Peer Review with Worksheets? Plus!

I really liked the advice given on the colostate.edu website. I liked it because it made sense (like the following for a writer getting criticism: "Consider each response and decide for yourself if you should make changes and what those changes will be. Not all the advice you get will be good, but learning to make revision choices based on the response is part of becoming a better writer" (http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/processes/peerreview/writer.cfm).

I also wondered if the worksheets would be helpful to students in my classes. I intend to bring this up during class discussion tomorrow. If so, we might make up our own worksheets or simply borrow one of the two at colostate.edu to use.

I also really enjoyed the section on writing as a social activity, even though it is often done in private. I like the thought that the "interpretation of a document...will be based at least to some degree on something other than the words themselves" (http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/processes/writingsituations/socialact.cfm). I am not sure most of us really think about how others might receive the words we write. How often do we ask ourselves (before the fact): "Could someone be offended by this sentence?" "Do you think everyone will understand what I mean when I say 'woot'?" I mean, think about it. How many times have you wondered what someone was really trying to say as you read their email or text message or letter? Have you ever said to yourself, "Is he/she breaking up with me right now?" after reading a really weird email filled with innuendo and metaphor. Man. What a drag.