Peer Review Instructions
Please read this sheet carefully in order to orient yourself and
to know how you are to help your peers.
READ QUESTIONS FIRST. Process:
1. Read questions first (see below)2. Read your peers paper.
Pause at the end of each paragraph to give yourself time to write
comments.
Reading aloud is the best way to judge the clarity and coherence
of a paper because it enables us to connect the written word with
the spoken one. If an argument has broken off; if a sentence is
unclear, wordy, inaccurate, overly-romantic or pretentious; if
there is a lack of evidence; or if there is a logical gapall of
these will be immediately obvious (to the writer as well as the
reviewer). 3. When you have finished reading the paper answer the
"Peer Review Questions" on a separate document or sheet of
paper.
Concentrate on your own response to the paper rather than
rendering judgment. Use the first person e.g., "I hear ..." "I
didn't understand...""I'm confused about ..." "I'd like to hear
more about..." "I couldn't follow ..." Avoid using the second
person e.g., "you should" "you need to" "you ought to." Responses
are a clear guide because they enable the writer to rethink the
issues on his/her own. Your responses (1st person) are easier to
listen to and accept, and in thus in the end more effective, than
your judgments (2nd person).
4. When you are finished, collect your paper and peer review
sheet. Use the sheet and comments on your paper to revise your it.
TURN IN ALL PAPER COPIES AND THIS SHEET WITH YOUR REVISION.
Peer Review Questions
Writer:
Reviewer:
Assignment: Does the draft carry out the assignment? What could
be done to better fulfill the assignment?
Title and Introduction: Is the first paragraph an adequate
statement of the paper's topic and approach? Did you know from the
first paragraph where the paper was headed? Does the title state
what the draft is about? Is it interesting? How does it catch the
readers attention? Has the writer (being either yourself or your
classmate) clearly expressed the question (major claim, thesis)
that he/she has selected to analyze? What is that question? Is
there any seemingly extraneous information included in the
introduction? Having read the entire essay, suggest an alternate
way to begin the essay. Having read the entire essay, does the
introduction fit the paper? Has the writer (being either yourself
or your classmate) clearly expressed the question (major claim,
thesis) that he/she has selected to analyze? What is that question?
Is there any seemingly extraneous information included in the
introduction? Having read the entire essay, suggest an alternate
way to begin the essay. Having read the entire essay, does the
introduction fit the paper? Does the first paragraph serve as a
good introduction to both the paper's topic and the writer's
approach or general conclusion? Can you identify a thesis
statement? Suggest, if possible, a way to improve the introduction
or thesis statement.Body: What are the main points that are being
made in each paragraph? Briefly outline the point of each paragraph
and sketch the evidence given in support for each. How is the
evidence linked to the main point of the paragraph? And to the main
point of the essay? Is there any seemingly extraneous information
throughout the body of the paper, such as plot summary, excessive
quotation, or unsupported claims? What are the main points that are
being made in each paragraph? Briefly outline the point of each
paragraph and sketch the evidence given in support for each. How is
the evidence linked to the main point of the paragraph? And to the
main point of the essay? Is there any seemingly extraneous
information throughout the body of the paper, such as plot summary,
excessive quotation, or unsupported claims?
Evidence & Continuity: Did the writer support the argument
in a convincing manner? Were quotations from the text well chosen?
Is the line of argument clear from paragraph to paragraph? Did each
paragraph add to the argument?Supporting points: List the main
points made in the draft, in order of presentation. Then number
them in order of interest to you, noting particularly parts that
were not interesting or that seemed unnecessary. Do any need to be
explained more fully or less fully? Should any be eliminated? Are
any confusing to you? How well are the main points supported by
evidence, examples, or details?
Structure: Can you identify the organization or line of
argumentation? (Could you outline the process whereby the writer
reaches the conclusion? Can you identify the main
argument?)Paragraphs: Which paragraphs are clearest and most
interesting to read, and why? Which ones are well developed? Which
paragraphs need further development? What kinds of information seem
to be missing?
Sentences: Read the draft and choose three to five sentences you
consider the most interesting or the best written because they are
stylistically effective, entertaining, or memorable for some other
reason. Then choose the three to five sentences you see as weakest,
whether confusing, awkward, or simply uninspired. Are sentences
varied in length, in structure, and in their openings?
