Overview
As in previous peer reviews, you will be using your classmate’s paper as a lever to improve the quality of your own paper, and vice-versa. You’ll do this is by comparing the two papers.
Please read and follow these instructions closely. The questions are very specific. Make sure you answer the precise questions asked.
Organization
You will be writing about both your own paper and your classmate’s paper. Write your answers on separate sheets, one for your own paper and one for your classmate’s.
- On one sheet put your name, labeled “Reviewer,” and your classmate’s name, labeled “Author.” Write all your answers about your classmate’s paper on this sheet.
- On the other sheet, put your name and “comments on my own paper.” All your answers about your own paper go here.
- When you are done, give your classmate your comments about their paper (the sheet with their name labeled “Author”). Keep your comments about your own paper (the one labeled “comments on my paper”), and the comments your classmate gave you (the one with your name labeled “Author”). Turn in your own comments, and your classmate’s comments about your paper, with your second draft.
Instructions
Read the paper through once. Then, go back over it and answer the following questions, comparing your classmate’s paper to your own.
- Which paper has less evidence?
- Name one spot in that paper where you would add more evidence. What would you add? If you do not know the specific facts that should be added, write what kind of facts you would like to see, or write a question that the facts would answer.
Write your answer either on your sheet or on the one you will give your classmate, depending on which paper needs the work.
- Which paper has evidence that is less relevant to its thesis? In other words, of the evidence that is there, which is not so closely related to the point being proved? An argument that has just one piece of evidence might still have more relevant evidence than one that is full of evidence that does not relate to the thesis.
- Select two pieces of the less relevant evidence and replace them with something that seems more relevant. Again, if you don’t know the specific facts, write down the kind of facts that you think are needed, or the question those facts would answer.
Write your answer either on your sheet or on the one you will give your classmate, depending on which paper needs the work.
- Which paper has evidence that is less representative of the point being made? Remember representative evidence means evidence that stands for the entire category it is supposed to represent. It is typical, the best example or illustration, not an exception or an outlier.
- Write what you think would be a more representative example for the particular point being made.
Write your answer either on your sheet or on the one you will give your classmate, depending on which paper needs the work.
- Finally, look at the two revised assumptions in your partner’s paper (the one that was made explicit, and the other that was converted into a claim by adding evidence). Do you agree with them? Why or why not?
Write your answer on the sheet you give your partner.
