USING PEEL
FOR PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE
The PEEL acronym is one way to effectively structure a paragraph in essay writing. Each paragraph
you write is making a point about the stance or argument you are taking on a given subject that you
are writing about, giving evidence to support that point, explaining and exploring it using critical
thinking and showing how it links to the main theme of the essay. The acronym is:
Point Establish what your paragraph is going to be about and how it relates to
your overall argument.
Evidence/Examples Use evidence or an example to develop your argument.
Explain Explain exactly how your evidence/example supports your point - use critical thinking.
Link Tie the paragraph back to your essay question, topic or thesis,
and link to the next paragraph.
The Explain part is about critical thinking and is the key element to the paragraph. This is where you
explain why and say so what. See Musostudy’s READ Backwards handout for more information on
this - [Link]
A good way to use PEEL is to first makes notes for each of the 4 sections so you can see and
arrange your thoughts in the PEEL order. Then start to form them into sentences and then check
that the sentences all flow together and the paragraph makes sense and has a sense of flow or story
the reader will find easy to understand. This may take a fews goes to get right - keep at it - clear
writing takes practice!
For example, if I am writing a short essay about how chocolate aids memory, my paragraphs might make the following points:
people eat chocolate for many reasons; chocolate contains things that are good for you; the thing in chocolate that helps
memory is; how best to use chocolate for memory.
This now give us a structure for the essay:
1. Introduction
2. People eat chocolate for many reasons
3. Chocolate contains things that are good for you
4. The thing in chocolate that helps memory is
5. How best to use chocolate for memory
6. Conclusion
Using PEEL, for each point I need an opening sentence to expand on my point. Next I need to give evidence and examples of
my point. Then I need to explain how this supports the point and also my overall argument, and maybe explain what opposite
points of view others have, but why I am taking the position I am (this part is about critical thinking and is the key section of your
paragraph - this is what makes academic writing good!). Lastly, I link it back to the main argument of my essay and link it to the
next paragraph to keep the flow of the essay.
Point, Evidence/Examples
Here is an example, with each of the four sections colour coded (Point Evidence/Examples, Explanation
Explanation, Link
Link):
People eat chocolate for many reasons
People eat chocolate in many forms and for many reasons. These range from for comfort, for pleasure, to give an energy
boost and even for health. Four thousand years ago chocolate was made as a bitter drink by the Olmec in Central America
and used during rituals and for medicinal purposes (A Big Choc, 2021). When it was first imported to Europe sugar was
added and by the nineteenth century it became the chocolate we know today, used as a sweet, decadent treat (Do Eat Me,
2016). Its use for health has endured to today because it contains polyphenols, which may help reduce blood pressure (Go
Help Health, 2019). However, chocolate now contains a vast array of different ingredients and is often very high in sugar and
hydrogenated fat (Sweet Sugar Times, 2020), meaning that the health-giving properties may be masked by the detrimental
effects of too much sugar. In modern times we can see chocolate eaten for a variety of reasons - in its raw, original form for
health as the ancient Mexicans did, as a decadent treat - combined with sugar and cream, in brightly wrapped gift boxes,
similar to the first Europeans to be able to afford it; but also as a cheap, everyday snack - giving a quick energy boost or to
raise our mood. We could even argue that some of the ways we use it in celebrations (such as Easter eggs) are ritualistic,
similar to its original use. It can be difficult, therefore, to evaluate the memory giving properties of commercially available
chocolate because of this variety of formulations and the ways it is used. Research would need to be carefully structured to
arrive at any conclusions. However, research into its individual properties has been carried out.
LIKE THIS? SHARE IT! #musostudy @musostudy [Link]
Musostudy is part of PhD research into improving study skills in Higher Popular Music Education students. For more information please email info@[Link]
