How Do I …?

When students go into high school as freshmen, it is a small culture shock since those four years are so closely related to the previous eight years. Same schedule, same format.

Then students begin college as freshmen. It is a whole new world they are entering into. They get so many different choices; days and times of their classes, which classes to take first, sleeping late vs. getting up early. Then it’s time to begin their studies, which are another shock to their system. Especially in Comp 1.

No longer will they be given the one topic to write about, in a five paragraph format. They will be given four major papers to write, all in different formats, and they get to chose their topics, within guidelines of course. And, each paper will be more difficult than the last and be worth more of the final grade. Absolutely no pressure there.

I was a victim myself of “the misapprehension that “real” writing is perfectly formed and flows onto the page at the touch of the Muse’s hand” (Lunsford). It was a “secret” that all writers go through review, revision, and rewrites. This is why it is so important for students to understand that “Revision is a process of “re-vision” or looking at an essay with new eyes” (Lunsford).

” Feedback is a form of response focused on helping someone meet a goal–to understand something more fully, to perform more effectively” (Eli Review). Feedback can be intimidating to students since it is not always explained this way. They feel that they are being told either their writing is horrible or just giving spelling and punctuation lessons.

Because we will be teaching fifty minute classes, virtual review is one option. “Assigning virtual peer review is one way that instructors can accentuate writing classes with technology” (Breuch). In this manner, peer review can be conducted without taking valuable class time.

Another question is when to schedule feedback, since research shows there is great “benefit from scheduling the peer review early so that they begin writing earlier and have time to make substantial revisions (Baker). If we as instructors want to give the students enough time to offer feedback, we need to ensure there is enough time for the students to use the feedback to revise the work to make it better.

With four major papers to be assigned in 1101, I want to use peer review and revision on two of those essays. After thinking about these reviews for several weeks, I want to use the first one on my second assigned paper, the compare and contrast. Then again on the last paper, the mini research paper.

The first paper, the narrative, will be too personal to share for review. This will also give me a first look at their writing, and gauge it accordingly. Perhaps I can use the information gained from the first paper to determine if a student needs the assistance of a “peer partner.” The goal of 1101 is to help students successfully navigate the first term of English comp. It is my belief that peer review and revision is a tool that can assist with this goal.

Baker, Kimberly M. Peer ReI want to view as a Strategy for Improving Students’ Writing Process https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1469787416654794 Accessed 2/17/20

 Breuch, Lee-Ann Kastman. Virtual Peer Review : Teaching and Learning about Writing in Online Environments, ProQuest EBook Central. Accessed 2/18/20.

Grabil, Jeff. Helpful Feedback Fuels Learning, Eli Review, https://elireview.com/content/td/feedback/ Accessed 2/18/20

Lunsford, Andrea, Jeanne Law Bohannon, Alyssa O’Brien, and Lisa Dresdner. Teaching with Lunsford Handbooks. 3rd ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s: 2019. 2h Peer Review, Revision, and Reflection