Using similar pedagogy to the silent conversations, here’s how we handled peer editing yesterday:
1st Pass: Read to see if the paper makes sense. Leave a comment for the author: is it clear? understandable? did you like/enjoy it?
2nd Pass: Agree or disagree with the author and state why.
3rd Pass (specific to our writing prompt): Which job is the author claiming that the quotation performs? List all the evidence that the author presents. Feedback to the author a brief outline of their argument so they know how you interpreted the writing.
4th Pass: Read what others wrote before you. Read the paper and write a response to what others wrote.
5th Pass: Read what others wrote before you. Read the paper and suggest three possible titles. Return the paper to the author.
Paper Returned: Read what’s on your paper and write a comment to yourself: what do you need to do between now and when your paper is due? Based on everything you’ve read today, you should have a few ideas in your head.
Always Pass Two Desks Down
A wide variety of readers is my goal, so sitting in a circle and passing the papers two desks to the right or left is generally a good way to have students reading papers they wouldn’t ordinarily read.