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PEER REVIEWS
Please pick a partner to work with. This person should not be seated next to you. You will exchange papers so that you can read, mark, and respond both in writing and verbally to the draft to help your partner revise the paper for the final draft. You may use the paper draft or download the file and use INSERT-->COMMENT to mark the draft on the discussion board.
When you start reading the paper, write "Read by _______" and put your name in the blank. Read and mark the paper for strengths, weaknesses, errors, and areas that need clarification. Then complete the following:
1. As you read each body paragraph, please mark/annotate or use INSERT COMMENT to indicate the following:
- The central topic of the paragraph. Highlight and make a comment on the words that identify the topic. If no central topic is present or if there is more than one central topic, say so.
- The claim made in the paragraph. Highlight and make a comment on the claim. If there is no claim, say so.
- The relationship between the paragraph's claim and the overall thesis of the paper.
- The word or phrase that creates the transition at the start of the paragraph.
- The major evidence of the paragraph
- An evaluation of the analysis of the evidence: does the writer discuss each piece of evidence in the paragraph sufficiently?
- Verifies that the end of each paragraph does not start the next paragraph.
- Comments on any improvements that need to be made to the paragraph.
2. Format: either mark on this page (and give to your partner when completed) the following chart or copy and paste this table to the end of your partner's draft. Put a "yes" or "no" next to each item to indicate if the writer followed format.
| Has page numbers with last name on every page | The Margins are 1" top. bottom, left, right. | ||
| Use Times New Roman 12pt font | The works cited page starts at the top of a new page. | ||
| Title is centered, properly capitalized, and NOT underlined, bolded, quoted, italicized or enlarged. | Each item on the works cited page uses a hanging indent. | ||
| Information block has proper information and has only single-spaced blank lines between each item. | Works cited entries are arranged alphabetically and NOT numbered. | ||
| Spacing above and below title is one single-spaced blank line only each. | Works Cited Page has a page number. | ||
| There are no extra gaps between paragraphs. | The Works Cited title is centered, properly capitalized, and NOT underlined, bolded, quoted, italicized or enlarged. |
3. Write or type a quick paragraph that outlines what the topic of the paper is and the specific interpretation the writer wants you to have about that topic. Make a clear distinction between what they are writing about and what point they are making about what they are writing about. If the paper itself isn't clear, tell your partner that they need to clarify his or her point, and if an interpretation occurs to you, share that with the writer. You can write the paragraph on this page or type it at the end of the draft.
4. Finally, write a paragraph-long note that outlines the major strengths of the paper and what changes should be made to the content and organization to improve it.
When you and your partner have completed the notes required in questions 3 and 4, give the physical draft and this page with the notes to your partner and talk about your response. If you are using a computer for the peer review, attach your annotated copy of the paper to a reply to the original post and then talk to your partner about what you like about the paper and what they might want to focus upon during revision.