Step 1 - Post your Unit 2 Essay Draft to the discussion board by Wednesday before 11:59pm

Copy and paste your first public draft of your Unit 2 Essay by clicking the "reply" button below, so your peers can read your paper.

At the end of your draft, ask your peers to address a problem you feel you have struggled with in your draft. Briefly describe this problem.

To earn full credit, your draft must address the prompt, be at least 3 pages long, be organized into a minimum of 5 paragraphs, and the narrative must have a beginning, a middle, and an ending. It also must be pasted directly into the dialogue box and include a heading in MLA format.

Please see the rubric for full details. To see the rubric, click on the 3 vertical dots at the top of the Discussion Board.

Step 2 - Read and Review Two Different Essays by Friday before 11:59pm

Read and respond to two peers' essays. Answer all the questions listed below.

***If you see that a peer has already received two peer reviews, please select another essay that has not received a peer review, or only has one.

After everyone's hard work, now we get to enjoy reading all the stories!

Download a pdf file of the peer review questions 

Actions

First, read the paper through one time to enjoy the story, getting a full sense of the impact it has on you. Then, read it again at a slower pace and answer all the questions below in complete sentences, making sure that the reader can understand the question based on what you have written. Do not copy and paste the questions into your post, but please do number your responses to correspond with the question you are answering.

Then, answer these questions:

1. In a few sentences, describe your first impression. (Example response: "My first impression of [student's name] essay, "[title of essay]" is..."
   
2. Does the story have a strong narrative structure that builds toward a climax and then a resolution, or does it become a bit of a list at times? Indicate to the writer what you believe to be the climax of the event. At what point does the writer achieve a new awareness?
3. What background information does the writer provide at the beginning? Which of the details in the background information made the biggest impression on you? What do you learn about the writer and how is it relevant to the story? Does any of the information seem unnecessary? Would you have liked to have had any other background information before the narrative started moving toward the climax?
4. Did the first sentence of the essay draw you in? If not, indicate to the writer what he/she could have done to draw you in more. Is there something from another part of the essay that might draw the reader in at the beginning-- such as dialogue, a memory, or an image?
5. Give an example in the story where the storytelling was particularly effective. Was it exciting? Scary? Suspenseful?
6. Did your peer writer focus and slow down the narrative pace at any points? What was gained or lost by this? Do you see any other places where it might be helpful to slow down the narrative pace? If so, where and why?
7. Tell the writer where the storytelling could be improved.   Point to any places where more specific narrative action, description, transitions, or dialogue might help.
8. Description:

• Point to any descriptive details, similes, or metaphors that are especially effective. Be specific. Give at least one example, or two, in the story where the description is particularly vivid.
• Also indicate any descriptive details that seem unnecessary. Identify any quoted dialogue that might be summarized instead or any dialogue that does not seem relevant.

1. Central Purpose: Is it clear why this event was significant for the writer? Explain what you think makes this event significant for the writer. In what way has the writer changed after the climax of the story? What could we learn from the writer’s experience?

      If the significance is unclear, contemplate what you think the significance might be. Then, point to one place in the draft where you think the significance could be developed.

      What have you learned about the writer from reading this story?  

1. Organization: Pay special attention to the narrative transitions so that you can identify any places where the sequence of action appears unclear.
2. Also indicate any places where you think the description or background information interrupts the action. If you can, suggest other locations for this material.
3. Consider the conclusion. Does the writer have a conclusion that restates the thesis and gives a final thought?If there is a problem with it, try to suggest something different, such as framing the story with a reference to something from the beginning to give it a strong sense of closure.  Please provide specific feedback about the conclusion and its effectiveness.
4. Consider the Title. How did it prepare you for the story? Did it catch your attention? Why or why not? Suggest another possible title.
5. Share any other thoughts you might have with the writer. What is the draft’s strongest part? What part is most in need of further work? If you haven't already done so in a previous question, address the question your peer wrote at the top of his/her draft.              

Step 3 Post Your Reviews to Your Peers' Original Threads

Finally, post your responses to all the questions directly into the dialogue box by clicking Reply to your peers' original threads. Do not post your answers to the questions as an attached file.

This is due by Friday before 11:59pm  to ensure ample time for your peers to review and revise their drafts. However, the sooner you submit your replies, the more time your peers will have to revise their paper.

Happy Reviewing!

1. Initial post (your draft) is due by Wednesday before 11:59 PM Pacific Time. 10 points
   
2. Response postings should be submitted by Friday before 11:59 PM Pacific Time. 10 points for each peer review.
   
3. Total points possible: 30
4. The key to a strong peer review is effort. Therefore, it is expected that you will answer all the peer review checklist questions fully.
5. Interaction is the key to a productive and meaningful discussion between you, your peers, and your instructor, so your goal and approach should be meaningful interaction.
6. Choose your words so that they create a supportive learning environment and an atmosphere of mutual respect for everyone.

Reminder: the Unit 2 Essay Final Draft is due Wednesday Next Week (Week 7)