It helps ensure manuscript and journal quality.

In addition to that, they have some additional expertise either because they are more experienced writers or they are writing instructors. The process aims to provide written feedback in the form of commentary/criticism to the author, prior to the manuscript’s publication. If the instructor writes anything down, ask if you can take their notes with you. If you feel that the advice given to you by a peer isn’t right, you can choose to ignore it or decide to check with your instructor first. Do they want to know if their thesis is clear?

Undergraduate students often do not perceive how completing academic writing assignments will prepare them for work in the professional world. Writers may think, “I’m not a teacher–how can I give useful feedback to another writer?” What writers CAN do is give their peers an honest reaction as a reader and give advice based on their own experience. “What Can You Do with Student Writing?” In The Elements of Teaching Writing: A Resource for Instructors in All Disciplines. A well-executed peer review improves scientific quality, verifies the originality of the reported research, and most importantly helps advance a researcher’s career.

Begin with a positive note and then move on to constructive criticism. 3. This task is usually called peer review, a concept you will also learn about when you begin to use academic research. 3. This understanding may also help students who don’t feel that other students are qualified to give feedback. Don’t try to make the writer sound like you. “Improving Student Peer Feedback.” College Teaching, 51 (1), p. 34-38. Use “I” statements to help stay focused on your reaction to the writing. Bring your best work to the conference. Our advanced workshop modules cater to the needs of researchers who want to know more about the issues pertinent to successful publication. Only comment on editing when the writing is a final draft or when your instructor has included checking for errors in the instructions for peer review. Rigorous and scientifically accurate peer reviews provide accurate quality control. Give the good news along with the bad news. During the conference, take notes. They serve as a real audience for your words and ideas. Peer review involves two parts—reading and evaluating the reported research work, followed by communicating your assessment to the author (with advice on improving the manuscript for publication). After all, some of the most common criteria for determining the effectiveness of writing refer to the effects of a piece of writing on readers: for example, a sentence can be called “clear” when readers can discern its meaning; a description of research methods can be called “coherent” and “complete” when readers understand the process well enough to replicate it themselves; an argumentative essay can be called “convincing” when it conveys a position that readers find reasonable and compelling. Referees must walk a proverbial tightrope to provide strategically articulated, firm, but friendly feedback. When you are receiving criticism, isn’t it easier to hear if the person giving the criticism is kind and respectful to you? Emphasize to students that peer review is not just a course requirement: it is an essential part of the writing process that all successful writers engage in at some point. What do you need help with? Be specific. However, this may not always be possible, but try where you can. Getting in-person help from your instructor is one of the best ways to receive feedback. In this article, we provide five key tips on how to share effective feedback to improve manuscript quality. In addition, it should be noted that students may not understand how to comment on their peers’ writing because over the years they have not received helpful feedback from instructors who have graded their papers. You can prepare for a conference with your instructor so that you get the most out of it.

When your role in peer review is to give feedback, your job is to help the writer by giving your reaction as a reader to the writing. Comment on the higher order concerns first. Remember that the responsibility for correcting the errors lies with the writer, not with you. Constructive criticism can vary across reviews, but the underlying motive is to support and strengthen the writing in progress. Or you may just be curious about what a writing tutor has to offer. And give your peers a break; they are also just learning how to give feedback.

When you accept an invitation to review complete it within the prescribed timeline. In other words, the writer should think about all of the reviewers’ comments, but may decide to ignore some of the comments and to make changes in response to others. Participating in peer review can help them learn to shape their written language as a medium of communication with readers. What’s the benefit? You will probably catch more errors, too. The manuscript is a draft that the author seeks helpful feedback on, thus requiring a fair appraisal. Articulating what you see as the core skills involved in peer review will help you develop a coherent plan for integrating peer review into your course and will make more clear the specific instructions your students will need as they learn how to review a peer’s paper and how to use the comments they receive during peer review. Make a note about what kind of feedback the writer has requested and keep that in mind as you respond.

Reviewing is an aspect of academic work that requires a well-constructed analysis. What kind of feedback are they asking for? Give the good news along with the bad news. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Getting Your Manuscript Edited by Professional Editors: Why is it Beneficial? Are you eager to get feedback? You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the newsletter. These might include reading skills (discerning a writer’s main point, locating key points of support or relevant data, etc. ), writing skills (writing clear, specific comments and questions), and collaboration skills (phrasing critiques in a descriptive, constructive way). The IDEA Center.

Writing tutors offer you another perspective on your writing. When students engage fully in the peer-review process, they should not only better comprehend the criteria used to determine whether a paper is well written. What do you think is working? The purpose of peer review as a prelude to revision is to help the writer determine which parts of the paper are effective as is, and which are unclear, incomplete, or unconvincing. The basic premise of peer review is to encourage further writing.

The more effort you have already made means that the instructor won’t waste time telling you things you already know you need to fix. Remind students that the process of producing academic and professional writing generally involves three steps: drafting, revising, and editing. For example, you could say “if this were my paper, the two things I would do next are A and B.” Provide options such as, “If you wanted to expand this, you could do A, B, or C.”. (314) 935-6810 Begin with a positive note and then move on to constructive criticism. Listen to or read the feedback with an open mind.

See this handy link to “FERPA General Guidance for Students” from the US Department of Education (found at www2.ed.gov). Keep in mind that your tutor will want to focus on a few important things rather than try to catch every little thing in your paper. While it’s not effective in writing, the passive voice can be useful when giving constructive criticism to a coworker, because it draws the attention away from the … How to Become a Peer Reviewer: Doing Your Share for the Research Community, How to Survive Peer Review in Social Sciences and Humanities.