Throughout the semester we have done several peer review assignments. I feel that I have made supportive, and critical comments which will significantly benefit the author throughout each paper. I made suggestions which will aid them in expanding their ideas, as well as, supporting their claims. When reading through a peer’s paper I focus on seeing whether or not the text is well organized, if the author offers textual evidence which supports their claims, and if they showed that there was a relationship with the different texts. At first I struggle with staying away from superficial errors such as punctuation or word choice. However, as we progressed through the course it is evident that I shifted my focus and gave better suggestions which would have a more significant benefit to the peer’s paper. Additionally, I began looking for opportunities where the student might be able to relate the different texts, and integrate different ideas. Suggestions such as these give allow my peers to begin thinking about where they can integrate ideas, use textual evidence to support their claims, and expand their ideas. This will help them expand their writing and understand the habits which are necessary to develop within their first English course.
