Peer Response

Here are some ideas to help you get started when conducting a peer response:

1. Ask students to read the entire paper slowly and carefully without making any marks to the page.
2. Ask students to reread the paper with the following questions in mind:
   1. Is there an identifiable introduction and conclusion?
   2. Is there an identifiable thesis statement? If so, underline it. Is the thesis statement specific? Does it accurately forecast what’s actually in the paper?
   3. Do all the paragraphs deal with a single topic? Does the topic sentence for each paragraph accurately forecast what’s in the paragraph?
   4. Are the ideas presented in each paragraph connected well? Are transitions used appropriately?
   5. Is the “ISU connection” there? Does it make sense?
   6. Are there major issues with style, like sentence fragments, missing words, or problems with MLA formatting and citation? Is there a works cited on a separate page?
   7. Is there a visual included in the paper? Does it have a title or caption?
   8. Does the paper blend secondary sources (research) with personal insights?
   9. Does the paper do a good job of balancing description with interpretation?
3. After students have reread the paper and marked it with the following questions in mind, invite them to verbally discuss their feedback with their peer.