Unit Two is perhaps, the most challenging unit of this course; the learning curve is steep. We begin the process of creating two major documents, and — beginnings for many, are the most difficult challenge.
Happily, most of you are on an excellent track toward creating two significant and important documents that will be fully professional and useful to you in the immediate future.
One of the central goals of this course is to demonstrate how — through doing; by peer reviewing and rewriting, reflecting, and re-writing again, by doing these tasks, over and over, it becomes clear that writing is an art that improves with practice.
Yes, indeed, learning to write is a life long occupation.
It is equally clear that the peer-review process is both challenging and rewarding. Your reflections from Unit One demonstrate the value of this process and the particular challenges.
You should approach this task by first concentrating on the criteria of the particular document in review:
- what is the purpose, who is the audience?
- is the document designed and organized appropriately for that purpose, that audience?
- is the tone of the document appropriate?
- is the analysis or narrative logical and organized appropriately for its purpose?
- is the document complete in scope?
- does the document meet its purpose?
- are there spelling, grammar, or typos?
- what categories are most appropriate for reviewing this document (make a list and create headings)?
If you use these questions to begin the process of your review, you will find that not only are you able to provide a valid and helpful review for your peer, this process also greatly enables you in developing self-editing skills.
Here are some useful tips for you:
Peer Reviews:
- Templates: if you design a template for your review that responds to the elements of the document you are reviewing, and that is complete – before you read your peer’s document, this will ensure a compete and objective review.
- If the document is put together with a high level of excellence, good. This provides the opportunity to point to the particularities of the document as examples of excellence, and why.
- Just as you must provide a rational for why rewriting is necessary, or why particular suggestions will be useful — you likewise need to provide a rational for why a passage, or the organization, or the scope are excellent.
- Brevity and organization are priceless in peer reviews.
- DO NOT use a point system – comments are meaningful. Points are necessarily arbitrary and subjective.
- Include a heading for writing style, syntax and grammar: refer to the textbook Part Three: Organizing for readers.
- These are peer to peer documents that should address your peer with a friendly tone, and present information in a professional style.
- Document and Page Design are as important as text. I will say that again: document organization and page design are as important as text.
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