Responding to WA2

Peer Feedback

Activity (in pairs): In order to a get a real reader’s perspective of your current draft of WA2 and some ideas for revising it (and give the same with respect to their piece), trade drafts with someone, take out a pen and paper, place your name (as reader) and the writer’s name at the top of it, and respond to the following questions in as much detail as you think will be useful. You are going to give your responses to your partner, so try to make them as legible and clear as possible.

Reader’s Name: _______________________________________________________

Writer’s Name: _______________________________________________________

Note to Reader: You should respond as specifically as possible to each and every question that follows.. Anything less will be quite useless to the writer.

1. What did you find most compelling about this essay? Be very specific. This can be a specific story, a specific feel, or some other aspect that really caught your attention and made you want to read more.

2. What did you want to hear more about? Be specific!

3. What does this draft make you think about? Do you have any similar experiences you can share with the writer? Other ideas that came up as you read this draft?

4. Underline your favorite passage in the text. What makes it your favorite?

5. Talk about the title for a minute. What is the current title for this essay? Now that you’ve read the essay, does the title seem appropriate? If so, what makes it so? If not, why not? Offer the writer three possible titles that might work to catch the reader’s attention and give him/her a hint about what the essay will offer. Offer these three suggestions even if you LOVE the title they already have. More ideas are always useful.

6. Has the writer reached the three-page minimum requirement for this draft?

7. The revised draft must be four-pages long. Offer some specific suggestions that would help the writer make this draft at least one page longer.

Discussion (in pairs): Return the draft to its writer and discuss your responses to it (question by question). They have a written version of it, but they may have questions that will only come up if you discuss your responses face to face. After you discuss your answers to the above questions, make certain the writer receives your written feedback. Make sure your name is at the top of the paper (as reader) and his/her name is at the top of the paper (as writer).

Response (Individual): After you have both responded to one another’s WA2, take a few minutes to jot down your revision plan. Write about a page in response to one or more of the following questions: (1) How did your reader react to your text? (2) Were his/her reactions the ones you expected? (3) What suggestions did the writer offer with respect to revising this draft? (4) What are your specific revision plans?