Results / Discussion Peer Review 4/12, 4/19

Using the student work we have read this term as models, and the PowerPoint from last class, create a working draft of your results/discussion section. This draft will probably not fit into one posting area, so create and post a link to a cloud stored version of your paper. Your original posting is due before class on April 20th.

The second part of this posting calls you to do a thorough review of a partner's results/discussion sections. The peer review is due before midnight on April 24th. You must review the work of a student who has not had his/her work reviewed as yet. Also, you must review the work of a student who you did NOT cover in our in-class peer review.

It will help to leave a brief message below someone's original posting indicating that you plan to review their work (so while you are doing the review someone else doesn't snap up your review and leave you in trouble). I recommend leaving an original message below someone's posting that reads something along the lines of: "I will cover your peer review." Once someone leaves this posting, it will help ensure that everyone gets a review.

Peer Review Instructions:

Number each paragraph and on a separate word document write a one sentence synopsis of each paragraph’s topic and purpose. Leave ample space between so you can write and elaborate further on each paragraph. If a paragraph seems to be going in multiple directions, note the different directions the paragraph takes and explore connections between divergent ideas.

Note key support for each paragraph  Evaluate how well the support/details are implemented. How well does the paragraph establish context and evidence? Is there a need for more details to expand a point or a need for more evidence or perhaps analysis of evidence to help deliver a point?

Create a ranking system to identify which paragraphs are most effective and which ones are less effective. Following your discoveries and inferences from your above sections, underscore aspects from each paragraph that need improvement and establish criteria for what works well in paragraphs that are strong and well developed. Look at transitions between different paragraphs and explore ways to improve transitions from one paragraph to the next.

Next, read the paper once more through; identify and look for a main point of theme that guides the results/discussion.  From your previous analysis, and multiple reads, determine what central claim is being presented. How clearly stated is the central finding? How can it be better stated? If there are a series of important claims, how could those claims be organized under one larger umbrella claim?

Come up with at least two questions to help the writer think critically about the direction of the results/discussion sections. What do you as a reader want to know more about?  Where is the piece most effective and why? Which details and part of the essay stand out as most memorable and effective and why? Where does this piece need to be improved? Be specific in your commentary of your peer’s work.

Post your feedback as a response to the writer's initial posting.