Peer Review

Peer Review W

T S

Writing Tutorial Service

215 Paterson Hall, 520-6632 www.carleton.ca/wts

Overview • • • • •

Why Review? How to Review? Review Intro (in twos) Review More (in twos) Wrap Up

- 5min - 10min - 30min - 30min - 5min

Class Activity 1 - Why • Why read each other’s writing? • What’s in it – for the reader? – for the writer? – for the professor?

Why read each other’s writing? • As a reader, you will learn from reading other students’ drafts; • As a writer, you will get feedback from peers that will help you make decisions about how to develop and revise your work.

Class Activity 2 - How • What should the reader be looking for? – in general – in the intro – in the conclusion – in other specific parts

• How does the reader inform the writer?

How to Peer Review • Be a “critical friend” – Be tactful – Talk about strengths as well

• Focus on meaning – not spelling, nor punctuation, nor poor yet understandable grammar (simply mention this) – Paraphrase where meaning is not obvious – Assist reformulating (not editing)

• Intro – is thesis/focus well developed? Purpose understood? – Logical roadmap presented?

• General – – – –

Anything missing? Enough examples/evidence, background info, etc. Thoughts well organized (flow logically)? Good transitions? Points related to thesis? Paragraphs focus on one idea? Quotations relevant and useful

Group Activity A – Review Intro •

Group Activity B – Review More • In groups of two, 15min/person – Writer should suggest a section to be reviewed • one or two paragraphs (1 page) • ideally after Intro, otherwise describe context

– Reader will • read section out loud, and • make comments/ask questions as they go along

– Focus on pointing out areas that can be improved, not on debating

Reminder - What to look for? • Anything missing? Enough examples/evidence, background info, etc. • Thoughts well organized (flow logically)? Good transitions? • Points related to thesis? Paragraphs focus on one idea? Thoughts clearly expressed? • Quotations relevant and useful • Academic tone

Class Activity 3 - Wrap-Up • What did you learn from reading or listening? • What did you learn from the feedback you received?