Reading skills for determining cause and effect
To determine cause when reading history, ask “Why did it happen?” Ask “What happened?” to determine effect. Most events begin with a primary cause (which may be the basis for a chain of events) and proceed to a secondary cause or effect. Single, immediately identifiable events are the result of short-term causes or effects. Long-term, underlying causes or effects may be more difficult to identify and are often more significant than primary or short-term causes.
The following are the steps to understanding the relationships of events.
- Identify the primary event or condition to be examined.
- Determine which events had a role in causing the primary event.
- Determine which events occurred as a result of the primary event.
- Explain the relationship between causes and effects.
Looking for certain words and phrases may also help to identify causes and effects in your reading.
Word clues for causes |
Word clues for effects |
• Because |
• Consequently |