50 Cause and Effect Journal Prompts

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