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Making Peer Revision Work

A Simple Guide on How to Make Peer Revision Productive

Revision is much more than reading through a paper quickly and scanning for punctuation and spelling errors.

Peer Revision is Real Work

First, once you exchange your essay with a peer, read through the entire essay without making a mark or comment.

Get an overall sense of the essay.

How to Effectively Conduct Peer Revision

Next, begin with the higher order concerns:

IntroductionThesisParagraphsTopic SentencesTransitionsArgumentOrganizationSupportConclusion

How to Effectively Conduct Peer Revision

It does not matter if you have every period and comma in the correct place if your paper has not proven anything.

Remember:

Next, provide constructive feedback. Do not be afraid to ask your peer buddy questions.

Remember, by asking questions, you are not asserting that you are the expert; you are merely looking for clarification.

If done well and with respect, peer revision can benefit everyone involved.

How to Effectively Conduct Peer Revision

If you notice there seems to be no thesis, ask your peer buddy, “In one sentence, tell me what you are proving with your essay.”

This opens up dialogue so you can assert that what he/she has or does not have could be better stated.

If you are working from the paper or in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, you may simply pose the question: “What is your thesis? Consider strengthening this area.”

Example of Feedback

Once you move from the thesis/ intro, look at the essay critically. Ask yourself:

Does this make sense? Does it follow logic?

Does it meet the assignment guidelines?

What is unclear to you, as the reader?

More Feedback

Remember, all feedback does not have to be a criticism. We ALL like to hear what we did well.

If you believe your peer buddy makes an interesting point or a sentence is beautifully worded, tell him/ her.

By incorporating the positive with the constructive feedback, peer revision does not seem like a “beat the writer up” session.

Feedback

Once you have gone through the entire essay once more and have addressed all of the higher order concerns, you then move to the lower order concerns:

Mechanics (the technical aspects of writing such as proper word usage)PunctuationGrammarSentence VarietyDocumentationStyle

Feedback

Many fear the editing, or lower order concerns, because they assume they must be experts in grammar and punctuation. Not so!

You Don’t Have to be an Expert

As you work through the paper yet again (this should be round three), if you are not sure of grammar and punctuation rules, rely on your “gut feelings” to try to determine if something “just doesn’t seem right.”

You should have some sort of handbook with you (I suggest Harbrace) in order to look up answers.

You might also pose the suggestion to your peer buddy, “Check the punctuation in this sentence.”

Editing

Once you have gone through the paper three times, (once just to read, once for higher order concerns, and once for lower order concerns) you should supply your peer buddy with some overall comments at the end of the essay.

Now What?

Susie: The paper was very interesting. I liked your topic and the essay held my attention. You might consider looking at your thesis to see if you can make it stronger as it does not seem to encompass all of what the essay discusses. Also, check your transitions between paragraphs. Finally, I marked a few places where I felt the punctuation might need to be fixed. Still, I thought you had some pretty powerful sentences and examples. I hope this helps.

Example

There are several ways to carry out peer revision effectively. One way, which has been utilized throughout the initial part of this presentation, is just to use a printed copy of the essay while making comments and marks using pen or pencil.

Ways to Execute Peer Revision

Yet another arena within which to conduct peer revision is within Microsoft Word using Track Changes.

Another Way

First, to begin Track Changes, in Word 2010 version, click the REVIEW tab along the top of the document.

Track Changes

Then, click TRACK CHANGES along the top of the document (This is usually located in the middle portion of the toolbar).

Once you have clicked TRACK CHANGES, you may then begin to insert your comments, questions, and suggestions into the essay.

The next step is to either use the Track Changes version as one in which to compare to your draft or use the accept or reject changes tools across the top in the tool bars section.

Reject or Accept

You can click on ACCEPT or REJECT, or you may choose to go to the next suggestion change by clicking the PREVIOUS or NEXT button in order to move back and forth between suggestions.

You can also choose how your suggestions will be viewed by clicking on SHOW MARKUP. You will be given options in a drop down menu.

Many of us are used to receiving Track Changes in the forms of bubbles along the right margin of the essay. You can also engage in peer revision and editing in this way.

A Familiar Sight

Again, under the REVIEW tab, click on the NEW COMMENT button.

Place your cursor on the sentence or in the place where you wish to insert a comment. Then, click on NEW COMMENT along the toolbar.

Within the red bubble in the right margin, you then type your question, suggestion, or comment.

For those who are more technologically-inclined, you may use Google Docs.

Google Docs is a suite of products that lets you create different kinds of online documents, work on them in real time with other people, and store your documents and your other files -- all online, and all for free.

A Third Option

Set up a Google Docs account. It must be a gmail account. Don’t worry; it is free.

Sign in. Once in, you will come to this screen.

First

On this screen, you will see to the left where you can either upload a document. You may also choose to cut and paste your document into Google Docs. However, to upload, click the upload button.

Here, you will upload a document from your computer. Click OPEN.

Once your document is uploaded, it will appear in your list of uploaded documents.

Once you are in the document, you can choose to SHARE, or invite others into the document with you. This is how you will work with your peer buddy.

This window allows you to see who has access to the document. It also allows you to invite others to enter the document with you. Please note that you should send this invite to join you to the person’s gmail account.

This emailed invitation will include a link for the document. The invited person merely needs to click on it and sign in.

Changes can be seen as the group works on the essay. Further, you can open a chat discussion along the margins.

Once in the Document, you will see a link along the top with a note beneath the link:

Invite others by sharing this link.

You and your peer buddy can work on the document together from the comfort of your own homes. The program allows you to see if anyone else is “in” the document with you. It also allows you to chat with them in a chat box along the side of the document.

Using Google Docs

Peer Editing and Revision can be a valuable resource when those participating take it seriously and work to provide the most constructive feedback possible.

Finally, if you or your peer buddy get stumped by an issue within the essay, do not be afraid to contact someone from the Writing Center. Helping students is our job!