50 Cause and Effect Journal Prompts

Teens texting

Dr. Richard Nordquist is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks.

Updated on June 23, 2019

When we ask the question "Why?" about a subject, we usually begin to explore its causes. When we ask "So what?" we consider the effects. Cause-and-effect writing involves drawing connections between events, actions, or conditions so as to achieve a clearer understanding of the subject.

Whether we choose to focus on causes (the reasons for something) or on effects (the consequences of something) depends on our subject and our purpose for writing. In practice, however, the relation of cause to effect is often so close that one can't be considered independently of the other.
You'll find that some of the following topic suggestions emphasize causes while others focus on effects, but keep in mind that these two approaches are closely related and not always easy to tell apart.

50 Writing Prompts: Causes and Effects

  1. The effect of a parent, teacher, or friend on your life
  2. Why you selected your major
  3. The effects of cramming for an examination
  4. The effects of peer pressure
  5. Why some students cheat
  6. The effects on children of a broken marriage
  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. The downside of smartphones
  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 (or air or water) pollution
  22. The effects of noise (or air or water) 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 rapid 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
  41. Why texting has become such a popular means of communication
  42. The effects of working while attending school or college
  43. Why workers in fast food restaurants often have low morale
  44. The effects of not getting enough sleep
  45. Why increasing numbers of children are overweight
  46. Why TV shows and movies about zombies are so popular
  47. Why bicycles are the best form of transportation
  48. The effects of video games on young children
  49. The causes of homelessness in your community
  50. The causes of eating disorders among young people