Background Essay Peer Review

Directions: Read your partner’s essay. It may take a while! Answer all the following questions based on your partner’s work. Take your time with this, as you will be graded on your effort. THIS WILL TAKE YOU A LONG TIME.

Information Questions

· As you read the essay, what information popped into your head? What is it that YOU think you might like to know or need to know about this topic that wasn’t presented in the background essay?  List at least THREE additional areas, angles or aspects of this topic that weren’t covered in the essay. Explain what you would like to know and why this area is interesting.

Historical Timeline  

· To the best of your ability, discuss whether or not the historical timeline is as complete as it could be. For example – if your partner is discussing the overmedication of ADD, are there historical areas that have been left out or that could be explored in more detail? Perhaps, in this example, your partner didn’t explore in detail when Ritalin became prescribed. Note at least FOUR historical areas that could be researched in more detail. This may take you doing some research on your own.

Statistics

· As you go through your partner’s work, look for statistics. Note the statistics you find. Are these relevant for the research topic/question.  Why or why not?  What are the areas of agreement in these statistics? What are possible areas of disagreement? Keep in mind that you may need to do a bit of research on this.

· Locate at least two more statistical areas of interest that may be useful for your partner.

Stakeholders

· How may stakeholders did your partner list? For each stakeholder, is the reason for their interest clearly explicated? For example, in the ADD example, parents would obviously be a stakeholder, but they may have very differing ideas on the idea of medicating their children – so the stakes would be different for different groups. Are each of these groups listed for your partner’s stakeholders?

· Also, come up with at least two more stakeholders and the associated groups within that bunch of stakeholders. Be very specific.

Debates/Disagreements/Controversies  

· Does your partner describe and explain at least two major debates or disagreements relevant to the topic? How can this be improved? Does your partner clearly state who disagrees with whom and why or explain if they disagree because of conflicting evidence, interests, values and/or assumptions?  Suggest at least THREE ways this area can be improved. Be specific.

Introduction

· The first paragraph of the essay should present some context for the narrowed topic and introduce the kinds of information and issues that your paper will present.  Does your partner’s intro do this? Suggest one solid improvement in this area.

· The introduction should end with a single sentence that provides an overview of the main subpoints of information that the paper will cover.  Suggest two ways this final sentence – the overview statement – can be improved.

Conclusion

· The concluding paragraph should indicate any important information the author wasn’t able to find.  Is this specific? Suggest two improvements or areas of information that can be added or improved upon.

· It should also state how the topic will be further narrowed. Does it do this? Suggest two additional ways the topic can be narrowed.

· Does your partner propose one research question that they would like to answer about the narrowed topic; it should not be merely informational, opinion based, nor a good/bad, either/or, for/against, pro/con, yes/no, etc. type of question; nor should it predict the future or try to solve a problem. Does it accomplish this? Suggest one different research question regarding the narrowed topic.

· Does your partner explain what is significant about the research question, that is, why is it important to understand that aspect in particular?  Does it accomplish this? Suggest two ways that this can be improved.

Required Sources

· Review the sources. Does your partner have FIVE different sources from the three source types?

· Review each source and look it up. Are at least two of the sources less than two years old? Are the sources credible?

· Assess each source for credibility, using the skills you learned in the library.

· Suggest at least three improvements and TWO additional sources (yes, you will have to search for them) for your partner.

Final Impressions

· What did you learn? Be specific.

· List two specific areas that could be improved in this essay, and explain how they could be improved.

· List your two favorite things about this background essay.