peer review – Technical Writing

Peer Review for Project 6

tengrrl — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 05:03:00 +0000

This is the post for the December 4, 2014 class meeting.

Today, we have peer review for Project 6 scheduled. We’ll follow the same process as we have on the other assignments, so this should be routine for you this time.

Class Work for December 4

Today we focus on peer review for Project 6, using Google Drive. 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 6 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.”

Posting Your Drafts for Project 6

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

Go to the Project 6: Course Completion Report forum, and create a topic for your draft with your name or your username (e.g., “Traci’s report”).
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.
- You can obfuscate details about your grade if you prefer. You do not have to confess to one another that you believe you have earned an A or a B, etc. You can remove that sentence or just use the grade X as a placeholder. Just be sure to add the real grade details back before you turn the report in.
- Share the link(s) to your Project 6 draft in Google Docs, using the FAQ linked in the Refresher section above.
Let your classmates know about any specific concerns that you want them to consider as they comment on your draft.
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:

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.
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 that the report
  addresses all four areas that fall under the participation portion of your grade: participation, SPOT evaluation, daily work, number of posts, and quality of posts. Consider whether the document has used design and layout to make the information for four areas easy to find and understand. Leave a comment if you notice anything missing or can offer advice on design and layout.
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.

Peer Review for Project 5

tengrrl — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 21:38:07 +0000

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

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:

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

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.
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?
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

Peer Review for Project 2

tengrrl — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 04:00:38 +0000

This is the post for the September 25, 2014 class meeting.

We will finish this week with peer review for Project 2. Your projects are due on Tuesday, and we’ll begin Project 3, an Informational Report and Proposal on Job Application Needs, on Thursday.

Class Work for September 25

Today we focus on peer review. Here are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

Refresh yourself on using the comment system in Google Drive.
Post drafts for Project 2 in the forums.
Respond to two students on Google Drive and in the forums.
Review the comments on your own work.

Important Dates

Thursday, Sept 25 by noon: Project 2 Rough Drafts Due for Peer Feedback
Tuesday, Sept 30 by 11:55 PM: Project 2: Writing in Your Field Due
Tuesday, Oct 7 by 11:55 PM: Project 2: Writing in Your Field Deadline (end of grace period)

Refresher on the Google Drive Comment System

Posting Your Drafts for Project 2

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

Go to the Project 2: Analysis of Writing in Your Field forum, and find the topic you created with your name or your username and career or field (e.g., my example was “Traci, college writing instructor”).
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 2 draft(s) in Google Docs, using the FAQ linked in the section above. You will have a link to your spreadsheet, and if you are going for an A, you will also have a link to your analysis memo.
Let your classmates know about any specific concerns that you want them to consider as they comment on your draft.
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’ drafts:

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.
Use the Share link to go to your classmate’s draft on Google Drive and do the following:
- Check the title of the document, 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.
- If your classmate has included the optional analytical memo, check whether the draft addresses all six characteristics of technical communication. If anything is missing, add a comment that lets your partner know.
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 partner gave 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.

Peer Review for Project 1

tengrrl — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 16:17:46 +0000

This is the post for the September 9, 2014 class meeting.

Today is peer review day for the first project. By sharing the draft of your first project, you will have the opportunity to get some feedback on your work before it is due. In addition, you will have the chance to get to know your classmates better by reading through the bios everyone else has posted. Details on how to submit your project will be posted on Thursday.

Class Work for September 9

These are the tasks to complete for today’s work:

Review Editing and Proofreading tips (Markel, Appendix, Part B).
Learn how to use the Google Drive Comment system.
Post drafts for Project 1 in the forums.
Respond to two students in the forums.
Read everyone’s posts to get to know your classmates.

Important Dates

Tuesday, Sept 9 by noon: Project 1 Rough Drafts Due for Peer Feedback
Thursday, Sept 11 by 11:55 PM: Project 1: Professional Biography Statement Due
Thursday, Sept 18 by 11:55 PM: Project 1: Professional Biography Statement Deadline (end of grace period)

Editing and Proofreading Tips

Part B of the Appendix in your text goes over various rules for grammar, punctuation, and mechanics. You can review these rules as needed. There’s also a list of 20 Most Common Errors available under the Resources menu at the top of the page.

Using the Google Drive Comment System

Review the step-by-step instructions for how to use Google Drive for peer review on the FAQ site. The page 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.”

Posting Your Drafts for Project 1

You will post details on your draft in the forums, just as you posted your topics last week:

Follow the instructions in Step 1 of How do I use Google Drive for peer review? to set up sharing permissions for your documents. You need to share your draft with “Anyone with the link” or “People at Virginia Tech with the link” so that we can read your work.
Go to the Project 1: Professional Biography Statement
board in the forums, and find the topic you created with your name or your username (e.g., “Traci’s Bios”).
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 to your bios in Google Docs.
- If you have written more than one bio, please label them so that your readers will know what they are reading (for instance, you might note one is a formal bio for the company website, and the other is an informal bio for the internal company newsletter).
If you have any specific concerns that you want your readers to consider, add a note on that as well.
Be sure to Preview your forum post to make sure everything shows up the way you want it to, and then Submit your message.

Replying to Project 1 Drafts

Next, you will reply to the posts of some of your classmates:

Review the instructions in Step 2 of How do I use Google Drive for peer review? to learn how to use the Comment features in Google Drive.
Go to the Project 1: Professional Biography Statement board in the forums, and read the drafts of at least two of your classmates and add a reply with advice and encouragement (more below).
- 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.
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.
Go back to the forums and add a reply to your classmate’s topic and add an overall comment that sums up what you thought of the bio(s) and gives your classmate some encouragement.

Reviewing the Comments You Received

Reading the Remaining Project 1 Drafts

To get to know your classmates a bit better, read through the remaining bio statements that are posted. If you notice anything you want to comment on, feel free to post additional replies.