General Statement

Background information about the topic

(Why do you want the reader to read your essay?)

Thesis Statement
Identify the subject
(Identify the subject that you will write the causes and/or effects of
and state whether you will focus on the causes or effects, or both.
The thesis may also indicate what the causes and/or effects are.
If the effects are not mentioned in the thesis statement,
they are mentioned in the transition paragraph/sentence.)
 Open your writing books
to page 68.
Read the introduction of “Women’s Liberation”

Check the paragraph for the following items:

General Statement
Background information about the argument

Thesis Statement
 General Statement

The twentieth century saw a major shift in the

way that vast numbers of people lived, as a result of changes
in politics, ideology, economics, society, culture, science,
technology, and medicine. Witnessing two world wars, it was
a century that started with horses, telegraph and radio but
ended with cars travelling at 350km/hour, airliners and the
space shuttle, the Internet and cell phones. Another area
where big changes were observed was the social structure,
especially the role of women in societies. Since the middle of
20th century, women around the world have been seeking
greater independence and recognition. No longer content
with their traditional roles as housewives and mothers,
women have joined together to create the “women’s
liberation movement.” The force behind this international
movement varies from culture to culture and from individual
to individual. Yet, the basic causes of the women’s liberation
movement in the United States can be traced back to the
development of effective birth-control methods, the invention
of labour-saving devices for the home, and World War II.

Background information about the argument

Thesis Statement
(Causes)
 The first cause is... The second cause is...

Restatement of causes + introduction of effects

Topic Sentence #1 (First Cause)

Topic Sentence #2 (Second Cause)

Transition Paragraph or Transition Sentence

Topic Sentence #1 (First Effect)

Topic Sentence #2 (Second Effect)

The first effect is... The second effect is...

Now read the body paragraphs of “Women’s
Liberation”
Check the paragraphs for the following items:

Topic Sentence

Causes

Transition sentence

Effects

In addition, try to identify transition words in the paragraph

 Topic Sentence First cause

The first cause of the liberation of

women was the development of effective birth-
control methods. Many women in the U.S. were
freed from the endless cycle of childbearing and
rearing thanks to the development of
contraceptives. As a result of having a choice
as to when and if to bear children, women
acquired the freedom and the time to pursue
interests outside the home. Because of the
development of birth control, women could
delay having children or avoid having them
altogether. Consequently, women had the
opportunity to acquire an education and/or
pursue a career instead of spending a lifetime
raising the many children they had to have.

Explanation of the cause + support Transition word

 Transition sentence Effects

These three events planted the seeds of a great

change in society, and the effects of this change are being
felt at all levels, in the family, in business, and in
government. One of the biggest effects of the greater
independence of women is being felt in the home. As many
women today demand to have a life outside the home and do
not want to be confined to household chores, the traditional
husband-wife relationship is undergoing a radical
transformation. Because so many women are in the work Topic
force, men are learning to share the household tasks of
cooking, cleaning, and caring for children. In some families,
Sentence
there has even been a complete reversal of the traditional
roles. Since many women choose to have demanding full-
time jobs, the husband stays at home and does the
housework while the wife earns the family’s income. It should
be pointed out, however, that this is the exception, not the
rule. In most families in the United States and Europe, the
husband still earns most of the money, and the wife still does
most of the housework. Yet, the once fixed roles of “wife”
and “husband” are rapidly changing and intermingling..

Explanation of the effect + support Transition word

Restatement of Main Ideas

Final Comment

Interpretation of the main points

solution

prediction
advice

suggestion
Now read the conclusion of “Women’s
Liberation”
Check the conclusion for the following items:

Restatement of Main Ideas

Final Comment

Interpretation of the main points

solution

prediction

advice

suggestion
Restatement of Main Ideas

In conclusion, women in the United

States and Europe have been acquiring greater
independence due to the development of
effective birth-control methods, the invention of
labour-saving devices for the home, and World
War II. These liberties are causing sweeping
changes in society: at home, at work, and in
politics. While men may not be happy with
these changes, they should always remember
that it was they, the men, who created the
conditions leading to the liberation of women.
Men made war. Male scientists developed birth
control, and businessmen earned a lot of
money selling vacuum cleaners and
dishwashers. Yet, women are thankful to these
men as it was because of these men that
women finally realized that their rights may not
be ignored or suppressed by law, local custom,
and behavior in a particular society.
Signal Final Comment
Write a cause and effect essay:

What are the causes and effects of

obesity
Before you start writing, watch the following clips about obesity:
The Obesity Epidemic
The Obesity Epidemic #2
Overcoming Obesity
 Now write your essay

• You can use the information given on page 82

in your writing book.