Class Notes

Peer Review for Project 5

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This is the post for the November 13, 2014 class meeting.

Today we do peer review on Project 5, which is due on Tuesday.

Class Work for November 13

Today we focus on peer review for Project 5, using Google Drive. The process will be just like the peer review you have done on the previous projects. Here are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

  • Refresh yourself on the documentation for the comment system in Google Drive.
  • Post drafts for Project 5 in the forums.
  • Respond to two students on Google Drive and in the forums.
  • Review the comments on your own work.

Refresher on the Google Drive Comment System

If you need a reminder on the comment and sharing systems in Google Drive, use the step-by-step instructions for how to use Google Drive for peer review on the FAQ site, which includes details on how to share your document, how to comment, and how to respond to comments.  If you need a more detailed explanation, be sure to check out the Lynda video on “Commenting on a file.”

Note that if you do not convert your documents to Google Doc format, your classmates cannot comment on your work properly and your participation grade suffers. After all, you cannot participate in the peer review fully if no one can comment on your work.

Posting Your Drafts for Project 5

You will post the share link to your draft in the forums:

  1. Go to the Project 5: Definition, Description, and Instructions forum, and create a topic for your draft with your name or your username and career or field (e.g., “Traci, college writing instructor”).

  2. Post a reply in your topic, doing the following:
    • If you do not want to share your last name in the forums, change it in your draft to a pseudonym. You can use a generic last name like Doe or Smith, or you can change it to Lastname.
    • Share the link(s) to your Project 5 drafts in Google Docs, using the FAQ linked in the Refresher section above.

  3. Let your classmates know about any specific concerns that you want them to consider as they comment on your draft.

  4. Be sure to Preview your draft to make sure everything shows up the way you want it to, and then submit your post.

Responding to Your Classmates’ Drafts

Follow these instructions to respond to your classmates’s drafts:

  1. Read and comment on the drafts of at least two of your classmates:

    • Find one post that no other student has replied to (so that we can be sure everyone gets a reply).
    • Find a second post that has only one other student reply.

  2. Use the Share link to go to your classmate’s draft on Google Drive and do the following:

    • Check the title of the document(s), and add a comment to tell your partner if it is clear and effective.
    • If you notice any spelling errors, punctuation errors, or typos, mark them as you read, but please focus more on the content rather than editing.
    • Add comments on the content of the draft. Comment on at least three things your classmate does well and at least three things that your classmate could improve on. It’s fine (excellent, even) to include more than the minimum number of comments.
    • As you check the documents, check them for the following:
      • Extended definition: Does the document use layout and design to make the information easy to read?
      • Instructions: Are the steps numbered? Does the document use imperative verbs? Is the layout open and airy?
      • Glossary: Does the document use layout and design to make the terms and definitions clear? Are the entries in alphabetical order? Do the glossary entries use broken sentences?

  3. Once you finish commenting on the document, go back to your classmate’s post in the forums and add an overall comment that sums up what you thought of the paper and gives your partner some encouragement.

Reviewing the Comments You Received

Once you have finished adding comments to your classmates’ projects, return to your own draft, read the comments that your classmates have given you, and add replies as appropriate. For instance, you might thank your partner for catching an error, ask your partner for more detail on feedback you don’t understand, or share a revision and ask your partner if it is an improvement. Your goal is to reply today so that your classmate can respond if you need more information.