Peer Review Steps and Requirements:
Step 1: Reading
Always begin each review by first reading the writer’s entire submission. Once you have read the writer’s submission, respond to the prompts below.
Step 2: Response Organization and Formatting
Clearly organize your feedback by creating headings as listed below. Bold and underline each heading title so that they are clear and easy to identify. Your feedback for each section will go under the appropriate heading in regular font (in other words, your feedback under each heading will not be bolded, underlined, or italicized). Create these headings:
- Thesis Statement
- Focus
- Comparative Element
- Source Review and Formatting
- Outline Completeness and Formatting
- Visual Elements
- Responses to Questions (under this heading, you will clearly label “Question 1,” “Question 2,” etc. so that the writer can clearly identify which questions you are responding to)
Step 3: Offering Feedback
You will review the work of all the members in your group. Respond to the feedback prompts below. The prompts are intentionally broad to allow for students to respond thoughtfully using the experience and prior knowledge they bring to this assignment. If you need help figuring out how to respond to a particular section, look back to previous assignment resources for inspiration. For example, if you are unsure of how to begin offering feedback on a writer’s thesis statement, re-visit the UNC Thesis Statement handout that you were required to read for the last assignment.
Your feedback must be clear and thoughtful, and your recommendations must be clear and actionable.
The prompts for each section are listed below:
Thesis Statement
- Speak to the writer’s thesis statement.
- Consider elements such as clarity, conciseness, position, etc.
- Consider whether it answers the “So what?” and “Who cares?” questions.
- Offer at least one actionable recommendation.
Focus
- Speak to the writer’s focus.
- Consider elements such as topic manageability and narrowness.
- Offer at least one actionable recommendation.
Comparative Element
- Speak to the writer’s comparative element.
- Consider the clarity of this element: is the comparison sensible? clear? easy to imagine/understand?
- Consider the scope of this element: is the scope manageable? overly broad? difficult to comprehend?
- Offer at least one actionable recommendation.
Source Review and Formatting
- Review the writer’s sources by examining/visiting each listed source. Verify each source using the CRAAP Test (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
- Speak to the credibility, relevance, accuracy, usefulness, etc. of the sources.
- Review and speak to citation formatting.
- Offer at least one actionable recommendation.
Outline Completeness, Organization, and Formatting
- Speak to the writer’s fulfillment of the outline requirements.
- Speak to the organization of the writer’s work. Consider clarity of organization from your point of view as a reader.
- Offer at least one actionable recommendation.
Visual Elements
- Given your understanding of the writer’s organization, direction, discussion, etc., speak to how, where, and to what purpose the writer should include visual elements. Consider visual element types, reader needs, enhancement, etc.
- Offer at least one actionable recommendation.
Responses to Questions
- Respond to the writer’s individual questions. (Organize as indicated above.)
- Offer clear, thoughtful responses, and actionable recommendations.
Step 4: Submit Peer Reviews