Peer+Editing

Evaluating writing is not a perfect science. Good writing is like good speaking; it is considerate of the audience. Furthermore, good writing is organized for the sake of the argument and the sake of the reader. Any argument will be more convincing if it makes a point of assembling particular evidence to scaffold a larger claim. When editing someone else's writing, listen to your readerly voice and consider how you would change the piece to strengthen the claim contained therein to make it more convincing and more accessible to its audience.

__Questions to consider when evaluating an essay:__ 1) Is the thesis clear and compelling?

2) Does the introductory paragraph provide you with a roadmap for the rest of the paper? Is it compelling? Does it make you want to read more?

3) Do paragraphs have topic sentences?

4) Do the paragraphs transition smoothly?

5) Can you add any evidence or quotes to strenthen their argument?

6) Where are the weak parts of their argument? How would you fix these weaknesses?