Kent Nelson
9/10/14
Writ 101
Responding-Really Responding-to Other Students’ Writing
A staple in many a high school writing course is the aspect of peer review.Richard Straub made a spot on observation when he said how most high schoolers try to get through peer reviews as quickly as possible without upsetting the writer. Straub was also correct in his observation that this method of peer review is not helpful to the writer. In my experience, people commented on my essays with short abbreviations and unspecific comments on structure or flow. Straub’s idea of offering specific, respectful criticisms would be much more effective.
Straub emphasized in his writing how reviewers need to try to trend away from offering little information in their criticisms. Straub offers in depth guidelines for the proper way to comment on someone’s paper, including placement, being respectful, even how much someone should praise or criticize an essay. These guidelines offered in the essay seem like a much better way to communicate during peer review than anything I have experienced. Straub offered an example of his method of peer review in the article, which is a much more clear and concise method that students should strive for.
Straub made a very convincing case for implementing a new form of peer review, different than that of the student doing the minimum amount of work in order to please the teacher. If more people subscribed to this method of peer review, final drafts of student papers would be in a much better state, especially mine.
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