One Possible Peer Review Process

Note: Focus on the “bigger issues” (bigger than the sentence-level) / DO NOT “EDIT”

Step 1: Give one copy of your draft to two other people, and get two drafts to read – they don’t have to be from the same people you gave your draft to.

Step 2: Read one draft, slowly and carefully, all the way through.  Don’t stop to write comments, and don’t mark on the manuscript.

Step 3: Begin writing a “memo” or a letter to the writer of the draft.  You need to be HONEST but DIPLOMATIC in your memo or letter.  The memo or letter should have three parts:

Part One: In a couple of sentences, describe your overall first impression of the draft after your first read through.  For example, you might write about:

• Is the writer on the right track?
• How did the essay make you feel?
• What did the essay make you think about?
• What questions came to mind when you were reading?

Part Two: In a few sentences, describe what you like about the draft and/or what you think is strong about the draft.  For example, you might write about:

• Which paragraph is the best paragraph, and why?
• Where is the writing really clear, vivid, exciting, intriguing, etc.?
• What part(s) did you enjoy most?
• What part(s) did you learn the most from?

Part Three: In a few sentences, describe what you think the writer needs to do next to improve the draft and make it better.  For example, you might write about:

• What seems to be missing?  What is there “not enough” of?
• What part(s) seem(s) to be confusing or unclear?
• What could be trimmed or cut?  What is there “too much” of?
• What seems to be “out of place”?