Tip 9: How to conduct an in-class peer review

This week’s topic is how to help your students “check their style.”

Instructors, arrange for your class to meet in a space large enough to accommodate your class size and preferably outside—weather permitting—to conduct a peer review round of their final research paper drafts (i.e., split your students into groups and direct them to exchange their drafts within the group).

Thus, before you assign this activity, inform your students to print the most current draft of their final paper and the Student Paper Checklist (Beginner’s Version) (PDF, 200KB)opens in new window and bring them both to the place you will be holding class that day (you can extend this activity over several days). After you all have gathered in an appropriate place, ask your students to take out their paper and checklist and then organize your students into groups of four (feel free to adjust based on your class size).

Once they are in their respective groups, ask them to place the checklist on top of their paper and exchange it with one of their group members. After the paper exchange is done, have them read the paper and then check off the requirements of the checklist the paper met with a pen, a pencil, or a marker. Give them sufficient time to conduct this review. Then, request that they return the paper and checklist to the author; instructors, before class ends, discuss with your students how they should revise their paper based on the feedback they received on the checklist—plus provide any writing tips you may have beyond what’s listed on the checklist.

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