Peer Review Workshop 9-8-09

Peer Reviewer:                                                                                                                 Author:

Is the thesis clear and concise?                                                                  Revise verbs, cut extraneous detail, ensure that the thesis    

                                                                                                                                   makes

Comments:                                                                                                        a clear, specific and narrow claim.

Is the writing interesting?                                                                            Add examples, an anecdote, dialogue, or additional details. Cut  

Comments:                                                                                                        repetitious or boring details, and awkward phrasing.

Does the writing achieve the writer’s purpose?                                 Add explanations, descriptive details, arguments, or narrative

                                                                                                                                  details.

Comments:

Does the author provide enough illustration?                                     Find additional relevant examples, or more fully analyze and

                                                                                                                                break down

Comments:                                                                                                        those that you’ve already located.

Are there unrelated ideas or details that distract the reader?      Cut irrelevant or distracting information.

Comments:

Does the author fully define and explain unfamiliar terms?          Build an “argumentative thesaurus” for the terms you’ve

                                                                                                                                developed

Comments:                                                                                                        so that you can easily refer to a glossary of terms. Ensure that

                                                                                                                                 you’ve

                                                                                                                                used proper signaling language to define your terms, without    

                                                                                                                                making

                                                                                                                                your argument awkward.

Does the argument have a clear beginning, middle, and end?     Ensure that your argument is arranged in a way that makes its

                                                                                                                                    meaning

Comments:                                                                                                        explicit to the reader. Review the process you use to make your

                                                                                                                                argument, and consider revising by reordering the path of your

                                                                                                                                argument.

Are logical connections between sentences and paragraphs        Review your transition sentences, ensure that paragraphs obey

                                                                                                                                the

clear? Comments:                                                                                           3-Ied monster (Introduce, Illustrate, Interpret). Check for logical

                                                                                                                                errors.

Is the meaning clear?                                                                                     Revise awkward sentences, by completely rehashing your idea.

                                                                                                                                    Use

Comments:                                                                                                        clear wording—avoid phrasing that is unwieldy.

Does the writing contain clichés or overworked phrases?              Cut or replace with specific details and fresh comparisons.
Comments:

Is the language appropriate for the audience and purpose?         Ensure that your phrasing is appropriate for formal academic

                                                                                                                                    discourse.

Comments: