Guidelines

Below are some guidelines as you start the Peer Review Workshop, quoted from Lynne Shackelford, “Guidelines for Peer Response.”

Responders

• Consider yourself as an encourager who is helping the writer produce his/her best work.
• Consider the writing as a work in progress.
• Comment on the strengths of the work.
• Honestly share your suggestions on how the writer can improve the draft. Don’t merely extravagantly compliment the work or avoid thoughtful critical responses. Do, however, be tactful.
• Be specific, concrete, and thorough in your responses. Examine content, organization, style, and mechanics.
• Don’t correct the draft, but point out lines in which you see problems and look for patters (for example, noting that the writer never uses apostrophes to indicate possession or that the writer frequently uses a plural pronoun to stand for a singular noun or that paragraphs lack unity).
• Share your major reactions in writing.

Writers

• Be open to response from peers. Don’t be overly sensitive or defensive. Recognize that the responder is trying to help you improve your writing.
• Listen to what your peers are saying by reading their comments carefully.
• Make sure you understand the responder’s comments. Ask for clarification if necessary.
• Remember that the writing is ultimately yours. You do not need to follow all of the responder’s suggestions. Use your judgment as to how to best use the responder’s feedback.

References

Shackelford, Lynne. “Guidelines for Peer Response.” Furman University. Accessed 17 July 2017. https://furman.app.box.com/s/jofdyc3bh15dm7xb6uee.