Reviewer: Karn Sangha
Author’s name: Dakota Tryhuba
To: Dakota Tryhuba, English 301
From: Karn Sangha, English 301
Date: Jan 22, 2018
Subject: Technical Definitions Peer Review
I have reviewed your technical definitions report for the term “Urban Heat Islands”. Thank you for taking the time to explain this complex term from your field of study. The term was easy to understand through the different definitions and visual diagrams. I would like to offer the following suggestions organized by the section in your report:
Parenthetical Definition: The definition is clear and straightforward. The example used is easy to understand and quickly learn what the term is.
Sentence Definition: There is enough information to easily understand what is the purpose of the term. The only issue is with the use of the world “Metropolitan”. For less technical readers they would not know the definition of this term. Instead you could have used “a high populated area”.
Expanded Definition:
What are UHI: The paragraph explains the term clearly with enough information. The use of comparison and contrast with climate change solidifies a readers understanding of how it differs from and contributes to climate change instead of being a outcome of climate change. Overall very well written.
Contributing Factors: The use of the required conditions strategy and operating principle helps solidify my understanding of urban heats islands. Well written and quickly to the point.
Health Impacts: This section is well written. I’m not sure with its place in this expanded definition. It details health impacts and also refers to socioeconomic conditions. These are relevant to urban heat islands but I believe not in this definition report where a reader just wants to understand urban heat islands are, not there health impact and what socioeconomic factors are in play.
Mitigation: The use of the world “albedo” could lead to confusion with non-technical readers. A quick definition of albedo can erase this confusion for the reader. The strategies were all well written and were very easy to understand.
Visual: The addition of the diagram was very helpful in understanding urban heat islands and how it is based on dense populated areas in a city.
Summary: I hope my recommendations are helpful. The definitions were all very well written. There were no confusing long sentences, and grammar mistakes. The term was easy to understand. Some complex terms were used which can lead to confusion among non-technical readers. There was also a section, which strayed away from the expanded definition strategies. Overall great work!
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