Words: Are verbs active and vivid? Mark words that are
particularly effective--those that draw vivid pictures or provoke
strong responses. Then mark words that are weak, vague, or unclear.
Do any words need to be defined? Are any words potentially
offensive, to the intended audience or anyone else?
Style: Did you find any sentences or ideas that were unclear
(either because of sentence structure or because they expressed
concepts that were difficult to follow)? Suggest, if possible, a
way to clarify these sentences or ideas.Conclusion: Does the
conclusion draw together the strands of the argument? Is it a
sufficient statement of the paper's main points? Does the draft
conclude in a memorable way, or does it seem to end abruptly or
trail off into vagueness? Has the writer restated (not simply
repeated) the major claim of the paper in light of its discussion
throughout the paper? In other words, what should the reader have
learned by the end of the argument? What is your understanding of
the initial question after reading the paper? Has this
understanding been adequately expressed? And does it open up the
major claim to the question of its implications? (Has this major
claim ultimately been placed into a broader perspective or
context?) Suggest an alternate ending to the argument. Has the
writer restated (not simply repeated) the major claim of the paper
in light of its discussion throughout the paper? In other words,
what should the reader have learned by the end of the argument?
What is your understanding of the initial question after reading
the paper? Has this understanding been adequately expressed? And
does it open up the major claim to the question of its
implications? (Has this major claim ultimately been placed into a
broader perspective or context?) Suggest an alternate ending to the
argument. Does the writer satisfactorily establish her or his
conclusion? Are there sufficient grounds for that conclusion that
go beyond personal opinion and that appeal to your reasoning?
Final thoughts: What are the main strengths and weaknesses in
the draft? What was the single most important thing said? What
is/are the paper's greatest strength(s)? Explain. What do you think
is the strongest objection or counter-argument to the paper's
conclusion? Suggest, if possible, a way improve the main argument.
Are there claims or positions which require substantiation?
Editing: Did you find distracting grammar, punctuation,
spelling, or word usage problems? Just underline them (and explain
briefly if it's not obvious, using abbreviations such as gr. p. sp.
and wc).
General/Misc: Suggest an alternate title. Does it express 'in a
nutshell' the essay's theme? Has it followed the proper "title:
subtitle" format? [Note: This assumes the paper already has a
title-thus, every paper must have a title!] What confuses you about
the draft? (For example, a certain word choice, the topic and/or
its presentation, the explanation of something in particular.) Does
the flow of the essay break down at any point? In other words: Does
the essay become hard to read or lose its coherence? Where? And how
might you fix it? Does the essay remain within the chosen text(s)?
If there are any generalizations, speculations, clichs, idiomatic
expressions, or colloquialisms underline them so that you can point
them out to your peer(s). What has the writer done well in his/her
essay? Provide positive comments about the strength(s) of the
essay. Suggest an alternate title. Does it express 'in a nutshell'
the essay's theme? Has it followed the proper "title: subtitle"
format? [Note: This assumes the paper already has a title-thus,
every paper must have a title!] What confuses you about the draft?
(For example, a certain word choice, the topic and/or its
presentation, the explanation of something in particular.) Does the
flow of the essay break down at any point? In other words: Does the
essay become hard to read or lose its coherence? Where? And how
might you fix it? Does the essay remain within the chosen text(s)?
If there are any generalizations, speculations, clichs, idiomatic
expressions, or colloquialisms underline them so that you can point
them out to your peer(s). What has the writer done well in his/her
essay? Provide positive comments about the strength(s) of the
essay.
Source
Writing Across the Curriculum University of Wisconsin- Madison
http://mendota.english.wisc.edu/~WAC/page.jsp?id=139&c_type=category&c_id=22Writing
Across the Curriculum Northern Illinois University
http://www.engl.niu.edu/wac/Writing Across the Curriculum
University of Wisconsin- Madison
http://mendota.english.wisc.edu/~WAC/page.jsp?id=169&c_type=category&c_id=21Writing
Across the Curriculum University of Wisconsin- Madison
http://mendota.english.wisc.edu/~WAC/page.jsp?id=169&c_type=category&c_id=22Writing
Across the Curriculum University of Wisconsin- Madison
http://mendota.english.wisc.edu/~WAC/page.jsp?id=33&c_type=category&c_id=22
