TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR STRUCTURING ESSAYS
What Is It?
Point: State the main idea or claim you want to make.
Illustration: Provide an example, anecdote, statistic, or evidence that supports the point.
Explanation: Clarify why this evidence matters and how it connects to your essay’s thesis.
How It Helps
PIE is excellent for developing paragraphs. It ensures each paragraph has a clear purpose (Point), is substantiated (Illustration), and tied back to the broader argument (Explanation). This prevents your writing from becoming a sequence of unconnected facts or vague statements.
Example in Practice