by Lisa Moore, Department of English (Posted to Feminist Pedagogy site by Amanda Moulder)

Goals: The purpose of this exercise is to allow students to focus on a few crucial matters when evaluating one another's papers. This exercise would be used during the peer review process.

The purpose of this exercise is to allow you to focus on a few crucial matters when evaluating one another's papers. Before you begin, read this sheet. Then read each paper carefully, writing ideas and questions in the margins, circling problems, underlining things you want to ask the writer about etc. (Even when reading the papers, you should write to help you think.) Then go through and answer the following questions about the paper. (Use the back of this sheet or a separate sheet.) Writers should collect all the sheets filled out for their papers and look them over carefully when revising; then, include your peers’ comments in your folder when you turn your final paper.
Make extra copies of this sheet as needed.

1. Write down the paper's thesis. If the thesis doesn't appear in the paper, write down a thesis you think would be appropriate for the paper's argument. Remember, the thesis should take account of all the pieces of evidence in the paper and suggest a relationship among them.

2. Write down a possible counterargument to this thesis--not just "the opposite" of the thesis, but a persuasive statement that challenges the claims of the thesis. If the thesis cannot be argued against, chances are it is stating the obvious and needs to be revised. (Example of an inarguable thesis: “Mr. Darcy is an important character in Pride and Prejudice.”)

3. Suggest a way to make this thesis more precise, more grammatically complex, and/or more interesting. How could it better anticipate counterarguments?

4. Evaluate the paper's use of evidence. Does the writer make good use of quotations? Are quotations analyzed carefully, rather than making writers’ points for them (a sure sign that the writer’s argument is no different from that of the text itself)? Is every point supported with evidence from the text? Suggest problems and/or improvements.

5. Is the prose clear and vigorous? Does the writer use strong, active verbs? Subordinate less important material to more important? Vary sentence length? Circle examples of weak verbs and/or passives ("Elizabeth is instructed in the finer points of aristocratic life" vs. “Lady Catherine instructs Elizabeth in the finer points of aristocratic life."). Write down a couple of problem sentences and suggest improvements.

6. Write an alternative/better title for the paper. What does the new title emphasize in the argument that the old title didn't? Remember that the paper’s title is the first move in making its argument.

7. Note other matters to discuss with the writer.