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How do I write a paragraph? Structuring paragraphs is often the best way to make a quick improvement to your writing. A good paragraph should have a clear main idea or topic, which is distinct from surrounding paragraphs, links to surrounding paragraphs and includes academic support.
P oint – make your point
E vidence – present support for your point (include references)
E valuation – interpret the evidence, judge the quality or weight of evidence,
present alternate view points and limitations to the evidence
L ink – summarise the point and link it back to your main argument or topic
Point
Evidence
Evidence
Evaluation
Link
In addition to the incidents in interaction with the public, the police force has been accused of institutional racism with regards to its recruitment and promotion (Yashmin, 2010; Drabble, 2013). For example, minority police officers constitute only 10% of the Metropolitan Police Force (BPA, 2013), whereas over 40% of London’s population are from BME backgrounds. Similarly, there are proportionally fewer minority police officers of higher ranks than white officers when compared to those in lower ranks (Yashmin, 2010). Such imbalances were found to occur across the country (Drabble, 2013), although many media reports focussed on London (e.g. the Guardian, 2013). This suggests that the police’s recruitment and promotion approaches are racially biased. It may also indicate that it is not an attractive profession for young people of ethnic minorities, and a hostile workplace once they enter. Therefore, there is evidence to indicate some racial bias within the organization in terms of its human resources practices. Your main point may or may not be supported from references, depending on your assignment, point, task and argument (if you have one). Remember: ● Using PEEL is only one approach to writing paragraphs; sometimes you may find that it flows better to reach your point towards the end. ● Use this as a framework, not a cage. The main aim is to communicate clearly, so use this framework to help you do so. ● Start by writing to this pattern strictly, and as you gain in confidence, you can start to move away from it. ● Just make sure that you always have a main point, support and critical discussion.
Also: Consider paragraph points in relation to the main focus or argument of your assignment, and to the purpose of the particular section. For example, if you were writing a report on an event that you organised, one section might be on the evaluation of participant feedback. Within this section, you might have several paragraphs, as follows: ● Feedback on organisation ● Feedback on event content (what actually happened) ● Feedback on other issues So you would group the feedback from people who attended the event into these 3 categories, and discuss each one in a separate paragraph. Common issues with paragraph structure: ● One or two sentence paragraphs without sufficient development ● Page-long paragraphs with no breaks ● Paragraphs which cover several different topics ● Paragraphs with evidence but no clear relationship between the evidence (no main point) ● Paragraphs which don’t link one to the next Further Guidance: If you find the PEEL framework too simple, here’s a different way to think about paragraphs...
The overall acronym for the paragraph structure is:
"See ( C ) U s (Learning Development) for ( 4 ) H.E.L.P ."
Paragraph structuring can be viewed like building a bridge. It supports the reader’s ability to understand your argument and your tutor’s ability to mark your skill. The H.E.L.P provides the backbone of the paragraph, creating firm foundations and ensuring the fundamentals are in place.
Example One - Assignment: Analyse, with reference to literature and
your experiences, how children’s needs may be met in school/setting.
Hypothesis : Ensuring, as a teacher, that the needs of all children in the classroom
are being met is a core priority and is dependent on an awareness of; special education needs (SEN), English as an additional language (EAL), looked after children and gifted and talented (G&T) children.
Evidence : In fact, The Department for Education and Skills (2001, p.2) makes
meeting all these needs a standard by stating that “all children should have access to an appropriate education that affords them the opportunity to achieve their personal potential” (The Department for Education, 2013, p.8) and that therefore, “teachers should set high expectations and suitable challenges for all pupils” (The Department for Education, 2013, p.8).
Understanding : Consequently, all children, irrespective of needs, should receive an
education where they are challenged and can make progress.
Commentary (linked to evidence): Children’s needs will be met through the
flexibility of the teacher, special planning and consideration, allowing all pupils to access the learning in a proactive and positive manner (Rose and Howley, 2007, p10; Department for Education and Skills, 2001, p.3).
Evidence (by example) : The ‘Every Child Matters’ policy sets out five areas in
which Ofsted will assess schools to ensure that the needs of every child are met. These form the acronym “SHEEP” which is made up from “stay S afe; be H ealthy; E njoy and achieve; achieve E conomic well-being and make a P ositive contribution” (Department for Education and Skills, 2003, p.14).
