1. Peer Editing, A Good Idea?
Zainab Al Balushy
Sultan Qaboos University

2. What is peer editing?
The process through which students respond to and offer feedback on their peers' writing,
The peer editor does not correct the paper's mistakes, highlights positives and negatives,
The peer editor assists the writer fix their own mistakes ,
It is easier to notice another person's mistakes
It does not replace or underestimate the teacher’s evaluation

3. Areas of suggestion Title Thesis statement Transitions Punctuation
Use of statistics, anecdotes, facts, or examples
Word choice
Connectors
Singulars/plurals

4. Areas of suggestion Unity Main ideas verb-agreement Topic sentences
Supporting Details
Sentence Structure
Paragraphing
spelling mistakes
Articles
Attractive conclusion

5. Correction Symbols Cap = Capitalization
WF = wrong Form P = Punctuation SP = Spelling VT = verb Tense WW = Wrong Word
Agr = Agreement
PL= Plurals / = Not necessary ^ = Add a word ? = Unclear * = Other problem or concern

6. Peer Editing Steps Arrange the peers. Students swap over papers
Use the feedback sheets you provided
Put their own names on the papers
Give them time to read through the essays

7. Peer Editing Steps 6) Students get their papers.
7) They correct their mistakes.
8) Check with the editor for clarification.
9) Negotiate their mistakes with the editor
10) Use dictionaries and class notes

8. Research Instrument Students’ questionnaire 100
Teachers’ questionnaire 30

9. Findings Teachers 1) Do you use peer editing with your students?
a) Yes 25
b) Why?
It gives students a chance to practice their skills, discuss problems in context and check grammar.
It shows them what other students are doing.
Good for weak students if paired with strong ones

10. Findings It helps students be more cautious of what they learn.
It fosters autonomous learning
It helps establish good rapport among students
It raises awareness of students’ own work
Team work cooperation
They share ideas
It gives them the chance to proofread

11. Findings
By looking at other students’ errors, they realize that their own work also needs attention
It helps them to notice ambiguity
It allows for painless spelling check
Differences in students’ opinions may lead to better learning
Students feel happy doing it
It is a requirement in the program

12. Findings It encourages students to work in pairs
It helps them to focus on target language items.
It creates a relaxed learning environment
It raises students’ awareness as readers
It re-assesses and re-formulates students work
Students give each other tips on how to improve their writing.
It develops critical thinking skills

13. Findings They find it interesting It is exciting for students
Students learn from others’ mistakes
It can save class time
It encourages students’ ability to spot errors
It is easier to find others’ mistakes
It provides students a sense of audience
It helps them be more focused

14. Findings c) No 15 d) Why not? Most students are not able to do it well
It is mainly the teachers’ responsibility
Many students make wrong corrections
It could sometimes be too boring, too slow
It requires too much teacher modeling

15. Findings It is the blind leading the blind. It wastes time
It wasn’t very successful when I tried it.
Only a minority of students seamed to tale to it
If students’ level is very low, they wouldn’t be able to do it.

16. Findings 2) Do you count on students’ editing? a) Yes 10 b) Why?
At times, students can see and explain things in a better way than the teacher
The teacher will not always be there
It helps teachers’ identify students’ problems

17. Findings
It shows the teachers if the students are serious and accountable
It tells the teacher how much the student editor knows
There is always background knowledge that the other students may lack
It helps teachers prepare for future language/grammar points

18. Findings c) No 20 d) Why not? We do not have enough time to do it
The students are not perfect in English
It is unreliable
Students are happier with a teacher-fronted class

19. Findings
3) What do you think students learn from each others' peer editing?
How to plan a writing piece
Various structure types
New vocabulary
Correct spelling
New ideas
It helps them not to do the same mistakes themselves

20. Findings They get an idea of the common errors
Exposure to organization skills
They share their general knowledge
Some students accept their peers’ ideas for change
It shows them how easy it is to make errors
It tells them that they must think before they write
They learn that translations from Arabic do not work all the time

21. Findings They rehearse what they already learnt
It shows them the effects of cooperation
They get to know the good students in class
It allows for competition between students
They pay attention to their content
They hear themselves on paper
They review the classroom discussion and the textbook together
It is reflective/reflexive

22. Findings 4) How often do you apply peer editing?
a) Once per semester 5
b) Once per assignment 20
c) Never 5

23. Findings
5) Do you give students the freedom to choose their editing peers?
a) Yes 12
b) Why?
They need to feel comfortable with whom they work
It is easier if they pair up with their neighbor

24. Findings
They feel less embarrassed if their mistakes are spotted by their friends
They are more likely to provide honest feedback
It allows for more flexibility
More peer-communication involved

25. Findings c) No 18 d) Why not?
Gender separation hurts grouping strong students with weak ones
They need to look at a variety of styles
Weak students may not find any mistakes on strong students’ papers
Students may choose an editor of the same level

26. Findings Students 1) Do you like to peer edit? a) Yes 85 b) Why?
It helps me recognize my mistakes
I avoid those mistakes the next time
To share ideas with my partner
I can not notice my own mistakes

27. Findings Students feel confident when they check each others’ mistakes
Students can see their level in writing and how much they know in grammar
It makes us feel like we are teachers
It prepares us for higher levels
It provides chances for communication with peers
We get an experience in editing

