1.6: Giving and Using Writer Feedback- Peer and Self-reviews

As mentioned in the previous section, you can use Google Docs to comment on your own or a classmate’s writing. This is an effective way to provide feedback when reviewing a classmate’s writing.

A. Peer Review Strategies

Peer reviewing, having a classmate read your work and provide feedback, is an important part of the writing process. Check out this PPT for more information about the benefits of peer reviewing, both to the writer and to the peer reviewer, and several effective strategies for peer review.

Pause and Reflect

Once you have reviewed the PPT, discuss the following questions with your team.

1. Which peer review strategies have you engaged in? Which do you think are the most effective for you as a reviewer?
2. Which strategies would you like to try?
3. What would you like to improve on as a peer reviewer? Which strategies would you like to get better at?
4. What concerns do you have about having your writing peer reviewed? What ideas do you have to lessen those concerns?

Following are additional tips for conducting an effective peer review:

1. Listen to the writer. What kind of feedback are they asking for? Do they want to know if their thesis is clear? Do they have questions about citing sources? Make a note about what kind of feedback the writer has requested and keep that in mind as you respond.
2. Be kind. When you are receiving criticism, isn’t it easier to hear if the person giving the criticism is kind and respectful to you? Do the same for your peer.
3. Comment on global concerns first. (See here for more information on global vs sentence-level concerns.) This means asking questions about anything that confuses you, checking to see if the writing did what the assignment called for, and considering if the order of the paper makes sense.
4. Use "I" statements to help stay focused on your reaction to the writing. For example, instead of saying, "You aren’t clear in this paragraph," try saying, "I’m confused in this paragraph. Did you mean X or Y?"
5. Be specific. Don’t say "I liked it" or "It was good" unless you follow up with an explanation of exactly what you liked or thought was good. The same goes for criticism; say exactly what confused you or what was missing.
6. Ask questions. Use questions to clarify what the writer means, what the resources given are saying, and what the writer is trying to do.
7. Offer advice based on your own experience. For example, you could say "if this were my paper, the two things I would do next are A and B." Provide options such as, "If you wanted to expand this, you could do A, B, or C."
8. Don’t try to make the writer sound like you. If a word is the wrong word, note that, but if you just think of a word you like better, that’s just a matter of style and voice.
9. Don’t edit your peer’s writing for them. Only comment on editing when the writing is a final draft or when your instructor has included checking for errors in the instructions for peer review. Correcting errors is important at some point, but it makes no sense to spend time editing a paragraph if that paragraph may need to be deleted or changed. It’s okay to remind the writer to run spell check and grammar check if you notice minor errors. Otherwise, only ask about editing errors if you have trouble understanding the sentence because of the mistakes. If your instructor does want you to comment on editing, be sure to follow the instructions. Remember that the responsibility for correcting the errors lies with the writer, not with you.

Tips adapted from Burnell, Carol, et al. "Giving and Receiving Feedback." The Word on College Reading and Writing. Creative Commons licensed.

B. Understanding a Peer Review Form

When you do peer review, you will typically have a form to fill out to guide the things that you are focusing on as you review your classmate’s work. Before you start the peer review, take a few minutes to read over the peer review form to make sure that you understand what to look for and how to evaluate each item on the list. If you’re not sure about something, ask your peer review partner or your instructor for clarification.

Once you start peer reviewing, be sure to mark your assessment of each item honestly, and try to provide helpful comments. What advice can you give your partner to help them improve their writing?

Remember: peer review is an excellent opportunity to show what you know about effective writing.

PRACTICE: Analyzing a Peer Review Form

Review the following peer review form. Highlight anything that you aren’t sure about and make notes. Ask your partner or your instructor about items you’d like clarification on.

Summary 1, Draft 1 Peer Review

Name of Writer:

Name of Reviewer:

Reviewer: Mark an X in the appropriate box for each of the criteria below. Add comments and suggestions to help the writer improve their summaries.

|l|l|l|l| & YES & SO-SO & NO

The sentence has a signal phrase with the correct author’s name and

title.

& & &
The signal phrase is grammatically correct. & & &
The sentence correctly identifies the argument of the reading. & & &

The sentence is paraphrased well and is not copied directly from the

article.

& & &
The sentence is not too specific, but also not too vague. & & &
Comments on one-sentence summary: & & &
& & SO-SO & NO

The first sentence of the paragraph summary has a signal phrase with

the correct author’s name and title.

& & &
The summary correctly identifies the overall argument of the reading. & & &
The summary correctly identifies the main ideas of the article. & & &

The summary has a balance of main ideas and details. There is enough

detail to understand the article, but there is also not excessive detail.

& & &
The writer has included transitions between the main ideas and details. & & &

The writer has used a variety of transitions; not just list transitions

(next, also, then, furthermore, in addition, first, second, third)

If yes, what transitions do they use?

& & &
The writer mentions the author’s last name frequently. & & &
The summary is an appropriate length (150-200 words). & & &

|l|l|l|l|
& YES & SO-SO & NO
& & &
The works cited entry is complete. & & &
The works cited entry is accurate. & & &
The works cited entry is formatted correctly. & & &
Comments on works cited entry: & & &

The heading includes the writer’s name, class, date, and assignment

name/draft in the correct format.

& & SO-SO & NO
The assignment is double spaced. & & &
The first line of the summary is indented ("Tab" button) & & &
The essay has a header with the writer’s last name and page number. & & &
The margins are 1 inch on all sides. & & &
Comments on MLA formatting: & & &

What questions do you have about the peer review form, or what points would you like clarification or an example of?

