The best way to provide meaningful feedback to your peers is through peer editing. Peer editing is defined as working with someone your own age to improve one anothers' writing skills by the video What is Peer Editing? and the slideshow Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial. These two gave important instructions to peer editing. They both had three rules to follow: stay positive, be specific, and follow the three steps of editing. The three steps of editing are very useful and are usually included in the average writing rubric, which you saw being used by students in the video Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes. The first step is to begin by complimenting the writer. The second step is to give suggestions to the writer; this is where being specific comes into play. You should give suggestions on word choice, details, organization, sentences, and topic (What is Peer Editing?). According to Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial, making suggestions means to "give the author some specific ideas about how to make his or her writing better". The slideshow goes on further, giving examples of how to make suggestions. The third step is to make corrections. When making corrections, it is important to use proofreading symbols such as those shown in What is Peer Editing?. You should also be sure to be specific in what corrections need to be made. Both the video What is Peer Editing? and the slideshow Peer Edit With Perfection Tutorial are specific on what important corrections you should look out for: punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, and spelling.
I was unaware that there were actual rules to proofreading. I knew that you should always proofread in a kind manner, but I definitely learned the rules to peer editing from these sources. The video Writing Peer Review Top 10 Mistakes shows great examples of how peer editing can go wrong. I can honestly say that I am guilty of being a "Mean Margaret" and an "Off-Task Oliver". Watching the students in the video did show me just how unproductive it is when students do not care about the peer editing process, are mean to one another, do not stay on topic, and take advice personally. I also learned that students can use rubrics just as productively as teachers can. In the 10 Mistakes video, the students were referring to a rubric while peer editing each others' work, and it showed to be very productive for improving their writing.
Thoroughly looking through your post, I saw the same things I pointed out in my post as well. There are many good points you give and I also share the similarity of being unaware that there were specific rules to proofreading, before I read all of the same presentations. One thing I would note is to make sure all links are linked. They were first linked in the beginning of the introduction, but then only underlined towards the end of the introduction and conclusion. I enjoyed your post otherwise!
ReplyDeleteI also didn't know there are specific rules for peer editing. This doesn't surprise me due to the fact that I didn't do much of the editing, my paper was always the paper to be edited. :( I think the children did a wonderful job performing as the different editors. It helped me to understand the difference in children, and how they may act toward others. I will teach children in my class to follow the rules of editing, and make them aware of how editing in a cruel manner can't hurt others making them feel inadequate about writing.
ReplyDeleteBefore this blog, I didn't know that there were three steps to peer editing. I know that it's probably because in other classes we just responded to forums. I love the fact my classmates are able to help me improve my writing skills.
ReplyDeleteThorough. Thoughtful. Well done.
ReplyDelete"I also learned that students can use rubrics just as productively as teachers can." Rubrics are a great tool that can be used in many different ways. Take advantage of them.
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