About Peer Review, prepared by Catharine Wright, 1997 (Director of the Writing Program at Middlebury College)
Peer Review has proven to be an effective tool in developing sophisticated writers and is a critical component of many college writing classes. It is one of the practices that distinguish us as a writing community and it will serve us most effectively if we keep its goals and guidelines in mind.
Goals:
- To develop our ability to recognize the elements and characteristics that make up a particular piece of writing, and to more easily recognize the strengths and weaknesses in a particular work. We tend to be more objective about the work of others than about our own. In analyzing others’ work, we gain the skills to review and revise our own.
- To have the opportunity to read the work of other students.
- To create a larger audience for our own work.
Guidelines:
Before critiquing, make every effort to understand the purpose and message, or precise focus, of the piece up for workshop. Be ready to articulate that in your own words.
Address the strengths and weaknesses of the purpose, message and focus first, before moving on to details.
Analyze other strengths and weaknesses of the piece in relation to its purpose, message, focus.