Peer Review Topic

I personally really enjoy the way our peer review days are set up. So far this semester I have had a new person review my paper, each peer review day. I have gotten to see many different takes on my writing style and have gotten many helpful corrections. I especially like the fact that we get a sheet with questions to answer when peer reviewing. I think this is especially helpful when it comes to correcting someone else’s paper; it is almost like a guideline to follow and things to look out for. It also is helpful when I get it back from the person who reviewed my paper. I will know if the major parts of my paper, thesis, grammar, structure, etc. are correct. I also like peer reviewing, because it helps me see if I am on the right track with my paper by reading a couple others to see if I understood the assignment. Lastly, I like how we have a whole class period dedicated to peer review. It helps to have a whole class period, so I do not feel rushed. Also, I can usually get two or more people to review my paper in this time limit which is beneficial.
There are not a lot of things I would change about peer review, only a couple. For one, it is a simple thing, but something that really bugs me. Personally I feel as if it is hard to read corrections if someone writes in black ink or pencil, next to the computer type, the corrections do not stand out as much. I am an offender of this. But, I would make it required that everyone had to correct in a red ink pen, to make the corrections jump out and a lot more noticeable. Also, I would make it required that the reviewer fill out the sheet thoroughly and completely. The sheet given to us is highly helpful if it is filled out thoroughly and correctly. If it is just filled up with four or five word sentences it does not help the writer of the paper. Those peer review papers are meant to help the author understand what they did well and what they should try to work on for their final draft. Those are the only corrections I would make to peer reviewing. Other than those two things I enjoy peer review days and think that they are quite beneficial to both the reviewer and the author of the paper.
If I was to set up a whole peer review class it would basically go like this. Everyone would come to class and get in groups of three. When everyone is in their groups of three, a peer review sheet would be passed around like the one we use already, but maybe with a few more questions for the peer reviewer to respond to. I feel that a few more questions or even a section for additional comments would help the author, because I feel as if we never get to converse with one another after we review each other’s paper; we just know how they responded to our writing from the way they responded to the questions. Once everyone got a peer review sheet, the groups would do a three way switch. I think groups of three are helpful, because you are guaranteed two other opinions. Each group member would start to peer review each other’s papers for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes the group members would talk amongst themselves explaining to each other what worked in the papers and what needed work. This way for about 5 or so minutes the authors and reviewers can converse with each other to explain things and ask any questions. Then the group of three would switch papers again and review for 20 minutes. After the last 20 minutes is up, the last five minutes would be spent conversing amongst each other again. That is how I would run a peer review day.