1. IS 299 Unit 8 Seminar– the peer review process Feel free to chat informally until class begins at the top of the hour. Be sure to have your paper available. We will review your conclusion. I hope to have time at the end of our session for any questions you might have.

2. Seminar Agenda 1.The Research Process 2.Scientific Method Review 3.Writing the Conclusion—ideas and feedback 4.Peer Review—what is it? 5.How Peer Review helps the reviewer AND the reviewee 5. Final Questions

3. Layers of the Capstone Project– Recall the Process 1. One layer involves the content of your Capstone Project: what sub-topic you choose, what materials you find, and what you produce in writing. 2. Another layer deals with the process designing, planning, implementing, and completing a major project from start to finish. 3. Yet another layer is the way in which you interact with others, both your instructor and classmates, and also the people whose lives you encounter across boundaries of culture and time in doing your research. As you have worked step by step through the parts of the Capstone Project, you have found yourself working on all these layers at once, in an integrated way. //What has been the most challenging piece and why?

4. The Capstone Research Process Review 1.Selection of sub-topic 2.Research– Use APA, use guided questions to inquire 3.Historical Context (How did the event begin? Where is the event currently? How is it significant? How does it impact you/others at this time in history?) ** Thesis statement and argument What did you uncover in your research that you can further explore? 4. Personal connections—How does the event impact your life personally and perhaps professionally? What is the significance? 5– Revise, add necessary details and research, make sure the thesis is fully explored, ensure your paper is persuasive and addresses an argument, add your conclusion

5. Research is challenging! Our research mirrors the scientific method. General Scientific Method Modification of SM for Capstone Project 1. Make an observation of some phenomenon. 1. Identify a technological event that has impacted your life. 2. Propose an explanation for the observation. Collect information and resources. 2. Collect information and resources explaining why the technological event has impacted your life. Information must show the historical context of the event. 3. Form a hypothesis based on the collected information and resources. 3. Formulate an explanation of how the technological event impacts your historical context. 4. Test the hypothesis using experiments and collecting additional data. 4. Research 5. Analyze the results from the experiments and additional collected data. 5. Research (con’t) 6. Draw conclusions and use this information to modify the existing hypothesis. In essence return to Step 3 above. Repeat until hypothesis is satisfactorily proved or disproved. 6. Summarize discussion and draw conclusions from discussion on how opportunities and goals have been changed. 7. Publish results of investigation. 7. Complete and turn in the Capstone Project.

6. Review: How to Write a Conclusion 1.Why are conclusions difficult to write? 2.What elements should be included in a conclusion?

7. Sample Conclusion— The author has taken the stance that gun control is important and needed through legislation. The essay presented evidence (by using research) regarding fatal shootings as well as how these statistics can be reduced through legislation and appropriate action. The author wraps up his case and leaves us with an important though in the conclusion that follows: Although the controversy regarding gun control will never be fully put to rest, establishing legislation to deal with the moral issues that present themselves as the United States hurtles toward the twenty-first century is imperative. Our children need to know that they are safe not only in their homes, but in their schools. The Columbine tragedy testifies not only to increasing violence in the world, but also to the lack of preventative measures surrounding guns. Unfortunately, violence will always be a part of the world, but, fortunately, people have the means to limit and control the weapons of violence. Americans should seize that opportunity.

8.  Return to the conversation you began in the introduction where you included your thesis statement.  Emphasize how the information you have added regarding your sub-topic and thesis has contributed to an on-going discussion related to your topic.  Return to any key points you mentioned and point out how your essay has added some new dimension to their meanings.  Use an anecdote or quotation that summarizes or reflects your main idea.  Acknowledge any opponents or opposing ideas that may disagree and point out how your information has refuted these ideas. Remember: language is especially important to a conclusion. Your goal in your final sentences is to leave your ideas resounding in your reader's mind. Give her something to think about. Make your language memorable. //Which of these techniques did you use or can you use in your conclusion?

9. Completing a Peer Review 1. //What is a peer review? 2. //How might peer review be a helpful process? 2 minutes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXcmY7WmH-Y&feature=fvst 3. //What is one benefit of doing peer review?

10. //How does doing a peer review help you understand what good writing is? http://www.shoreline.edu/doldham/Why%20Peer%20Review.htm //Return after 5 minutes to post two additional ideas.

11. Getting the Most from the Peer Review Process 1.What is the role of the reviewer? 2.What is the role of the reviewee? 5 min. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXmLNm8KJQc Return after five minutes to list two key points regarding these ideas.

12. Giving Advice Knowing how painful it can be to receive criticism, be mindful of the writer’s ego when offering advice. Be respectful to avoid hurt feelings. Start with positive feedback and then move into suggestions for improvement. Begin with the positive. Deal with big questions first, like the thesis statement and organization. Resist the temptation to focus only on spelling and punctuation. Be specific. Vague phrases like “This is good” are not helpful. Explain why and how it is good, such as “I like the way you emphasized your main point with that example.” When suggesting improvements, indicate particular words, phrases, or sentences and state specifically what you think needs changing and why. Be honest. You are not helping the writer if you avoid mentioning a problem. Word criticism carefully by focusing on what you are thinking when you read a passage. For example, say “I don’t understand exactly what you mean by…” rather than “This makes no sense,” or “My mind tended to wander at the beginning” rather than “Your introduction is boring.” Such wording is less threatening than a direct criticism.

13. Unit 8 Project– Conducting a Peer Review! You will be assigned a paper to review. These are posted in DocSharing. Please look for my email for directions on which paper to review. To complete the review, access the template that I sent to your email. Fill out the form, address the questions, and upload in the Project dropbox.

14. Peer Review Questions (found on template) **Find and copy the thesis statement here_______________________ 1. What is your favorite aspect of this paper and why? What is your least favorite and why? 2. Looking carefully, find at least two confusing sections. This may be at the word, sentence, or paragraph level, perhaps an incorrect word or odd punctuation. The sentences might be awkward or too long. Even if the confusion clears up later, tell where the sections are, and explain why they are confusing. 3. Using the post-draft outlining revision strategy discussed in Unit 7, outline this paper (you do not have to do the paragraph-level outline, just the whole-paper version). 4. Using this outline, what information is still missing from the paper? Which points are repeated, and is the repetition unnecessary? Does the author promise to talk about anything that is not discussed? Should any of the paper's main ideas be reorganized? Would reorganization make the paper more effective? You must offer at least two concrete suggestions. 5. Did you find this paper interesting and engaging? How could the author improve it (offer at least two concrete suggestions)? 6. Do you consider this paper to be persuasive (meaning that it makes a clear argument)? If not, what recommendations do you have for making it persuasive? 7. Feel free to make any additional comments here.

15. Submit the Unit 8 Project 2 times! 1.Submitting your Assignment to your Instructor Put your critique in a Word document. Save it in a location and with a name that you will remember. When you are ready to submit it, go to the dropbox and complete the steps below: Click the link that says 'Submit an Assignment'. In the 'Submit to Basket' menu, select Unit 8: Dropbox. In the 'Comments' field, make sure to add at least the title of your paper. Click the 'Add Attachments' button. Follow the steps listed to attach your Word document. To view your graded work, come back to the Dropbox or go to the Gradebook after your instructor has evaluated it. Click here to access the dropbox. Make sure that you save a copy of your submitted assignment. 2. Submitting your Assignment to your Classmate Put your critique in a Word document. Save it in a location and with a name that you will remember, and then email it to your classmate(s) as an attachment.

16. What questions do you have about the peer review process? What other questions do you have?