1. Warm-Up Discussion
In pairs or small groups, you should discuss the following questions:
- Do you like other people to read your work?
- Have you ever had a peer review before? (if so, did you like it or not and why?)
Afterwards, we will discuss your thoughts and opinions as a class.
2. Brainstorming: Why do we do Peer Review?
Consider the following questions: Why would we want to do a peer review? What are the goals? We will discuss these questions as a class to demonstrate all of the benefits of the peer review process.
3. Sample Comments- Helpful? How do they make you feel?
Pretend that you have written a paragraph and the sample comments that you are receiving are the comments that your peers gave you. Discuss in pairs or small groups (1) how the comments made you feel and (2) if the comments would help you revise your essay.
4. Effective Comments
As a class decide what are the characteristics of effective comments. Be sure to always remember the P-Q-P method of commenting: Praise, Question, Polish. Look again at the comment you were given—how well does it match the criteria of an effective comment and the P-Q-P method?
5. Peer Review
Take a look at the Peer Review Handout. In groups of 2-3, trade papers to begin working on the peer review and be sure to ask the writer any questions for clarification. Once you have left thorough, effective comments, spend the last 5-10 minutes of class discussing and explaining your comments to the writer.