Understanding: An effective learning environment, on this basis, will enable
children to feel secure, settled and valued regardless of ability; will encourage the fundamental social interactions and friendships that children require (Guardino and Fullerton, 2010); will be active and foster positivity, high level contributions to the learning activities.
Link : The outlined standards and SHEEP model constitute a framework or set of
values that should be implemented consistently when developing an approach to inclusion in the classroom.
Paragraph: To practically implement this, a teacher, might consider a number of
strategies such as approaches to classroom layout and atmosphere. [Note: the expectation now is that the next paragraph will deal with classroom layout & atmosphere]
As a fluid paragraph this would read: Ensuring, as a teacher, that the needs of all children in the classroom are being met is a core priority and is dependent on an awareness of; special education needs (SEN), English as an additional language (EAL), looked after children and gifted and talented (G&T) children. In fact, The Department for Education and Skills (2001, p.2) makes meeting all these needs a standard by stating that “all children should have access to an appropriate education that affords them the opportunity to achieve their personal potential” (The Department for Education, 2013, p.8) and that therefore, “teachers should set high expectations and suitable challenges for all pupils” (The Department for Education, 2013, p.8). Consequently, all children, irrespective of needs, should receive an education where they are challenged and can make progress. Children’s needs will be met through the flexibility of the teacher, special planning and consideration, allowing all pupils to access the learning in a proactive and positive manner (Rose and Howley, 2007, p10; Department for Education and Skills, 2001, p.3). The ‘Every Child Matters’ policy sets out five areas in which Ofsted will assess schools to ensure that the needs of every child are met. These form the acronym “SHEEP” which is made up from “stay S afe; be H ealthy; E njoy and achieve; achieve E conomic well-being and make a P ositive contribution” (Department for Education and Skills, 2003, p.14). An effective learning environment, on this basis, will enable children to feel secure, settled and valued regardless of ability; will encourage the fundamental social interactions and friendships that children require (Guardino and Fullerton, 2010); will be active and foster positivity, high level contributions to the learning activities. The outlined standards and SHEEP model constitute a framework or set of values that should be implemented consistently when developing an approach to inclusion in the classroom. To practically implement this, a teacher, might consider a number of strategies such as approaches to classroom layout and atmosphere. Example Two: Please note: ● This example uses a photograph as evidence. Note that images need citations as do all ideas, facts or evidence taken from a source. ● Caution: the Bible and other religious texts are appropriate for this particular assignment because it asks specifically about organised religion. In an assignment which does not take organised religion as its topic, it would not be appropriate to refer to religious texts for support. Note that it remains an objective analysis of a religious viewpoint. ● That this paragraph is over 300 words long, whereas the first example is only just over 100 words. There is, therefore, some flexibility in length of paragraphs, but typically a well developed paragraph will be over 150- 200 words. It is more important to divide your ideas clearly than to focus on word count.
Reference List: The Bible (2011) King James Version. London: Collins. Carnell, E. J. (1959) The Case for Orthodox Theology. Oregon: Wipf and Stock Publishers. Horsley, R. A. (1978) "How Can Some of You Say That There Is No Resurrection of the Dead?" Spiritual Elitism in Corinth. Novum Testamentum , 20 (3) pp. 203-231. Williams, R. (2014) Resurrection: interpreting the Easter gospel. London: Darton Longman & Todd (DLT). Fig 1: Graham, J.(2014) HP PIC Funeral. Healthy Place [online] Available at: http://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/speakingoutaboutselfinjury/2014/07/29/self-harm-and-death-is- suicide-selfish/hp-pic-funeral/ (Accessed on: 23rd^ January 2015). Further reading on paragraphs: Indiana University Writing Tutorial Services (2014). Paragraphs and Topic Sentences. Indiana University [online] Available from: http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/paragraphs.shtml [Accessed 10th June 2015] McDonnell, J. (2007) Paragraph structure. University of Essex MySkills [online] Available from: http://www.essex.ac.uk/myskills/skills/writing/paragraphStructure.asp University of Maryland University College (2015) Paragraph structure. University of Maryland University College [online] Available from: https://www.umuc.edu/writingcenter/writingresources/paragraph_struc.cfm
