Peer Review: Improve Your Informative Essay

One of the biggest challenges writers face is reading a draft of their own work as a reader rather than as the writer. Because you know what youre trying to say, you find it easy to understand your draft. To determine how you should revise your draft, ask a friend or classmate to read your essay and consider how well youve adopted the role of reporter.

Purpose

1. Did you find the essay informative? Did you learn anything new? Yes, I learned you can add bleach to water and quite a bit about cholera and how it spreads. 2. What questions does the essay answer? Do I need to address any other questions? It explains choleras origins and effects along with how it became a problem in Haiti. The essay seems contained and solid without adding more Qs.

Readers

3. Did you find the essay interesting? Why or why not? I did. Its informative without being dry. 4. Does the information Ive included in my essay address my readers needs, interests, and backgrounds? Yes. 5. Does the essay seem fair? Did you detect any bias or agenda in the way I presented information? Seems like fair reporting

Sources

6. Does the information make sense? Can I add, clarify, or rearrange anything to help you understand the subject better? Do you think any of the details are unnecessary? Just that it needs to be a gallon of water per eight drops of bleach. 7. Do my sources strike you as reliable and appropriate? Does any of the information seem questionable? Yes, these are good sources.

Context

8. Is my subject sufficiently narrow and focused? Is my thesis statement clear? I dont think papers of this type really have thesis statements? They dont need them. Youre focused on cholera in Haiti. Good stuff. 9. Would any of the information be better presented in visual form? Youve provided good visuals. 10. Is the physical appearance of my essay appropriate? Did you find the font and typeface easy to read? Did you have enough room to write down comments? Yup. All good.

For each of the points listed above, ask your reviewers to provide concrete advice about what you should do to improve your draft. It can help if you ask them to adopt the role of an editor someone who is working with you to improve your draft. You can read more about these and other collaborative activities in Chapter 4 of Joining the Conversation.