Use the “comment” function to offer constructive critique on your classmates’ work. Getting good, constructive comments helps the author revise and become a better writer. But giving good, constructive comments also helps you become a better writer. In fact, you may learn more from the comments you give than from the ones that you get. Once you start examining other people’s essays more closely and identifying their strengths and weaknesses, you’ll be able to apply the lessons to your own writing.
Take the time to write supportive, substantive comments, using the “no sweat” method. Each comment should include:
- One Strength;
- One thing to Work on;
- One thing to Think about.
The “one thing to think about” should substantively address the content of the piece. It could be an insight, a question, or a recommendation for further reading.
For each assignment, you will comment on 3-4 of your classmates’ drafts and on your own. We will assign peer critique groups for each assignment using a random team generator tool. Comments on drafts are expected to be more detailed and expansive, since you are evaluating work in progress. In addition to including the 3 elements above, comments on draft essays should evaluate how well the essay is fulfilling the specific goals of that assignment. Each essay assignment will include tailored instructions about what to focus on in your peer and self critiques.
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