Assignment: Peer Review
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[edit] Peer Review -- What Do I Do?
You are expected to read and respond to three of the papers posted by your study group. But what do we mean when we say ’respond’ ? As we have discussed in class, the role of responder is not really that difficult. You should write a couple short paragraphs in the first person telling the author three things:
- discuss what was good about the paper,
- critique and advise the author concerning the clarity and engagement of the writing, and
- give the author the gift of one of your own ideas about how to expand or deepen the paper.
That’s all. You are not in the position of correcting or editing the content. You, as the reader, can confidently report on the clarity and engagement of the writing. You, as a member of the learning community, can both be supportive of the author and provide one of your own insights about the author’s ideas in light of your own experiences or in relation to your understanding of the concepts of the class.
[edit] Your Survey Responses
On the first day of class, you filled out a survey which included questions about giving and receiving feedback about writing. Your responses to that survey have been categorized on the Peer Review Survey Responses page. You may find it interesting how many people think like you. Check it out!
[edit] Suggestions
Your answers to the questions about giving and receiving feedback lead to some simple suggestions.
[edit] When giving feedback to others...
- Support the writer!
- Take time at the beginning of your comments to focus on the positive. Comments about time spent and effort involved in the writing process or comments about the good ideas and thoughtful content are always appreciated (especially when genuine). Make it a habit to find meaningful aspects of the paper to comment on in a supportive way.
- Be honest!
- Remember that honesty is what everyone wants. Even if they're a bit worried about receiving criticism, they'd rather hear honest criticism than fake appreciation.
- Comment confidently on the clarity and engagement of the writing.
- As the reader, you are the expert on clarity and engagement. Speak from your own experience and use the first person.
- Did the writing get you interested and hold your attention?
- In your opinion, was the writing clear? Identify one or two (not more) specific sentences or paragraphs that you felt were either unclear or wonderfully clear.
- What did the paper help you learn or understand? Telling the author this, even if it involves some repetition of the author's words, will help the author know if he or she has been successful.
- Do one thing to help the author either expand or deepen the paper.
- Use what you have learned in class or your own experiences related to the content of the paper to suggest one way to take the paper further. Notice that you are adding to, not 'correcting,' the author's ideas. Here are some possibilities.
- Connect the authors ideas to one of the other readings in class.
- Apply the ideas of the paper to a specific situation, either actual or hypothetical.
- Generalize the author's ideas and see where that leads.
- Add to the author's list of main points.
- Synthesize the ideas of the author with some ideas of your own.
- Explore a political, moral, or ethical aspect of the author's ideas.
Your role is not that of an editor. You and the author are writing to learn. The discussion as a whole is about ideas.
[edit] When receiving feedback from others...
- Don't be defensive; ignore your ego.
- Focus on the issues of clarity and engagement.
- Engage in a conversation about ways to expand or deepen the paper.
