cause is SUBJECTIVE : 

Cause is SUBJECTIVE If she would only stop talking to that boy every night on the phone…He’s what caused her to fail… Mom’s opinion about why her daughter failed the class…

Cause is determined by the viewer : 

Cause is determined by the viewer Boyfriend’s opinion She spends too much time with her friends. Her friends caused her to fail!

Causes will vary depending upon who identifies them! : 

Causes will vary depending upon who identifies them! Friends’ opinion We rarely ever see her! She is always at work. Working too many hours has caused her to fail!

Causes = your ideas : 

Causes = your ideas Co-workers’ opinion Sure, she spends a lot of time here, but many times she stays after hours and uses the computer for hours! All that computer time caused her to fail!

Causes are in the eye of the beholder! : 

Causes are in the eye of the beholder! Her Professor’s opinion She is never here. Her poor attendance, especially missing her 10th day of class, is what caused her to fail!

Causes: they can be remote! : 

Causes: they can be remote! Her elementary school crossing guard’s opinion: She’s a non-conformist. She used to cross the street wherever she wanted to. Her desire to do things her way is what caused her to fail!

Causes: look everywhere! : 

Causes: look everywhere! High School English teacher’s opinion: If you ask me, she lacks the basic knowledge of fundamental grammar rules! Her lack of knowledge is what caused her to fail!

Causes: you accept or reject them! : 

Causes: you accept or reject them! Her psychologist’s opinion… She has obviously experienced some deep subconscious trauma. Her mental state caused her to fail!

Causes: where’s the MAIN cause? : 

Causes: where’s the MAIN cause? What the student has to say: the main cause? Yes, I do spend too much time on the phone with my boyfriend. And perhaps I could spend less time with my friends. The computer takes up lots of my time that I could be studying. However, I believe the real reason I have failed is…Well, I’m just not 100% sure…I have never liked writing and, well, my life is pretty busy right now…I just don’t find school all that interesting. My parents made me go to college even though they know I really want to be a movie star. I am just waiting until I have saved up enough money to go to Hollywood.

Causes: it’s up to you… : 

Causes: it’s up to you… If we’re looking for the main cause of our hypothetical student’s failure, we may end up simply gathering evidence and coming up with our own hypothesis. Some causes may not seem relevant, so we reject them, while others we may accept as immediate, main, contributing, or remote causes.

Immediate Cause : 

Immediate Cause Immediate Causes occur closely before the event/action. For example our hypothetical student failed the course after being absent for the 10th time. That 10th absence was the immediate cause. Another example if a building explodes immediately after someone lights a match, then the lighting of the match was the immediate cause of the explosion.

Main Cause : 

Main Cause The Main Cause is the most important cause Without the Main Cause, the event would most likely not occur. For example our hypothetical student does not seem to want to go to college. Her lack of desire is the Main Cause of her failure. Another example If a building explodes because it is full of natural gas that an employee left on all night, then the employee’s neglect to turn off the gas, allowing the building to fill up, is the Main Cause . Main Cause depends upon your opinion.

Contributing Causes : 

Contributing Causes A contributing cause is less important than the main cause, but is still important enough to be a major factor in the event. Without the contributing cause , the event may not have occurred when it did or as quickly as it did. For example Some contributing causes for our hypothetical student’s failure could be her extra time spent on the phone, with friends, at work, or on the computer—the time could have been put to use for studying or enhancing her academic career. Another example Some contributing causes for the building explosion could be the defective natural gas detection system, a lack of natural gas safety training for employees, and the absence of “no smoking” signs in the building.

Remote Causes : 

Remote Causes The Remote Causes are less obvious because they involve something in the more distant past or far away from the event itself Determining Remote Causes may be challenging and requires brainstorming… For example Some Remote Causes for our hypothetical student’s downfall may be her non-conforming attitude or her lack of basic grammar skills. Another example Some Remote Causes for the building explosion may include poor building design 50 years prior, the gas company’s decision to save money by not installing overflow valves in main gas lines, or the budget cuts that caused the elimination of the night security guard.

Your Mission for Essay #4 : 

Your Mission for Essay #4 Select a PROBLEM that appears in one of the Patterns readings. Determine the CAUSES of the problem. Remember to identify the Immediate, Main, Contributing, and Remote causes.

Remember, Causal Analysis = : 

Remember, Causal Analysis = Immediate Cause Main Cause Contributing Causes Remote Causes

End of Causal Analysis : 

End of Causal Analysis