Peer Review Workshop

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Program November 12, 2013 Peer Review Workshop

Workshop Goals • Discuss challenges and benefits of peer review • Offer strategies for conducting peer review effectively • Model strategies for using peer review in the classroom • Provide time for questions

What is Peer Review? A process by which scholarly work is evaluated by others in the same field in order to enhance the quality of the work, or ensure it meets the necessary standards for acceptance.

Common Misconceptions about Peer Review: • “Takes up too much class time” • “The blind leading the blind” • “Groups are difficult to organize” • “Students are unprepared and/or goof off” • “Lazy way of teaching” • “Doesn’t improve student writing”

Working in groups, spend three minutes generating a list of as many benefits/advantages of peer review as you can. Then, spend three minutes deciding as a group which three benefits from your list are the most important and why. Each group will present the group’s three benefits and reasoning.

Benefits of Peer Review • Provides models of scholarship at similar level • Encourages students to write more than one draft • Forces students to reflect on their writing • Encourages global revision of drafts • Functions like a scrimmage game at sports team practice • Demonstrates instructor confidence in students • Illuminates problem areas in writing through reading aloud • Makes reader more accountable for responding to feedback • Improves overall quality of final writing product

But Remember…Peer Review is Just One Kind of Group Work… Group work has many benefits for students and instructors: • Aids students whose learning styles may not favor lectures • Makes all students active learners • Generates genuine discourse and debate • Prepares students for “real world” work in groups • Fosters community among students • Gives students opportunity to teach each other

Making Peer Review Work for You Many misconceptions about peer review are resolved by using these eight great strategies for more effective peer review…

Peer Review Strategy #1 Focus on improving only one aspect of the draft: Alternative Traditional Peer groups are directed to analyze and comment on only a single feature of draft (e.g. thesis, supporting evidence, structure, etc.) Peer groups asked to suggest global revisions for draft

Peer Review Strategy #2 Give students a handout to guide them • Make clear exactly what you want students to accomplish during peer review  3-4 questions maximum • Outline group procedure  read aloud, read silently, write, discuss, etc. • Remind students of grading stakes

Sample Student Handout

Peer Review Strategy #3 Use peer review throughout the writing process • As a scaffolding tool—breaking longer, formal papers into smaller pieces  a free-write, proposal, thesis statement, single argument, outline, etc. • In any format—can take various forms and be easily incorporated into class or home work  reading aloud, analyzing student writing as a class, filling out a peer review worksheet , using a grading rubric to assess student papers, etc.

Sample Assignment that Incorporates Peer Review:

Sample Peer Group Exercise

Reactions?

Peer Review Strategy #4 Decide on location of peer review • In class • Outside Class: • At Home • Online

Peer Review Strategy #5 Determine group size and composition in advance • Optimal size 4-5 • Groups can be random or pre-determined

Peer Review Strategy #6 Think through logistics of exchanging drafts and responses • Number of copies • When and where • If online, set up in advance

Peer Review Strategy #7 Take steps in advance to ensure students come prepared • Build peer review performance into paper grade or course grade • Remind students in advance that peer review is graded • Have plan for dealing with unprepared students

Peer Review Strategy #8 Think ahead about your role during peer review • Engage with groups • Observe groups • Leave the room *Notice what works and what doesn’t

Review: Eight Great Strategies for Effective Peer Review #1 Focus on improving only one aspect of the draft #2 Give students a worksheet #3 Use peer review throughout the writing process #4 Decide on location of peer review #5 Determine group size and make-up in advance #6 Think through logistics of exchanging drafts and responses #7 Take steps in advance to ensure students come prepared #8 Think ahead about your role during peer review

Questions? Melanie Lorek: Mlorek@citytech.cuny.edu Heather Zuber: Hzuber@citytech.cuny.edu

[final group exercise] Putting it All Together Your friend Professor Doglove held a peer review class session a few weeks ago, just graded the final student papers. He does not think the peer review improved his students’ papers. He heard that you attended this workshop and asked whether you can help him. As a group, please review Professor Doglove’s peer review handout and generate a list of ideas for how he might use peer review more effectively to improve student writing. Then, as a group decide which of your ideas would help the most, and why. Each group will present their suggestion and explanation.

GROUP EXERCISE RECAP [Ask each group to present a few from their longer list and then argue which one is most important and why.]

Peer Review Workshop