Week 4 assignments (Feb. 15 – 21)

Assignments in brief (all due by midnight on Sunday, Feb. 21):

• • Read info about peer review.
  • Do peer review on Essay 1 of partner
  • Write a reflective post on the process of peer review.
  • Reading journal #2

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1. Read this info about peer review; in particular, be sure to carefully read the section on Feedback and improvement: Becoming a better writer by helping other writers.
2. If there are particular aspects of your Essay 1 that you would like your reviewers to comment on, please add a “Note to readers” at the top of your essay (on your own blog). You may also want to give reader some info, such as “I’m still working on conclusion” or “I know I need to expand the section about xxx.”
3. Peer review of Essay 1. First read the peer review questions below. Then find your peer review partner, and read that person’s essay. Post comments on his or her essay that respond to all of the following questions:
   • Does the essay conform to the assignment guidelines? If not, be specific with suggestions about how the writer can more closely meet the assignment requirements.
   • Consider the writer’s use of specific detail. Identify any particularly sharp, effective use of detail (by para. number or context). Indicate places where you think the writer might add more detail (either because something is unclear or could be made more vivid or engaging or understandable). If paragraphs seem too general, ask questions or make suggestions that might help him/her develop scenes.
   • What seems to be the main “message” of the essay? (Look at the intro or concluding paragraph.) Does the writer make some interesting point(s) that you can connect to on a more universal level? Point out any resonant lines that seem to have particular significance or emotional power (which may or may not be developed in the rest of the essay).
   • How does the structure of the piece work? What is its time frame? Does the order of paragraphs seem appropriate? (If not, suggest possible reorderings.)
   • What is/are the most successful aspects of the draft? What/s working well? You might indicate a particular part of the essay or point to the author’s voice or tone, choice of subject matter, vivid descriptions, wonderful style, etc.

Please post your peer reviews both as comment on your partner’s essay and as a separate post on your own blog. 

4. In a reflective post on your own blog of at least 250 words, respond to the following questions:

• • What has been your past experience with peer review of your writing? If you have done it, comment on its value and challenges from both perspectives (writer and peer reviewer). If you wish, you may want to discuss other sorts of “review processes” you’ve participated in (in the locker room, the dining room, backstage after play rehearsal, etc.)
  • Describe your experience doing this particular peer review. How did you approach it? What were its challenges, and how did you deal with them?
  • Comment on anything you learned from doing peer review of your partner’s essay that you plan to use in revision of your own work (if there was anything). This may be something your partner did well that you want to adapt in your own essay, or some area of improvement you noted in partner’s essay that you feel could be improved in your own, or any other thought you had about your own work as you were doing the peer review.

5. Do Reading journal post #2 (see instructions from last week). Look for an article that addresses a controversial issue connected to your theme (to help in brainstorming ideas for Essay 3).