YOUR NAME: PEER BEING WORKSHOPPED:

Instructions:
Read through the essay once to get a clear sense of its claims, structure, and delivery. Read
through it a second time, and when you do, feel free to add comments or tracked changes (as
needed), then complete this worksheet. No formal writing required, and phrases or lists of ideas
are fine, but do make sure it’s comprehensible for the person you’re workshopping. Be
respectful!

THESIS: Copy the thesis statement of the essay below (remember that it may be more than one
sentence and could appear in paragraphs other than the intro). Assess the thesis in light of the
central argument as you understand it. How well does it reflect a central claim? Is it too vague
or does it mislead? Is anything missing?

INTRODUCTION: Assess the introductory strategy of this essay. How well does it set up the
central focus or claim of the essay? If it works, how might it be improved? If it doesn’t, suggest
an alternate strategy with which to begin.

Read through the conclusion and compare it to the introduction. Does one reflect the other or
has the author gotten off track along the way? How can they be aligned without making the
conclusion a dull summary or simple restatement? Does the conclusion direct us to larger
ramifications – “so what”?

ARGUMENT: Is the argument clear, coherent, and logical? What struck you as most
persuasive? What struck you as least persuasive? Are there any faults with the argument and do
you have suggestions on what to change, add, or delete?
Evaluate the author’s use of evidence. Is there enough? Too little? Something missing? Has it
been used responsibly? Is it specific? Does any of the evidence rest on shaky grounds or
misread the text? Anything need expansion or reduction? Is the analysis effectively motivating
the evidence towards the argument?

STRUCTURE: Is the structure logical & effective given the central claim of the essay? Does
the organization reflect the shape of a developing idea in which one claim builds upon the next,
ultimately reaching synthesis by the conclusion? If the structure is a problem, what shape do you
think the paper should have instead?

APPENDIX:

1) Have a look at paragraph-level transitions and note those that are weak (easiest just to note
this on the document itself).

2) Scan each paragraph for cohesion. Note any paragraph you think goes on a tangent, begins
one place and ends another, or generally doesn’t hold together as a cohesive whole united by a
clear idea.