Ever heard of using PIE in paragraph development? We don’t mean eating a slice. Instead, we’re referring to the acronym used to refer to the process of “Point, Illustration and Explanation,” which you can use to properly address all the details of a particular topic.
As you can tell from the name, this entails stating your point, illustrating it and putting forward an explanation. It’s a very effective guideline to use, as it specifies all the steps that would be necessary to offer up a thorough discussion.
Making The Point. Every sentence has a “point,” a particular topic it’s addressing. It need not necessarily be the first thing that your paragraph does, but it has to make its way through at some point (usually, within the third sentence). Also, always keep one of the cardinal guidelines for paragraph development in mind: restrict your paragraph to one point.
Illustrating The Point. The illustration phase is where the writer provides supporting statements that reinforce the point, whether this be through presenting evidence, citing an authoritative source or other means. Take note of the word “illustrate”; it means demonstrating, rather than simply stating a fact.
Explaining The Point. To seal the deal, you’ll need to explain the relationship between the point and the illustration. Without an explanation, you leave an opening for the reader to misinterpret the information. Adding it in ensures you remain on the same page.
Like many things in writing, you’ll probably struggle just a little bit when starting with the above structure. Stick with it, though, and you’ll find, soon enough, that you’re identifying each phase naturally, making the process almost as automatic as using your proofreading software.
