Description
Peer review is the evaluation by classmates of texts produced in and for the class. Peer review has two powerful benefits.
First peer review is a chance for each of you to provide support to others in the class. My position as teacher requires that I evaluate writing in a different way than you are able to do for one another.
Second, doing reviews of other people's texts will help you to see your own work differently, more completely. Characteristics you recognize in their work can be applied to your own. Or, problems you may not recognize in your own writing might be easy to see in another essay.
General Expectations
Before providing feedback, you should review the assignment to clarify its objectives in your own mind. Then keeping those criteria in mind, thoughtfully evaluate the paper or project.
Everyone is expected to identify at least one positive feature of a text -- and to be specific about the findings. Perhaps an author has constructed a particularly effective phrase or chosen evidence that is particularly compelling. Or one may have provided an especially insightful interpretation. Again, whatever feature(s) you find most effective should be specifically noted in your review. In the past, some students have resorted to praising an author's "choice of subject." That's not good enough.
A solid review would also include an evaluation of whether or not the text meets the assignment criteria. If the author has missed an important element or task requirement, it should be noted. If the author has gone above and beyond the expectations, that should be noted too. Again, there should be sufficient detail given with the observation to help the author see why a comment has been made.
Finally, peer reviews should always offer supportive suggestions -- again, concrete and specific -- the author might usefully incorporate into a revision of the text. Perhaps you are able to identify an inconsistency or an omission in content. Or maybe there's a point of confusion that could be clarified. You should kindly offer constructive suggestions for revising a text in ways that will make it more effective for you as a reader to understand and learn from. A writer may or may not choose to take your advice.
Specific comments about grammar, spelling, and punctuation do not belong in peer review. These are editing tasks that come after the greater development of ideas, evidence, and reasoning. Also, comments on editing and how to improve editing skills are more specifically in my realm of responsibility, especially since students often internalize incorrect information or have not been made aware of changes to language and writing conventions in the past few years. Too often those who give advice on grammar and punctuation actually end up giving the wrong advice.
