Peer Review Worksheet
Reviewer:___________________________________________________
Tell the writer what you see as the central claims, point out areas that lack clarity, and ask
questions to help them refine their thinking. Note potential grammar, punctuation and spelling
issues directly on their review copy.
Is the thesis statement clear, non-obvious, and arguable? Identify the thesis statement here and
explain why it is or is not working.
For each paragraph in the essay, write the topic sentence (generally but not always the first
sentence) and one sentence about the paragraph’s purpose (does it introduce a new idea? define or
redefine a term? make and support a specific claim? offer some context or personal perspective?)
Do the paragraphs build on one another in a logical flow? Identify claim(s). Are they clear and well
supported with grounds and warrants? Identify any idea that could use more support, or places
where reasoning is flawed.
What are some strengths of this essay? Areas for improvement? Are there ways to look at the texts
they haven’t considered? Pose at least two questions to the writer, or add at least two new
ideas/connections for them to consider.