Posted: March 12th, 2024

Identify a social, environmental, or political problem that is of local, national, or global concern

NTRODUCTION

A causal analysis asks you to examine either the causes of a problem, why the problem has happened, or what factors have led to a particular problem. To write an effective causal analysis essay the thesis and body paragraphs should focus on 2–4 specific causes (i.e., actions, events, thoughts, attitudes, conditions, or decisions) that have led to the problem you have identified. Writing about causes is an important skill in academic, professional, and real-world contexts, and the ability to identify the causes of a problem is essential in persuasive writing.

SCENARIO

Identify a social, environmental, or political problem that is of local, national, or global concern.

REQUIREMENTS

Note: Be sure to focus only on the causes of the problem in this paper; do not consider effects or solutions.

A. Write a causal analysis essay (suggested length of 3–7 pages). In your essay, do the following:

1. Address an appropriate topic.

2. Provide an effective introduction.

3. Provide an appropriate thesis statement that previews two to four causes.

4. Explain the causes of the problem.

5. Provide evidence to support your claim.

6. Provide an effective conclusion.

B. Get custom essay samples and course-specific study resources via course hero homework for you service – Include at least two academically credible sources in the body of your essay.

1. For your sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

C. Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.

SAMPLE

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Causal Analysis Essay

The United States is seventh in the world for college participation but falls to fifteenth for the number of degrees actually completed (Modest Improvements, 2008 – Affordable Custom Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay from Pro Writers). Less than thirty percent of the American population has earned a bachelor’s degree, yet more than fifty percent of new jobs require post-secondary training (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014: 2024 – Essay Writing Service. Custom Essay Services Cheap). How will the United States lead the industrialized work in manufacturing, technology, and science when so few Americans are completing a bachelor’s degree? The persistent challenge of improving college completion has the attention of policymakers and the private sector. What causes students to leave the university before completing their degrees? In order for the nation to sustain its tradition of innovation, educators must understand the multi-faceted reasons that contribute to escalating college dropout rates. Limited access to higher education, inadequate academic support, and the rising costs of tuition are some of the most significant causes of the United States’ low college completion rates.

Although a growing number of Americans have enrolled in institutions of higher learning, many have withdrawn because of limitations of time and distance. Most adult students have the added responsibilities of full-time work and child rearing. The traditional nine-to-five and Monday through Friday operating hours of most colleges conflict with the schedules of most working adults. Adult learners require flexibility, choice, and the ability to work at an individualized pace. Some online universities have provided many students with the opportunity to study and test when it is convenient to them, increasing the likelihood that these students will remain in school. Institutions that fail to provide creative solutions to lessen the multiple challenges experienced by students will continue to see high numbers of student withdrawals.

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A college degree carries tangible social capital—higher salaries, better jobs, greater opportunities, and brighter futures. A desire to attain that social capital motivates students to enroll. However, the pressures associated with time and distance can prevent students from persisting to degree completion. Those students who do not live in close proximity to their university are at higher risk for dropping out because of the added stress and expense of commuting. High fuel prices, automobile maintenance expenses, adverse weather, and time constraints can make it especially difficult to attend class consistently. Students with mobility issues or other disabilities feel a similar strain. However, the inflexibility of the traditional college structure is the biggest reason students leave without graduating. Most adult students have real-world concerns that they cannot lay aside while they pursue a bachelor’s degree. Children require care, work deadlines have to be met, and mortgages have to be paid while a student works towards earning a degree. Until institutions can support students’ attempts to negotiate these responsibilities successfully, the long-term effect of low college completion rates will persist.

A second major cause of low college completion rates is inadequate academic support for students. It is commendable for a university to provide access to students with varied academic backgrounds. However, it is unjust to admit students who lack basic skills without facilitating the academic assistance they require for success. Since a growing number of institutions have open admission policies that attract students with some levels of unpreparedness, they must “offer academic support in part to maximize their potentials for degree completion” (Taniguchi & Kaufman, 2005). Without access to comprehensive tutoring and student success resources, these students are ill equipped to meet the challenges of higher education. One third of all freshmen entering four- year public colleges will dropout before their second year. (Thompson &

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Gerren, 2002). Many leave because they lack the academic foundation and requisite learning strategies required for higher education success.

Explicit instruction in cognitive strategies is one form of academic support that requires no additional educational cost and is easily modeled and taught by all college instructors in face-to-face or online settings. Many new college students are unaccustomed to the level of difficulty and sheer volume of the content they are required to master. Some will flounder and struggle hopelessly without targeted interventions. Introducing strategies for reading textbooks, discussing effective study skills, modeling approaches for working with science and math concepts may appear overly simplistic at the college level (Thompson & Gerren, 2002). Yet, this type of academic support is perhaps the most cost-effective way to increase student success and retention. If students do not believe that they are progressing toward degree completion, they will become demoralized and consider leaving the institution. Therefore, it is important that university policies allow students to enter credit-bearing courses while remediating their skills. Without quality supplemental academic support, most at-risk college students will leave college with outstanding student loans and no degree.

The rising price of a college education is yet another cause of low college completion rates. The average annual tuition rate at a public university is $7, 605 (Fonte, 2011). However, at flagship public universities and private institutions tuition is considerably higher. The high cost of textbooks, fees for technology, labs, parking, etc. increase the financial burden on students. Most students do not qualify for federal grants or academic scholarships and even fewer have college savings. These students must rely on student loans to secure their education. Fonte (2011) reports on a study that found “nearly half of the students had borrowed between $10,000 and $19,999, but 37 percent had borrowed over $20,000.” Students must consider the

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consequences of incurring debt that they may struggle to repay if they fail to complete their degrees.

An increasing number of students consider the risk too great. Instability in the economy, high rates of unemployment, and a lack of job security have led many working adults to abandon their studies and shift their focus to economic survival. If universities fail to offer affordable options for degree attainment, the dropout rate will continue to increase. Despite the long-term advantages of a college degree, the worry over mounting debt causes many students to cut their losses and forfeit their goal of college graduation.

Factors that contribute to low college completion rates are limited access, inadequate academic support, and the high cost of higher education. Policymakers and educators must seek creative solutions to resolve problems of limited access for America’s working adults. First, they must make sure that students have the skills to juggle competing demands like childcare or work constraints. To keep students in school, universities must offer study skill and other forms of supplemental academic support. Furthermore, until institutions slow the rising costs of a college education, many students will choose to end conclude their academic journeys without attaining the reward of a degree.

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