C. Applying Feedback

Once the peer review is complete, you should review the completed peer review form and any comments made by your peer review partner. Here are some tips for applying the feedback you have received:

1. If you have questions or need clarification about feedback or comments, try to ask your partner right away while the feedback is fresh in their mind. Make notes so that you remember what the feedback means.
2. Remember that ultimately you get to decide what feedback to accept. If you don’t think the feedback is correct, ask your instructor what they think. And give your partner a break; they are also just learning how to give feedback.
3. One way to improve the feedback you get is to ask for the kind of feedback you want. Don’t be afraid to give your peer reviewer some direction.

• What specific parts of the assignment were challenging for you?
• What are you not sure about?
• What would you like a second opinion on?

4. Listen to or read the feedback with an open mind. Consider that the peer reviewer is your reader. It’s good to know what a real reader got out of your writing.
5. If you aren’t sure about the feedback or feel upset about it, reconsider the suggestions after a break. It’s okay to say, "I’ll think about that." If you feel that the reviewer is trying to change your style so that the paper doesn’t sound like you anymore, consider whether the feedback helps you make the paper better. If not, feel free to ignore the feedback or to get another opinion.

Tips adapted from Burnell, Carol, et al. "Giving and Receiving Feedback." The Word on College Reading and Writing. Creative Commons.

D. Using Self-Review Checklists

Your instructor will provide self-review checklists throughout the semester to guide your writing or review process. These checklists are a way to take control of your learning and monitor your own writing process. Developing this autonomy is a vital skill for becoming an effective learner, and it will serve you well throughout your university career and beyond.

As with peer review forms, it’s a good idea to review each self-review checklist before using it to make sure you understand each item. Ask your instructor for clarification.

There are basically two types of self-review checklists we’ll use in this class. Each has a specific
purpose.

i. In-class Writing Quiz Checklist

You’ll use this self-review checklist when you complete an in-class writing quiz. The purpose is to remind you of what you need to include in your in-class writing. It’s a good idea to read the checklist as you prepare for each quiz so that you can think through how to complete each of the items on the list and so that you don’t forget anything important. Here’s a sample checklist for the research paper:

In-Class Writing Quiz Checklist
Research Paper - Body Paragraph

You will have 20 minutes to work on Draft 1 of a Body Paragraph of your Research Paper. For working in class, you will receive 1 point for each aspect of the assignment that is successfully completed. Use this checklist to help you stay focused during class, and to track your progress for this assignment. Put a check \((\boldsymbol{V})\) on the left side once you have completed an individual task.

Submit your assignment to SafeAssign once it is complete.

EXAMPLE:

\(\checkmark\) I have read these directions carefully.
\(\qquad\) The topic sentence is clear and includes an argument (first sentence; your opinion for the paragraph)
\(\qquad\) The topic sentence supports the thesis statement.
\(\qquad\) The topic sentence uses similar language as what’s used in the thesis.
\(\qquad\) The source sandwich begins with a claim (your argument; one of your sub-points)
\(\qquad\) The source sandwich includes context (background information)
\(\qquad\) The source sandwich includes a paraphrase or quote with an accurate in-text citation (author’s name, title, page #)

The source sandwich includes an analysis/comment (explains the source and how it’s relevant to the topic)
\(\qquad\) The paragraph is developed effectively. It has sufficient context and analysis to clearly
\(\qquad\) The evidence supports and is related to the topic sentence.
\(\qquad\) The paragraph ends with a concluding sentence (restates the topic sentence in a new way)

ii. Final Self-review Checklist

You’ll use this checklist as you prepare to submit the final draft of an assignment. There are two parts - the checklist and the reflection. The checklist reminds you of key structural aspects and content to include in the essay. The reflection allows you to think about what you have learned and what you need more practice with.

Self-Review Checklist: Summary-Response Essay
Before submitting your final draft, it's important to be sure that you have done everythin
that your instructor expects. Use this checklist to help you track your progress for this
assignment. Put a check (V) on the left side once you have completed an individual task
Introduction
    ___ Introduction has two sentences
    _
        The first sentence includes the author's name and the title of the article
    _
        The first sentence contains a statement of the article's main idea in my own words

\(\qquad\)

___ The second sentence says which specific points I agree or disagree with.

Paragraph Summary

Paragraph Summary
___ Paragraph correctly identifies the main argument of the article in the first sentence
___ Paragraph correctly identifies the organizational pattern (pro/con, cause/effect
__ Paragraph correctly identifies the organiza
_ Paragraph correctly identifies the main supporting details.

    Paragraph uses transitions and other cohesive devices.

```Paragraph frequently refers to the author by last name.

\(\qquad\)

Response Paragraphs

\(\qquad\)

\(\qquad\)

\(\qquad\)

\(\qquad\)

\(\qquad\)

\(\qquad\)

\(\qquad\)

Formatting & Drafting
\(\qquad\) Essay has been formatted according to MLA guidelines.
\(\qquad\) There are clear changes between the \(1^{\text {st }}\) and final drafts.

Self-Review Reflection: Summary-Response Essay
As a way to reflect on what you have learned and what is still challenging, write one paragraph ( 150 words min.) about the changes between your 1 " and final drafts. What was challenging the first time that you wrote the assignment? What did you learn in the process of revising? What challenges do you still face? What will you do to address those challenges? What are you most proud of about this assignment?

PRACTICE: Analyzing a Self-Review Checklist

Select one of the Self-review Checklist samples above, and read through it carefully. Are there any items you’d like clarification on? What do you find helpful about the checklist? Is there anything else you wish it would have included? Write your notes here:
\(\bullet\)

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¹

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²