This activity serves as a guideline for both our peer review and
self-review. Please use both the questions and peer feedback as guides for how
to revise the final draft. Peer reviewers should read the paper, marking both
effective moments of writing and marking potential concerns in the margins and
directly into text.
Use an X to mark if this is a peer review or
a self-review .
If peer review, please add the name of the reviewer:
Yes No
- Is the title specific
to the author’s unique topic? In other words, does it avoid a generic
label like “28 Days Later,” “Paper 2,” etc.? Does it allude to
the specific issue about the novel or film beyond its title? How might
the wording of the title be improved?
Is
the title centered using the center command instead of tabs or the space bar?
Yes No
- Did the author refrain from increasing the font size
or using italics, bold or underline to mark your own title? Yes No What do they need to remove?
- Introduction
- Does the first sentence
hook the reader and identify the specific issue beyond a straightforward
fact about the novel/film or the author? In other words, will a reader
understand from the first sentence what the specific concern about the
novel is the primary focus of the paper?
- Does the introduction
set up the full name of the author of the primary text (either the film
or the novel) and the full name of the author of and the title of the
theoretical piece?
- Does the introduction
set up the core problem briefly but clearly? If so, restate it here. If
not, suggest a thesis statement here.
- Does the introduction
avoid going into heavily detailed discussion of a specific individual
point that would be better saved for a body paragraph? If “no,” what part
should be trimmed or cut?
- Does the author list
the major points they plan to make in the introduction? Is the connection
between the theory used and the thesis clear?
- Do the author have a
clear thesis statement that offers a specific interpretation
(rather than statement of the topic that doesn’t take a
particular stance on the topic) that defines what they are arguing for at
the end of the paragraph? If so, restate it here. If not, suggest one
here:
- Body paragraphs (mark on the draft
directly)
1. Does the paragraph start with
the required tab/indention of 0.5”?
2. Does each body paragraph
start with a clear transition that provides a connection to the previous
paragraph? If no, be sure to mark on the draft where a transition is needed. If
you can, suggest some transitional ideas on the draft.
- Does
the first sentence set up a clear topic for the paragraph? If no, be sure
to mark on the draft where a paragraph topic is needed. Suggest a topic
if possible that encapsulates the contents of the paragraph.
- Does
each major point and supporting evidence relate to that topic sentence,
or should some be removed? If no, be sure to mark on the draft where
supporting evidence is needed or should be removed.
If the paragraph is too short (less than four lines), what facts or
further explanations can be added to properly develop the topic of the
paragraph? Please mark this on the draft.
- Do the body paragraph have at least one quotation to
support the claim in the topic sentence? Please indicate on the draft
where a quotation is needed.
- If
the paragraph goes on for a page of more (which may be acceptable), where
could it be divided into subparagraphs? Please mark on the draft.
- Does
the paragraph end with a clear point that does NOT introduce a new idea
that will only be discussed in the next paragraph? If the author does
introduce a new idea that is actually the topic
of the next paragraph, suggest moving that line to the next paragraph.
- Is
there a clear connection to the author’s overall thesis for the paper?
Please indicate when a paragraph does not connect to the overall thesis
on the draft.
- Use of Quotations
and Citations (mark on draft directly)
- REGULAR
QUOTES: Does each quotation have a signal
phrase, the actual words you are quoting inside quotation marks, an MLA
parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence that allows the
reader to find the source in the alphabetical works cited, and
discussion? Did the author drop the final punctuation of the quotation
(unless it’s a question or exclamation mark)? Is the citation before the
final period of the sentence?
- BLOCK
QUOTE: Do the paper have at least one block
quote? Is
it indented 0.5” from the left? Is it four lines (in the 1” margins)
or longer? Did the author avoid indenting the first line of their text
after the block quote in which they discuss the block quote’s meaning?
Did they omit quotation marks for their block quote? Does the block quote
citation come after the final punctuation of the quotation?
- Are
additional facts/ideas/statistics not in the novel given a citation even
if they are not quotations? Is there a source in the Works Cited for
those citations?
- Do the author avoid putting a quotation in the first or
last sentence of a paragraph?
1. Did the author avoid starting
their conclusion with “In conclusion”?
Yes No
2. Does the conclusion restate
the full name of the authors/directors and the film, book, or article used in
the essay?
Yes No
3. Does the conclusion restate
the topic, all the major points in the paper, and the main thesis that offers a
specific interpretation of the novel?
Yes No
If “No,” offer some suggestions on the draft in the margins.
4. Does the conclusion attempt
to explain the broader implications of the thesis?
Yes No
If “No,” offer some suggestions on the draft in the margins.
- Works Cited Page
- Does
the MLA works cited page start at the top of its own page using the insertpage break command in MS Word?
Yes No
- Do
the words “Works Cited” (without the quotation marks) appear at the top
of the page centered using the center command?
Yes No
- Is
there an entry for novel or film in the text?
Yes No
- Is
there an entry for the theory text used?
Yes No
Does it need to be an entry for a book or for a work from an anthology?
Yes No
- Is
each entry presented alphabetically (do not alphabetize by the words “A,”
“An,” or “The”)?
Yes No
- Are
the titles
of shorter items (articles, individual pages on a web site, etc.) put
inside quotation marks?
Yes No
- Are
the titles
of larger items (books, newspapers, databases, web sites, journals, etc.)
italicized?
Yes No
- Did
the author standardize
all capitalization following MLA title rules?
Yes No
- Did
the use the hanging
indent command to format each citation so that the first line touches
the left margin, but the rest of the lines in the citation are indented
0.5”?
Yes No
- Did
the author turn
off the gap between paragraphs on the works cited page?
Yes No
- Is
each citation double spaced?
Yes No
- Does
the works cited page look like the sample
MLA Works Cited Page?
- Format
- Does
the paper’s layout match the sample
MLA paper?
Yes No
If “No,”
indicate on the draft where you see formatting problems.
- Is
the paper double spaced?
Yes No
- Are
the margins 1” on each side?
Yes No
- Did
the author turn
off the gap between paragraphs throughout?
Yes No
- In
the header of the paper, does the author’s last name appear in the upper
right corner followed by a single space and the page number (using
the insert page number command)?
Yes No
- Did
the author use Times New Roman 12 pt font? Even in the header?
Yes No
- Does
the information block contain the right information required by MLA
format? Is the date correct? Did the author replace “Professor” with
“Dr.”? Did they put a space between “Dr.” and the professor’s name?
Yes No
If “No,” indicate on the draft what needs to be fixed.
- Word Choice/Editing
- Did
the author avoid “I” statements that are not about direct experiences
being used as evidence (like “I think/believe/feel”)? (Use control-F to
check for “I” followed by a space)
Yes No
If “No,” please mark on the draft where these statements occur.
- Did
they avoid “You” statements? (Use control-F to
check for “you”)
Yes No
If “No,” please mark on the draft where these statements occur.
- Did
they use more specific language to replace variations on the word
“thing”? (Use control-F to search for “thing”)
Yes No
If “No,” please mark on the draft where these statements occur.
- Did
they verify that the reader can easily understand what “it” refers to in
the paper? (Use control-F to search for “it”)
Yes No
If “No,” please mark on the draft where these statements occur.
- Did
the author put a noun or noun phrase after the word “this”? (Use
control-F to search for “this”).
Yes No
If “No,” please mark on the draft where these statements occur.
- For
the AUTHOR ONLY: Did you read your paper out loud to listen for
problematic or incomplete sentences?
Yes No