Successful Peer Review
Strategies
Getting Ready for Peer Review
• What you get out of peer review depends on
what you put into it.
• Your job as a writer is to listen and ask
questions.
• Your job as a peer reviewer is to give good
feedback and give each essay your full
attention.
• You are job as a reviewer is NOT to fix
grammar and spelling only.
Tips for Giving Criticism
• 1.Make it constructive.
– “Construct” means “to build.” Even when you are pointing
out an area for improvement, your criticism should help
to build the writer’s ability to write a successful essay.
– Positive comments are also appropriate. Tell a writer what
he or she did well and encourage him or her to do more of
that.
• 2. Be kind, yet honest. Never tear down another
writer, but don’t hesitate to point out passages that
don’t make sense and other mistakes. Telling an
author “It’s fine” when it is not fine does not help
him or her.
Tips for Giving Criticism
• 3. Give every essay in your peer group your
focus and attention. Come to class prepared to
read and think analytically about your group
mates’ essays. Remember, your classmates are
going to give their attention to your essay, so it’s
only fair that you return the favor.
• 4. Everyone has something to offer. Don’t be
intimidated if you feel that you’re being asked to
comment on a ‘better’ writer. We comment on
professional writers all the time!
Tips for Taking Criticism
1. Remember that your group is offering you
criticism in order to help you. Try not
to
be defensive, and be open to suggestions.
2. Ask questions about your group members’
comments. If you don’t understand why a
group member is saying something, ask him or
her to explain.
3. If a group member is being too vague, ask him
or her to point to specific places in your essay
where they see problems.
4. Try to propose solutions to the problems your
group members see in your essay. Ask if these
solutions would solve the problems.
Peer Review Time
• Follow the directions on your peer review sheet.
• You should spend about twenty to thirty minutes
on each essay. If your group finishes with all three
essays in less than an hour, you did not spend
enough time on peer review.
• Keep your peer review sheet and the copies of
your essay that your group members commented
on. They will help you revise.
• If you finish early, you may…
– Work on the revisions your group suggested.
– Work on your revision log. (See back of peer review
instructions sheet)
– Work on homework for this or another class.
In order to leave early, your entire
group must…
• Show me that every member has filled out the
peer review sheet completely.
• Show me completed revision logs.
• Show me copies of drafts with peer comments
on them.
• If you leave early and you do not do these
things, you will not receive credit for peer
review.