28. Findings I remember my mistakes I get help to fix my mistakes
We get more ideas about the topic
We encounter various thinking ways
We become more sociable
We learn new information
I like it when someone tells me my mistakes
It builds strong relationships

29. Findings
It allows us to correct our mistakes before the teacher sees them
It helps me improve my writing, reading, vocabulary, grammar and spelling
We get to know the differences between each other
It makes me try to improve
It creates competition between us
We exchange information

30. Findings We learn the things we should focus on
We know others’ mistakes
It helps us to edit our writing in exams
It helps us to get good marks
It helps the writers know their weaknesses
It feels good to help others
We get to know the formal criteria for writing
It helps me submit a better essay to my teacher

31. Findings It helps us to think about sentence structures
I will learn how to find my own mistakes
We are the same age, we feel comfortable
I trust that my friend will find my mistakes and help me correct them
We learn new information

32. Findings c) No 15 d) Why not?
I don’t like other students to know my mistakes
The correction could be wrong
The teacher will not know my exact level in writing and hence will not help me
Students sometimes have the same mistakes
It is better done by the teacher
We are all in the same level

33. Findings It sometimes makes me confused It takes a long time
They sometimes mark new words as mistakes just because they are new to them
It makes you feel board
Students have the same mind, so they can not notice mistakes
Some students feel shy and embarassed
It is a hard work

34. Findings My partner does not have a lot of experience
I don’t trust other students
I sometimes know more than my partner, so I do not benefit
I do not want people to copy my way of writing
Sometimes the editor makes you change an idea that you like
They do not find all my mistakes

35. Findings 2) Do you trust the editor? a) Yes 80 b) Why?
I know that he can help me
We like each other
I know that his level is higher than mine
They are responsible to find the mistakes so they will do their best

36. Findings I choose my editor, so I know his skills He is my friend
Because he will also benefit
He will find my mistakes to challenge me
I know he will be honest

37. Findings c) No 20 d) Why not? They make a lot of mistakes
They do not know how to check my work
I know that my writing is correct
Sometimes they will pretend mistakes
They are students like us
Sometimes editors do not want someone to be better than they are

38. Findings
They can make mistakes in my writing if they are at a lower level than mine
Maybe he does not like me
They have a different way of thinking
They do not understand what I mean
They are students not teachers
They do not care about my writing
They feel reluctant to tell me my mistakes
They think I will not like them any more

39. Findings 3) What do you learn from peer editing?
Different kinds of mistakes
New vocabulary items
Some grammar rules
Correct way of writing
Be careful not to make a lot of mistakes
Our spelling weak points
Working with others

40. Findings How to find our mistakes The correct spelling
The correct grammar rules
Short forms of some words and phrases
Dealing with mistakes
How to write without mistakes
Respecting others’ opinions

41. Findings Checking our mistakes in a grammar book
Correct use of dictionary
Focusing while writing
Not doing the same mistakes again
To study hard and be quiet in class
Learning from my partner's mistakes
The skill of editing
cooperation

42. Findings Using paraphrasing How to organize our essays
To figure out our weaknesses in writing
Learning responsibility
No one is perfect
How the teacher corrects our mistakes
Not being shy when others find our mistakes
Sharing our ideas

43. Findings How to write good essays Making new friends Confidence
New information
People’s opinions about my work
Producing a lot in a short time
Not to trust everyone’s opinions
New sentence structures

44. Findings Respecting each other Making good discussions
How to manage our time
To pay more attention when I write
Synonyms and antonyms and different versions of words
Finding my own mistakes by myself the next time

45. Findings Reasons behind our mistakes
The different kinds of mistakes students make
How to work in a group
How easy it is to make mistakes
Being honest to people

46. Findings 4) How often do you want to do it? a) Once per assignment 66
b) Once per semester 27
c) Never 7

47. Findings 5) Would you prefer to choose your editor? a) Yes 74 b) Why?
I choose someone I know their level
I know the good editors in the class
They have good writing skills
I will choose a higher level editor than my level

48. Findings I learn more things from the good editor
I will choose a person I trust will tell me my mistakes
I will choose the one who will help me get good marks for my writing
I will choose someone I know and understand
I will choose one who knows my skills
I will choose an optimistic editor

49. Findings I will choose an honest and serious editor
I will choose someone who likes me
Because he will improve my work
My best friend will help me more than others
A good editor will influence me to be a good writer
Not every body knows how to edit
Some editors are better than others

50. Findings c) No 26 d) Why not? Some students are not confident enough
Some students do not want any one to be as good as they are or better than them
Choosing the person makes me very nervous about my mistakes
I do not want the same editor all the time
You learn a lot of things from different editors

51. Findings It is better to be in different experiences
It does not matter with me
It is better not to know the editor until they finish the editing
You might choose someone to cover your mistakes and not tell you about them

52. Findings The student who does not know me will help me more
We are all the same level and we make the same mistakes
It could hurt other students’ feelings if I do not choose them
To maintain the trust and the positive feelings among the classmates

53. Findings Any student can see my mistakes
Because all the students are my friends
I do not know the level of my classmates
He might be nice to me because I chose him and feel shy to show me my mistakes
The assignment will be marked by the teacher at the end

54. Conclusion The size of the student editing peers
Whether you will choose the students peers or let them self-select
Whether students will work with the same peer every time or change for each assignment.
The tools you give your students, whether written or oral (feedback form).
Make students aware of the steps and benefits of the whole process.

55. Discussion