Point Evidence Explain

Are you unsure about how to write clear, well-structured paragraphs for your essay? Would you like to find out a way to show off your knowledge and writing skills by knowing how to write a pee paragraph? We’ve got you covered! If you are not already familiar with the term ‘PEE’, you will be after reading this article! We will begin by exploring the meaning of PEE English paragraphs, why they are used and when to use them in an essay. We will also look at examples of how to structure a PEE paragraph and how to effectively respond to an essay question/brief.

What is a PEE paragraph?

What does PEE stand for? A PEE paragraph structure means:

• Point
• Evidence
• Explain

Other ways of describing pee (point evidence explain) are:

• point evidence explanation
• point evidence analysis

Why do we use PEE paragraphs?

PEE paragraphs can help you to create a structured argument and will help you to focus your ideas, ensuring your essays are coherent and easy to follow. PEE paragraphs are important because they let readers or examiners know that you understand the essay question and can use your knowledge to create a detailed response or explanation of a topic.

When do we use PEE paragraphs?

A PEE paragraph structure will be used in the main body of your essay, after the introduction. They will be used to build an argument and persuade the reader of your opinion. For example, you could write one PEE paragraph arguing against something, and another arguing for it.

PEE paragraph structure

Now that you have an understanding of why and when to use PEE paragraphs, let’s take a look at a PEE paragraph structure in more detail.

Your PEE paragraph structure will begin with a useful PEE sentence structure and the:

Point

Here is where you make a statement that relates to the question you are answering. This is something that you want to argue or prove, which you can develop further. Don’t forget, you should try to convince the reader of your opinion!

Making a point enables you to clearly state what you are going to say and lets the reader know the focus of the paragraph. A strong point will give the impression that you know what you are talking about and you have planned your answer well, which will be more likely to impress the reader! When choosing a point, think about the following questions:

• What point am I trying to make?
• Does this point relate to the question?
• Is this point consistent with my argument?
• Am I able to develop this point further?

Example of a point

If you are answering a question such as:

“How does the following text use language techniques to convey meaning?”

A point could look like this:

“Firstly, meaning is conveyed through the use of metaphors.”

This clearly shows the focus of the paragraph and lets the reader know the direction you will be heading in throughout the rest of the paragraph.

Here are some examples of different PEE sentence starters you could use when making a point:

If you are making an alternative point that argues against a previous point, you could use words or phrases such as:

After making a point, this can then be developed through:

Evidence

This is where you can put your knowledge to the test and show off what you have learned about the evidence in your assignments. Evidence is an example used to back up your point and provide proof to develop your point. This is usually in the form of a direct quote or a paraphrase.

A direct quote takes exact words from someone else. You should use quotation marks and it should be cited properly (stating the author, date, title of the book, etc.). You should ensure that the quote is not too long; instead, choose a quote that is concise and relevant to your point.

Alternatively, paraphrasing means taking what someone has said and putting it in your own words. Quotation marks are not needed, but any ideas you have taken from someone else still need to be referenced.

Providing evidence will let the reader know that you are capable of developing a strong argument and understanding of the topic, as you have included appropriate research that supports your point. It also proves that your argument is credible. When choosing evidence, think of the following questions:

• Does this quote back up my point?
• Is this quote supportive of the argument I am making?
• Will I be able to explain this quote in more detail?
• Is this quote an appropriate length and to the point?

Example of evidence

If you state a point such as:

You could develop this PEE sentence starter by adding a quote such as:

This example is concise, backs up your point, and enables you to develop your argument further.

Here are some examples of different PEE sentence starters you could use when providing evidence:

Fig. 1 - Look for and provide evidence to back up your argument.

Finally, after you have provided evidence to back up your point, you need to:

Explain

This is where you go into more detail about what you have written so far; explain how your evidence backs up your point and consider what it suggests or implies. Explaining your quote shows that you understand what the quote means and how it relates to your point. It also gives you a chance to show your own opinion and be more creative! You can draw your own conclusions based on the evidence you have found and make your own connections. It is the place for you to develop your critical thinking skills and impress the reader!

Point evidence explain analysis

PEE, point, evidence, and explanation, can help the reader better understand your analysis of a text because of your PEE paragraph structures. It also helps you develop critical thinking skills when engaging with a piece of media or literature.

What does critical thinking actually mean, and how can you use it when writing an analysis?

Critical thinking is the process of analysing and evaluating information in a skilful way. You should show that you are able to question the information and arguments in your essay. This will let the reader know that you can view things from different perspectives and consider opinions outside of your own, whilst developing your own point of view.

When explaining your evidence, think about the following questions:

• Why have I chosen this evidence?
• What does the evidence suggest?
• How does the evidence link to my point?
• What effect does this evidence have on a reader?

Here are some examples of different PEE sentence starters you could use when explaining your evidence:

Point evidence explain link

When building your PEE paragraph structure, JUST REMEMBER:

It is important to link the explanation back to the question!

Doing so shows that you are sure of the argument you are making and can reflect on how your point answers the question. This can usually be done by rephrasing part of the question as a statement, at the end of your PEE paragraph. For example:

If you are answering the question:

“Do you agree or disagree that the internet has positively impacted communication?”

You could link your PEE paragraph back to the question by writing:

“This shows that the internet has/has not (depending on your argument) positively impacted communication because…”

Point evidence explain (PEE) paragraph example

What does a PEE paragraph structure example look like? This example is colour coded in the following way:

Blue: Point

Pink: Evidence

Green: Explain

Example essay question: 'Explore the ways in which Fitzgerald uses language techniques in The Great Gatsby to portray the character of Gatsby.'

Fitzgerald uses extended metaphors throughout the novel to not only represent Gatsby's dreams for the future but also the unreachable American dream. This is shown towards the end of the novel through Nick's description of the green light, "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter – tomorrow we will run farther, stretch out our arms farther…” (The Great Gatsby, 1925, p. 180). The use of this metaphor initially implies a feeling of hope, as Gatsby held on to the belief that the future would be bright (much like the green light itself). Further, the colour green has positive connotations of money/wealth, which Gatsby was fortunate enough to have a lot of. However, as the light is constantly out of reach, it also alludes to the idea that the dream for both Gatsby and the American people was unobtainable. This suggests that, although Gatsby was optimistic about his future, he was led astray by false hope and could never quite reach his dream. The colour green also carries the negative connotation of greed and envy; two emotions that got the best of Gatsby and led to his downfall. This ultimately portrays Gatsby as being tragic and delusional, as he was corrupted by his excessive wealth and fooled by a false dream.