Successful Peer Review Strategies

Getting Ready for Peer Review What you get out of peer review depends on what you put into it. Your job as a writer is to listen and ask questions. Your job as a peer reviewer is to give good feedback and give each essay your full attention. You are job as a reviewer is NOT to fix grammar and spelling only.

Tips for Giving Criticism 1.Make it constructive. – “Construct” means “to build.” Even when you are pointing out an area for improvement, your criticism should help to build the writer’s ability to write a successful essay. – Positive comments are also appropriate. Tell a writer what he or she did well and encourage him or her to do more of that. 2. Be kind, yet honest. Never tear down another writer, but don’t hesitate to point out passages that don’t make sense and other mistakes. Telling an author “It’s fine” when it is not fine does not help him or her.

Tips for Giving Criticism 3. Give every essay in your peer group your focus and attention. Come to class prepared to read and think analytically about your group mates’ essays. Remember, your classmates are going to give their attention to your essay, so it’s only fair that you return the favor. 4. Everyone has something to offer. Don’t be intimidated if you feel that you’re being asked to comment on a ‘better’ writer. We comment on professional writers all the time!

Tips for Taking Criticism 1.Remember that your group is offering you criticism in order to help you. Try notto be defensive, and be open to suggestions. 2.Ask questions about your group members’ comments. If you don’t understand why a group member is saying something, ask him or her to explain. 3.If a group member is being too vague, ask him or her to point to specific places in your essay where they see problems. 4.Try to propose solutions to the problems your group members see in your essay. Ask if these solutions would solve the problems.

Peer Review Time Follow the directions on your peer review sheet. You should spend about twenty to thirty minutes on each essay. If your group finishes with all three essays in less than an hour, you did not spend enough time on peer review. Keep your peer review sheet and the copies of your essay that your group members commented on. They will help you revise. If you finish early, you may… – Work on the revisions your group suggested. – Work on your revision log. (See back of peer review instructions sheet) – Work on homework for this or another class.

In order to leave early, your entire group must… Show me that every member has filled out the peer review sheet completely. Show me completed revision logs. Show me copies of drafts with peer comments on them. If you leave early and you do not do these things, you will not receive credit for peer review.