PEEL commonly stands for Point, Evidence, Explanation and Link. It is a planning framework for analytical paragraphs, not a requirement that every paragraph contain exactly four sentences. Your task and disciplinary expectations determine how you develop each part.
Point: make a claim that answers the question
State the idea this paragraph will establish. Keep it specific enough to support with evidence. A topic label such as “social media” does not make a claim; an arguable statement explains what aspect of the topic matters to your answer.
Evidence: choose relevant support
Use a quotation, finding, calculation or observed detail appropriate to the subject. Introduce the source and cite it correctly. Select evidence because it supports the point, rather than because it is the first passage you found.
Explanation: show your reasoning
Explain how the evidence supports the claim and consider qualifications or competing interpretations. This usually requires more than repeating the evidence in different words. Ask what the reader must understand to follow the connection.
Link: connect the paragraph to the argument
End by showing the significance of the point for your overall answer or the next stage of reasoning. A useful link develops the argument; it does not simply repeat “this proves my point” at the end of every paragraph.
Use PEEL flexibly
A complex paragraph may need several pieces of evidence and more than one explanation. During revision, mark the function of each sentence. If the paragraph contains several unrelated points, split it; if it has evidence without analysis, develop the reasoning.
Related study guides
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