Post 15 – Final Peer Review Recap
04 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment
Well! We have certainly come a long way, haven’t we?
With the final peer review under way, I will share some things that I’ve learned.
The first, and most important thing that I’ve learned about peer review is how helpful it is. That would seem like a given, but let me explain why. When you’re writing an essay, it’s hard to pick out your own errors. Maybe this is because we are biased and think that they sound great? Who knows… but it is really great to have an outsider come in and read your essay and tell you what things work and what things don’t work. Also, it is easy to get carried away in your writing and forget who your audience is. Again, it is nice to have your peers set you back on the right track and say “hey! this doesn’t make sense! I am your audience and I have no idea what you are talking about…revise revise revise!!!”
I also found it extremely helpful to read other people’s essays because once I pointed out their flaws, it was easier to go back and find mine.
Obviously, the least useful parts of peer review were the parts where my peers would not give any advice for revision. This usually didn’t happen often, because there was always something to be revised, but I know how annoying it can be when all your reviewer says is “great job!”
So, overall, I’ve learned that my classmates have some amazing talent when it comes to writing, and it’s always been a pleasure to read their work and use it as a good example. Their advice is always handy, and it’s very helpful to see the points they are making–this gives me a chance to think about things in a new way. Sometimes I incorporate that thought into my own writing and make connections between the two. Peer review is a very humbling and beneficial part of writing, and I know that in the future, I will always consider using my audience as a reviewer for any of my own writings.
