Peer Editing GuidelinesPeer Editing Guidelines

The Art of Giving and Receiving The Art of Giving and Receiving Constructive CriticismConstructive Criticism

Courtesy of Mrs. Sally SheltonCourtesy of Mrs. Sally Shelton

Peer-editing Do’sPeer-editing Do’s• Do use constructive criticism: “Let all

things be done unto edifying” (1 Cor 14:26).

• Do adopt a trust stance: avoid self-defensiveness, assume the best of others’ motives: “love…always trusts” (1 Cor 13:7, NIV)

Trust: “believing in the honesty and reliability of others”

Edify or buildup: “to promote the health, strength, esteem, or reputation of”

Peer-editing Do’sPeer-editing Do’s•   Do listen. Pay attention to

what the other writer is saying, just as you hope the other person will pay attention to what you are saying.

• Do look at content above everything else.

Peer-editing Don’tsPeer-editing Don’ts• Don’t apologize! Remember that all drafts are

works in progress, and therefore you do not need to apologize for anything written in a draft.

• Don't argue about ideas expressed within the paper. Your role is not to agree or disagree, but to help that writer express the ideas clearly and effectively.

• Don't waste time on surface errors in parts of the draft that may ultimately be cut--try to always look at the overall effectiveness of the essay.

http://www.colby.edu/writers.center/tips/peerediting.html

Advantages of Peer EditingAdvantages of Peer Editing

• Student-centered rather than instructor-centered

• Helps overcome “writer’s block”• Motivates the writer to focus on

communicating effectively to one’s peers

• Encourages rewriting• Encourages writer to exercise critical

self-evaluation

Another AdvantageAnother Advantage

• Relieves a kind of stress known as “writer’s anxiety”

“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2).

Don’t worry!This is apple

juice!

Stages of WritingStages of Writing

• Prewriting (Preparing to write)

• Drafting (Putting thoughts on paper)

• Revision (Taking another look)

• Final proofreading

• Publication (Final draft)

PrewritingPrewriting(Preparing to write)

• Read, think, free-write in a journal format • Identify purpose and audience • Research, take notes, gather information • Brainstorm with a peer group • Organize thinking and plan

DraftingDrafting (Putting thoughts on paper)

• Focus on content (quantity and quality to be considered later)

• Compose freely, without concern for mechanics

RevisingRevising (Taking another look)

• Maintain focus on content vs. mechanics

• Share draft with peer group

• Invite discussion, accept response and helpful input from peers

• Add to, delete from, rearrange, and revise first draft

Editing/ProofreadingEditing/Proofreading

• Share revised draft with peer group

• Invite correction of grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage

• Incorporate corrections in final draft

PublicationPublication(The final draft)

• Share the product with peer group (dramatizations, small group reports, oral presentations, etc.)

• Invite evaluation by peer group, family and friends, colleagues

• Submit for final evaluation by teacher

Peer Editing Instructions: Phase 1Peer Editing Instructions: Phase 1Begin with the big picture. Read through the paper for

comprehension. (Ignore mechanics at this point.)

• Does the introduction grab your attention? Does it explain why the topic is significant?

• Are you able to identify the thesis statement? Is the rest of the paper closely tied to the thesis?

• Is the paper clearly organized?• Is the body of the paper presented logically?• Does the author show evidence of doing adequate

research?• Does the author interact well with his/her sources? Are the

sources referenced?• Does the author maintain a scholarly tone throughout?• Does the conclusion re-state the thesis in a fresh way?• Does the author make an application of his/her thesis?

Peer Editing Instructions: Phase IIPeer Editing Instructions: Phase II

Now consider the mechanics.

• Is the format of the footnotes correct?• Is the word choice precise and succinct?• Does the paper flow well? Does the author use

transitions to connect sentences and paragraphs?• Do the sentences reflect correct grammar?

Consider tense, noun/pronoun agreement, subject/verb agreement, avoidance of fragments and run-ons.

• Consider punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. • Consider paper format: font, spacing, pagination,

margins.