WRIT101 Brownson, Fall 2008

The goal of the peer editing sessions is for each writer to leave each session with significant useful feedback on her/his writing from 2-3 different editors. Writers will then be able to use this feedback to improve their drafts.

1. Write at least one draft. Computer generate the draft, double spacing it. The double spacing will allow your editors to mark more easily on the draft and allow you to read the comments.

2. Your draft should be as nearly complete as possible. You might choose to omit the intro or conclusion, or you might write a topic sentence for one of your body paragraphs instead of developing the whole paragraph, but aim for completeness. The more material your editors have to work with, the more useful their feedback will be for you. You must, however, compose a working THESIS STATEMENT.

3. Outlines are not acceptable for drafts. You must bring in a draft with paragraphs. You may, however, outline a body paragraph.

4. Make 4 copies of your draft, one for you and one for each of your editors. Writers will read their drafts aloud while their editors follow along.

5. Submission of final draft – you should submit one of your rough draft copies from the editing session as well as all of your editor’s comment sheets with your final draft. I will provide you with a folder in which you will submit all of these materials. Please staple the final draft together. Staple the rough draft together. Staple the editing sheets together. Please do not use paper clips. Please do not staple or clip the entire group of pages together – you will submit THREE separate groups – the final draft, the rough draft, and the editing sheets.

6. Attendance at peer editing sessions is not optional. Students who do not attend peer editing sessions will have 5 points deducted from the final grade on the assignment. In addition, students who attend the session but who do not submit the required materials with their final draft will have points deducted from the final grade on the assignment, varying depending on what is missing.

7. Writers may submit their rough drafts to turnitin.com if they choose but submission of rough drafts is not required. Writers must submit their final drafts to turnitin.com.

Fill out the editing sheet as fully as possible. Be respectful yet helpful with your writers’ work. You will be critiquing, not criticizing, the rough draft, not the writer. The most helpful feedback will recognize both strengths and weaknesses in the draft. Your goal is to help the writers improve their drafts. Be as specific as possible. Avoid spending your time on editing errors as the writer will be expected to correct these before s/he hands the assignment in. Your role in this process is important – please take the part you play seriously and engage in the process.