In-Class Paper Review Activity

In-Class Activity—Review the Papers of Your Peers and Plan Your Revision

First, exchange names with the other members of your group so that each group member is reading two of the papers of other members of the group. If you just go in a circle and read the next two people’s essay, the numbers should work out—two readers per paper, two papers to read per person.

Step 1: Next, read the papers of your partners. As you read, keep the following tips in mind:

• Read the paper through once quickly to get a sense of the ideas being discussed and any large problems. If you provide feedback too quickly you might not be aware of information that comes later in the paper, or you might miss larger concerns that should be addressed.
• Focus on your reactions to the paper. Offer feedback that makes a reader’s perspective available to the author—“I’m not understanding this section,” “This part really grabs me,” etc.
• Take notes. You can jot down the topics of paragraphs, creating an outline of the ideas covered. Sketch out any questions that arise as you read.
• Concentrate on the big picture. Forego comments on surface errors to offer feedback about the organization and ideas in the essay. Note areas where the paper is unclear. Think not only about what is covered in the essay, but also about what might be added to make it stronger.
• As you point out problems with the essay, you can suggest some approaches to revision, but don’t try to fix the problems for the author.
• Be selective in offering feedback and advice. You can comment on every paragraph, but don’t nitpick. Identify which issues in the paper are minor and which are serious, and then concentrate on helping the author fix the most pressing problems.

Use these strategies to read the essay, and then compose a comment on the Web submission in which you summarize your reactions to the paper—listing things you find successful and your moments of confusion or concern. Summarize your recommendations for revising the paper. Offer questions that help the author discover a sharper focus or develop missing elements of the project. Identify a few of the most pressing changes needed to help with the organization or clarity of the essay.

Step 2: Repeat this Process for Your Other Partner.

Step 3: Examine the comments that have been written about your paper. Re-read your paper with these comments in mind, and also with the insights you have gathered from reading the papers of others. Using these considerations, add a comment to your paper outlining your revisions plans.

Be sure to have completed all of the reviews of partner’s papers by the end of class. Post your revision plan comment by midnight tonight.