{"id":223,"date":"2016-05-16T19:12:09","date_gmt":"2016-05-16T19:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/waymaker-level2-english\/?post_type=chapter&p=223"},"modified":"2016-10-14T22:23:01","modified_gmt":"2016-10-14T22:23:01","slug":"text-point-illustration-explanation","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-introtocollegecomp\/chapter\/text-point-illustration-explanation\/","title":{"raw":"Point, Illustration, Explanation","rendered":"Point, Illustration, Explanation"},"content":{"raw":"

How does the structure of a body paragraph support a\u00a0thesis?<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

Many authors use the PIE format to structure their essays. PIE = point, illustration, explanation.<\/strong> The point furthers a\u00a0thesis or claim, the illustration provides support for the point, and the explanation tells the\u00a0audience why the evidence provided furthers the\u00a0point and\/or the\u00a0thesis.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"GraphicFor example, in his argument against the +\/- grading system at Radford, student-writer Tareq Hajj makes the\u00a0Point<\/strong> that <\/span>\u201cWithout the A+, students with high grades in the class would be less motivated to work even harder in order to increase their grades.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

He Illustrates<\/strong> with a quote from a professor who argues, <\/span>\u201c\u2018(students) have less incentive to try\u2019\" (Fesheraki, 2013).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Hajj then Explains<\/strong> that<\/span> \u201cnot providing [the most motivated students] with additional motivation of a higher grade \u2026 is inequitable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Through his explanation, Hajj links back to his claim that <\/span>\u201cA plus-minus grading scale \u2026 should not be used at Radford University\u201d<\/span> because, as he explains, it is <\/span>\u201cinequitable.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>The PIE structure of his paragraph has served to support his thesis.<\/span>\r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

ALL CLAIMS NEED\u00a0EVIDENCE<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\r\n

Ever heard the phrase\u00a0\u201ceveryone is entitled to his opinion\u201d? It is indeed true that people are free to believe whatever they wish. However, the mere fact that a person\u00a0believes something is not an argument in support of a position. If a text's\u00a0goal is to communicate effectively, it\u00a0must provide valid explanations and sufficient and relevant evidence to convince its\u00a0audience to accept that\u00a0position. In other words, \u201cevery author is entitled to his opinion, but no author\u00a0is entitled to have his opinion go unchallenged.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\r\n

What are the types of evidence?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Any text\u00a0should provide illustrations for each of its points, but it is especially important to provide reliable evidence in\u00a0an academic argument. This evidence\u00a0can be based on primary source material or data<\/strong> (the author's own experience and\/or interviews, surveys, polls, experiments, that she may\u00a0have created and administered). Evidence can also stem from secondary source material or data<\/strong> (books, journals, newspapers, magazines, websites or surveys, experiments, statistics, polls, and other data collected by others).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Let\u2019s say, for example, that you are reading an argument\u00a0that college instructors should let students use cell phones in class. Primary source material might include a survey the author administered that asks students if policies forbidding cell phone usage actually stop them from using their phones in class.\u00a0 Secondary sources might include articles about the issue from Faculty Focus<\/i> or The Chronicle of Higher Education<\/i>.\r\n<\/span><\/p>","rendered":"

How does the structure of a body paragraph support a\u00a0thesis?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Many authors use the PIE format to structure their essays. PIE = point, illustration, explanation.<\/strong> The point furthers a\u00a0thesis or claim, the illustration provides support for the point, and the explanation tells the\u00a0audience why the evidence provided furthers the\u00a0point and\/or the\u00a0thesis.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"GraphicFor example, in his argument against the +\/- grading system at Radford, student-writer Tareq Hajj makes the\u00a0Point<\/strong> that <\/span>\u201cWithout the A+, students with high grades in the class would be less motivated to work even harder in order to increase their grades.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He Illustrates<\/strong> with a quote from a professor who argues, <\/span>\u201c\u2018(students) have less incentive to try\u2019” (Fesheraki, 2013).<\/span><\/p>\n

Hajj then Explains<\/strong> that<\/span> \u201cnot providing [the most motivated students] with additional motivation of a higher grade \u2026 is inequitable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Through his explanation, Hajj links back to his claim that <\/span>\u201cA plus-minus grading scale \u2026 should not be used at Radford University\u201d<\/span> because, as he explains, it is <\/span>\u201cinequitable.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>The PIE structure of his paragraph has served to support his thesis.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

ALL CLAIMS NEED\u00a0EVIDENCE<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Ever heard the phrase\u00a0\u201ceveryone is entitled to his opinion\u201d? It is indeed true that people are free to believe whatever they wish. However, the mere fact that a person\u00a0believes something is not an argument in support of a position. If a text’s\u00a0goal is to communicate effectively, it\u00a0must provide valid explanations and sufficient and relevant evidence to convince its\u00a0audience to accept that\u00a0position. In other words, \u201cevery author is entitled to his opinion, but no author\u00a0is entitled to have his opinion go unchallenged.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

What are the types of evidence?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Any text\u00a0should provide illustrations for each of its points, but it is especially important to provide reliable evidence in\u00a0an academic argument. This evidence\u00a0can be based on primary source material or data<\/strong> (the author’s own experience and\/or interviews, surveys, polls, experiments, that she may\u00a0have created and administered). Evidence can also stem from secondary source material or data<\/strong> (books, journals, newspapers, magazines, websites or surveys, experiments, statistics, polls, and other data collected by others).<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say, for example, that you are reading an argument\u00a0that college instructors should let students use cell phones in class. Primary source material might include a survey the author administered that asks students if policies forbidding cell phone usage actually stop them from using their phones in class.\u00a0 Secondary sources might include articles about the issue from Faculty Focus<\/i> or The Chronicle of Higher Education<\/i>.
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Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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CC licensed content, Original<\/div>