Writing an abstract, and language and grammar – day 5: language for cause and effect
Free PreviewWe can use a variety of language for discussing cause and effect in English and this is particularly useful in research writing. The most common phrases that you might need are shown below.
Language for discussing the effect before the cause
To be due to (meaning: to be because of something)
The product’s success is largely due to an aggressive marketing campaign.
Often used with the following adverbs to give more information: partly, partially, largely, predominantly
To stem from (phrasal verb) (meaning: to be caused by something)
Many of the issues surrounding the use of this equipment stem from improper training.
Language for discussing the cause before the effect
To be responsible for (meaning: to be the person/thing that causes something to happen)
The removal of green spaces is partly responsible for a reduction in air quality.
Often used with the following adverbs to give more information: partly, largely, wholly, solely, directly, indirectly
To influence (meaning: to affect how something happens or a person’s behaviour)
The study clearly demonstrates that a lack of access to green spaces can adversely affect physical and mental wellbeing.
- Often used with the following adverbs to give more information: strongly, heavily, directly, indirectly, positively, adversely, negatively
- Can also be used in countable noun form: an influence
To have an impact (meaning: to have an influence or an effect on something/someone)
The implementation of updated policies had an immediate impact on patient care.
- Often used with the following adjectives to give more information: negligible, marginal, dramatic, significant, positive, adverse, negative, detrimental, indirect, direct, immediate, lasting, long-term
- Can be used in transitive verb form: to impact
To cause (meaning: to make something happen)
Extreme weather conditions have caused extensive damage to forested areas.
Can also be used in countable noun form: a cause
To lead to (meaning: to start a process that causes things to happen)
The condition is known to affect the inner ear, which can lead to physical injuries caused by poor balance.
Often used with the following adverbs to give more information: subsequently, eventually, ultimately, directly, indirectly, potentially
To induce (meaning: to make something happen, particularly a physical or mental change)
The reintroduction of wild predators to the surrounding areas has induced apprehension within the local community.
To result in (meaning: to produce an effect or cause something to happen)
Improved pain management undoubtedly results in shorter recovery times.
To have a knock-on effect (meaning: to have an indirect result or effect)
When water flow is limited, there is an immediate knock-on effect on the surrounding plant life.
Cause and effect extract
This extract from an article contains examples of all the cause and effect language covered in today’s lesson.
Light to intermediate oil sheens increase Manx shearwater feather permeability
One group of marine organisms that are particularly vulnerable to oil pollution is seabirds. This is largely due to their reliance on the marine environment for food, and a high level of interaction with the sea surface for feeding and resting. A comprehensive review identified marine pollution, such as spilled oil, as a global threat to seabird populations [11]. By way of example, the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon were both probably responsible for over 200,000 seabird deaths [12], though uncertainty around this figure means the true death toll could be much higher [13]. Chronic oil pollution, stemming from sustained accidental or intentional release of oil or oily residues, is a sustained threat to seabirds that receives less attention than catastrophic spills [14].
The location, timing and extent of exposure to oil that seabirds experience directly influence the likelihood of mortality [15], with spills in areas of high seabird diversity and abundance likely to have the greatest impacts on the health and survival of seabird populations. Oiled seabird carcasses washed ashore have often been used to determine mortality rates of seabirds caused by oil pollution at sea [15,16], though this biases mortality estimates toward coastal species that are more likely to wash ashore. Indirect impacts on seabird fitness and reproductive output are more difficult to quantify. Oil contamination can lead to mortality or impact fitness depending on the concentrations of oil encountered. Types of exposure include toxicity following accidental ingestion or inhalation, decreased insulation and a loss of buoyancy [17], and a substantial coating of oil on feathers increasing the overall mass of the bird, requiring it to compensate for this surplus wing loading. This can induce elevated stress, potentially resulting in further physiological issues [14]. Even small volumes of oil have proved problematic for seabirds by affecting the structural integrity of feathers, which influences waterproofing capabilities [17,18]. This has knock-on effects for thermoregulation and energetic expenditure. Although a collection of studies have investigated the concentration or thickness of oil on the water surface required to visibly compromise the functional structure of seabird feathers [19,20], few have explored the effect of oil contamination on the functional waterproofing of feathers through physically testing the waterproofing capabilities of oiled versus non-oiled feathers.
Extract taken from: Murphy E., Jessopp M. and Darby J.; 2022 Light to intermediate oil sheens increase Manx shearwater feather permeability R. Soc. open sci. 9220488220488 http://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.220488