Peer Edit: Research Paper Rough Draft

Write your name on the top right corner of the paper you are editing

Underline:

·  The thesis statement

o  After reading the introduction, write in your own words a summary of the main point of the paper on the back of the first page (do not ask the author for help)

Highlight:

·  Write why in the margins unless it is obvious

o  Suggested revisions

o  Positive comments

Circle:

·  Spelling, grammar, etc. mistakes that you notice, if needed write a quick note explaining what you circled

Summary:

·  On the back of the last page of the paper write 2 things that the paper does well and the 1 area that the author should focus on improving

When reading your peer’s paper keep in mind the five “C’s”:

Clarity - / Does the paper communicate the author's ideas clearly and effectively, or do you have to struggle and reread to figure out what the author is trying to say?
Pointing out places where the paper is unclear is an editor's most important task. Effective communication is the entire point of writing.
Completeness - / Could someone who had not read more understand and learn from the paper?
Concision - / Can you eliminate extraneous words, phrases, or sentences? Can you suggest ways to rephrase sentences more effectively (changing passive to active, compressing two sentences into one with a main and subordinate clause, eliminating redundancy, replacing ambiguous pronouns, etc.)?
Cohesion - / Does the paper sensibly connect, or does the author leap from thought to thought without logical transition? Is each paragraph organized around a single idea, which the author develops and illustrates sufficiently before moving on? Are there transitions to connect sections of the paper?
Correctness - / Though it is not your duty to fix each grammatical glitch, everyone appreciates an alert and rigorous proofreader. If you find obvious errors or typos, mark them. Are quotations used correctly and cited accurately and fully? Are words used improperly? Don't feel awkward about having to judge a friend's writing--what you are looking at is only a draft, and mistakes are to be expected. If you catch errors before the final paper is handed in, you are doing your classmate a favor.