Peer Review

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Peer Review Instructions

Instructions In PDF

On a clean sheet of paper write Reader: (then fill out your name); then Writer, and leave a blank space.

Read and provide detailed answers to the following questions.

To keep on the positive side, try the following to answer the questions: "Try ______," "Consider ______," or "How about _________"

1. How does the intro draw you in and make you want (or not want) to read the rest of the essay?
   1. Reference to "real-life"?
   2. Larger issue (growing up, love, truth, etc.) surrounding the story?
   3. Personal example?
   4. Is the story title and author's name mentioned?
   5. Do you need to define any terms? (adulthood, heritage, fool, truth)
   6. Suggestions for new introduction?
2. Copy out the thesis and division statement.
   1. Take out the questions from the assignment sheet. Which words in the thesis connect it to the question? Explain.
   2. How could the divisions be made clearer or more specific?
3. Body paragraphs – answer the following questions for each paragraph
   1. How could the topic sentence be made clearer? Which word in it connects back to the thesis statement? Which word to a division?
   2. Is a definition or general explanation needed to frame the paragraph? In other words, what information would a reader need to understand the argument the writer is about to make? (i.e. def. of gender role reversal; how a kind person isn't a fool; how touch enables a person to open up; the connection between communication and a strong marriage)
   3. Where is more context/information needed to introduce a quote? (who's talking; when does the quote take place; what should the reader focus on in the quote)
   4. Where is more detail (quotes, descriptions) from the literary work needed? Could a quote be shortened?
   5. Knowing that the explanation should connect/explain how the examples prove the topic sentence, where do you need to "see" more of the writer's argument? Consider where a "real-life" example or analogy would help?
   6. Where could the writer explain how the actual words (their verb tense, connotations, image patterns, tone, etc.) of the quote back up the argument of the paragraph?
   7. Where do you lose the train of the writer's thinking?
   8. Where could the writer break into a new paragraph (with more development)
4. Conclusion
   1. Does conclusion refer back to the introduction?
   2. Does it connect with an issue currently in the news?
   3. Is it the old, tired, dry, "repeat your main points" conclusion?
   4. Suggestions for new conclusion?
      

© David Bordelon