Discussion peer review
Being a Good Peer Reviewer
Being a Good Peer Reviewer Workshop
This workshop will review how to prepare your own essays for peer review and also how to do a be a good peer reviewer. We will explore how peer review fits into the writing process and the various ways in which faculty refer to the idea in the classroom. The goal of the workshop is to improve your future peer review experiences.
Writing is a Process
It’s common to repeat steps in the process—e.g. prewrite, draft, prewrite, draft.
It’s common to revise and even edit a bit as we draft, especially if we use a computer to write.
Writing is not always linear…
Peer Review
Peer review is a planned activity where students read and respond to each other’s writing.
It’s common for peer review to be used as part of the writing process, but it can happen multiple times and at various points in time.
When the process of reading and responding to peers’ papers is used during the editing process, it is sometimes referred to as peer editing.
Peer Review & the Writing Process
Goals of Peer Review
For Student Reviewed
Create a wider audience (beyond the professor) for the text being written
Learn how to strengthen writing based on feedback from authentic readers
Learn how to assess feedback and use what is useful
For the Student Reviewer
Learn how to read carefully even when the text may not be perfectly organized or clear
Learn how to compose constructive feedback based on judgment of a text
Skills Required for Peer Review
Reading Skills
Are you able to determine the writer’s main point?
Are the ideas well organized?
Are there missing pieces of information that might help the reader understand?
Skills Required for Peer Review
Evaluation Skills
A big part of what you may be doing is identifying where you are confused or where you think ideas can be clearer.
Comments like “it’s good” or “nice job” are too vague as to be very useful.
Skills Required for Peer Review
Writing Skills
Your main goal is to write clear, specific feedback.
Often, questions you have about aspects of the text that confused will let the writer know where he or she needs to revise.
Focus feedback on constructive feedback that is specific.
Skills Required for Peer Review
Social Skills
We recommend you think of yourself as a “reader” not an “evaluator.”
As a “reader” you can give your impressions about aspects of the paper and avoid making sweeping judgments about the paper as a whole.
Constructive feedback has a tone that doesn’t elicit an emotional response from the writer.
Don’t be overly mean and don’t provide a laundry list of issues that must be resolved—try to narrow the focus, especially if you see lots that needs attention.
Vaguely Positive Feedback—Yuck!
Try to avoid giving each other vaguely positive feedback
Often this happens when we are anxious about giving others constructive feedback
The only way to get better at giving constructive feedback is to practice it
Focus of the Peer Review
Usually determined by the faculty member-read instructors carefully.
Probably not focused on grammar, spelling, format (at least not for an initial peer review)
If the goals of your peer review are to work on the content of the essay, avoid commenting on grammar because it will distract you from the more important issues.
Remember Who Owns the Writing
Don’t write the paper for your peer—it’s important to remember who owns it.
Remember you are providing feedback as one reader—writers are not required to take all of the feedback they receive.
Advice on Giving Feedback
Try to respond as a “reader” not as a “writer” (don’t focus on how you would write the paper)
e.g. try to avoid rewriting all of the poor transitions. It’s enough to note the leap from one topic to the next.
Ask a lot of open questions to prompt the writer to think more about particular aspects of his or her text.
e.g. “Do you think you need more support in this paragraph?” “Why did you begin with this paragraph and not this one?”
Unless you have been directed to focus on editing and grammar, resist the temptation to edit and focus on content and ideas.
Advice on Giving Feedback
Be specific
Comments like “nice” or “good job” don’t tend to help writers improve.
Write fewer but longer comments or questions
Things like the following are helpful:
“Can you provide more detail here?”
“I lost the thread of your argument somewhere in here.”
“Great transition here. It really connects the two ideas to your thesis.”
“How does this paragraph relate to the thesis. Can you connect it better?”
Overall Feedback
If you have been given time to write or give oral feedback:
Begin by making positive comments
When addressing weaker areas, use a descriptive tone to avoid sounding frustrated
Don’t assume that the writer didn’t spend a lot of time on the assignment
Keep in mind that often the issue students struggle with the most has to do with confused thinking—focus on that first
Don’t cover everything—focus on 3-4 big things in your feedback
Preparing for Peer Review
Try to come to the process with an open mind
Recall that you don’t have to take all of the advice that you hear
Trust the process—research shows that the act of peer review itself improves the overall quality of writing
Preparing for Peer Review
Formulate large and smaller questions about your writing ahead of time.
After the reviewer has responded, ask questions that were not addressed
Instructor Expectations
Several copies of your draft
Usually, we expect the drafts to be collated and stapled in advance
Completed peer review checklists, forms, or other paperwork as determined by each instructor
Resources
Nilson, Linda. (2003). “Improving Student Peer Feedback.” College Teaching, 51 (1 ), p. 34-38*
*Creative Commons license