WP1: Peer-Review Form

PLEASE BRING A COPY OF THESE QUESTIONS TO CLASS EACH DAY WE ARE CONDUCTING PEER-REVIEWS. YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS IN DETAIL & SHOULD HAVE THEM ON HAND SO THAT YOU MAY REFER TO THEM WHEN NEEDED.

01) Does the essay commence with an observation that utilizes detailed & vivid description? If not, suggest ways in which this can be accomplished. What senses are (not) utilized or developed? Suggest alternative ways of framing &/or describing the observation that may be more beneficial. If the writer chose another way to open the essay, what form did it take? Is it effective or ineffective? Suggest an alternative introductory format.

02) Provide one example of where the writer utilized detailed & vivid description when writing about their subject matter. Why does it work? Provide at least one example of where the writer does not properly employ detailed & vivid descriptions when writing about their subject matter. Why does it not work?

03) Does the essay contain a clear thesis statement or focal point that effectively & logically connects the observation to a general subject &/or reflection? If not, suggest ways in which this can be accomplished. If so, suggest alternative ways of stating the focal point/thesis so as to be more effective/present the argument in a more logically coherent manner.

04) What type of organizational phrasing does the writer choose when structuring their essay? Temporal? Spatial? Other? Does (s)he remain consistent with their choice? Is their choice appropriate? Provide one example of where they could more appropriately incorporate such phrasing into the fabric of their essay. Additionally, does the writer find ways in which to meld content & form? How so? If (s)he does not, suggest ways that the writer could interweave these two aspects.

05) Does the writer incorporate dialogue into the essay? If so, where does it contribute best to the essay? The least? If there is no dialogue in the essay, make some suggestions as to where direct discourse would best serve the essay. What type of person/people should dialogue be attributed to?

06) Does the essay present examples that support the reflection that is presented? If not, suggest ways in which this can be done. If so, suggest ways in which these examples can more clearly demonstrate the subject matter that the writer is reflecting upon. Are the examples descriptive & detailed? Do the examples correlate directly to the material being reflected upon?

07) Does the essay contain a conclusion that effectively answers the “so what” question? In this regard, does the conclusion present for the audience a) some understanding of why this reflection is important & b) a direct connection to the audience so as to make these ideas relevant to the reader?

08) Are there any aspects of the essay that were difficult to understand?

09) What was the best aspect of this essay?

10) What aspect of this essay did you find least effective? Provide specific examples of how you would improve this aspect.

11) Suggest at least five specific places where hyperlinks could be inserted. When suggesting words that could be attached to links, ask yourself the following questions: What is the focal point of the essay? What secondary information would be helpful in understanding elements of the essay more thoroughly?

12) Suggest at least four specific images or videos that would be beneficial to the audience when visualizing the written material. Again, when suggesting multi-media additions, ask yourself the following questions: What is the focal point of the essay? What multi-media elements would make the written text more compelling or unique?