UWRT 1103

Ashley Marcum, Instructor

Peer Review QuestionsLiteracy Memoir
Directions: Respond to the following questions thoroughly, respectfully, and constructively. Please write your full responses in black
text to these questions in this document and save your revised document as Last Name PRQs (Peer Review Questions for Last
Name.) For example, my PRQs for Johnny Appleseed would be named MarcumPRQsAppleseed. Please indicate on your paper your
name and the name of the author that you are responding to. Note, you should also make revision suggestions, comments, and
responses on the paper itself using the review tool in Word. You are working together to improve each others writing: be sure that
the kinds of responses you are giving are the kinds of responses you would like to receive on your paper. Everyone appreciates both
praise and constructive criticism.
Terrell David responding to Amber Cousin

1. Read the first paragraph of the essay and then stop. In a sentence or two, describe what you expect the author to say in this
essay. Who and what is this paper going to focus on? Underline the sentence(s) that give you the main idea of the essay.
After reading the first paragraph I expected the author to elaborate on the importance of literacy and how literacy played a
roll in their life.
2. Finish reading the entire essay. Respond in the margins with your first reactions as a reader. Briefly summarize the essay (23 sentences). Then summarize each paragraph in a sentence or less. Where does the author get off track? Where does the
author stay focused? If you are having a hard time summarizing the paragraphs, then something in the paragraph may be
undermining the focus.
The essay briefly describes the authors journey with literacy with examples from childhood and their academic career. The
essay continues by adding discourse communities and personal life anecdotes.
-Literacy Importance
-Reading at an early age
-Bad experience with reading
-Interest in reading and writing
-Writings frustration and release
-Continuing writings frustration
-Continue disinterest in writing
-Development of reading/writing process
-Difference between leisure and assigned reading.
-Explanation of reading process
-Explanation of writing process
-Continuing explanation of writing process
-Importance of literacy sponsors
-Literacy in relation to her family, specifically mom.
-Literacy in the home
-Literacy relationship between her and mom
-Intro to discourse comunnities

-Adjusting to vocabulary in various communities

-Intro to personal literacy sponsor
-Discourse community growth(personal)
-Conclusion.
3. In the introduction, how well does the author begin the story? What does the author do to keep the readers reading, ie. a hook or
reason to be drawn in? What could he/she do to draw the reader in more? Does the introduction lead up to a thesis sentence or an
indication of where the rest of the essay is going? Does the conclusion do more that restate the main points of the essay? Does it
point to how literacy will impact them in the future? If the conclusion is not satisfying, what would you do to make it more
engaging?
In the introduction the author starts the story strong. The author starts with a brief statement sentence. The intro sentence leads up
to the thesis, which indicates where the essay will follow. For the conclusion the author could include how their experiences have
impacted them and will help them for the future.
4. Does the author share three or four key literacy events and give their significance or show how the event illustrates something
about literacy? Does the author make useful connections between their literacy events and at least three of the readings we have
discussed in class? Highlight the sections of the essay where you feel the author is able to critically reflect on the cultures within
which the literacy event/s occur.
The author does share three literacy events regarding their feelings towards reading and writing and literacy in the home. The
author connects their feelings to reading and writing to passages weve read in class.
5. Does the organization of the paper make sense? How has the author structured the essay? Do they alternate paragraphs
switching between personal experience and scholarly ideas about literacy? Is it structured all around a personal narrative? If so,
what suggestions do you have for helping the author break from this pattern? If the structure seems either confusing or strong
indicate where you see this. How would you improve it?
The organization of the paper is standard. The author switches between personal experiences and Ideas on literacy. The writing is in
a personal narrative style which helps to entertain the reader but adding more citations will definitely strengthen the argument.
6. Does the author consider the audience? Indicate how the author could address the audience better or where the author does a
good job of considering the audience.
The author considers the audience slightly. There are a few places in the essay where I would change vocabulary as to not offend the
audience and to make the piece more formal.
7. List two things you think the author does a good job on. List two things you think the author should work on. Make at least one
suggestion for how she/he might go about improving each of those aspects of the essay.
I think the author does a good job at inflicting her personal voice and adding great analogies. I think the author should work on word
choice and adding sources
8. List two things you would like to hear more about. What does the author not deal with as much or as well as youd like? Explain
what and why you think these elements are important enough to include.

I would like to hear more about the authors more recent experiences as well as more writing experiences. These elements are
important to include because the recent experiences reflect how our learning have impacted us outside of the classroom.

Rubric for Project #1: Literacy Memoir

Category
Assignme
nt
Requireme
nts
20 points

Creativity
20 points

Rhetorical
Strategies
20 points

Organizati
on
20 points

Academic
Correctnes
s
20 points

UWRT
Ashley Marcum

4
Exceeds requirements
for the assignment.
Clearly addresses the
prompt by choosing
important literacy
events and relating
those events while
being a critical observer
noting the cultural,
political, etc factors
Demonstrates originality
and
mastery of the
objectives or material.
The vignettes contain
many creative details
and/or descriptions
that contribute to the
reader's enjoyment.
The
authoraudience,
has really
Addresses

3
Meets all
requirements for the
assignment. Clearly
addresses the
prompt by sharing
some literacy events.
Includes significant
reflection on those
experiences.

1
Meets some, but not
all, of the requirements
for the assignment.
Tells a couple literacy
event stories, but does
not develop the story
completely. Parts are
missing or unclear.
Critical reflection is
seriously lacking as is
Demonstrates a partial
understanding of the
objectives or material.
The vignettes contain
one or two creative
details, but they
distract from the story.
The author does not
seem to have used
much imagination.
Addresses some aspects
of
audience, purpose,
and voice, and/or
inconsistently uses
rhetorical strategies.
Does not fully
engage, audience.
Any multimodal
components are only
partially or vaguely
Is a hard to follow. The
sequence of events
may be mixed-up or
unclear.

0
Does not meet the
requirements of the
assignment. Discusses
the topic generally.

purpose, and voice with

expertise through the
savvy use of rhetorical
strategies. Engages
audience with vibrant
details and storytelling.
Any multimodal
components are wellintegrated and integral
to the story.
One idea or scene
follows another in a
logical sequence with
strong transitions.

2
Meets most of the
requirements for the
assignment. Addresses
the prompt by
describing several
important literacy
events in your life.
May not adequately
focus the story on
critical reflection and
Demonstrates above- Demonstrates a basic
understanding of the
average
objectives or material,
insight and a
but often relies on
thorough
generic or predictable
understanding of
techniques. The stories
the objectives or
contain a few creative
material. The
details and/or
vignettes contain a
descriptions. The
few creative details
author has tried to use
and/or
descriptions
Addresses audience,
Addresses most aspects
purpose, and voice
of
well with the
audience, purpose, and
appropriate use of
voice with rhetoricallyspecific rhetorical
appropriate strategies.
strategies. Engages
Engages audience with
audience with strong
some details. Any
details. Any
multimodal
multimodal
components are poorly
components are
integrated or may be
relevant to the story.
more decorative than
One idea or scene may Is a little hard to follow.
seem out of place. The
Clear transitions are transitions are
used.
sometimes not clear.

Contains no errors in
grammar, spelling, or
mechanics. Format is
extremely polished and
professional. Title is
creative, sparks
interest and is related
to the story and topic.

Contains only minor

errors in
grammar, spelling, or
mechanics. Format is
polished and shows
your effort. Title is
related to the story
and topic.

Contains one or two

major
errors in grammar,
spelling, or mechanics.
Format is inconsistent
or not appropriate.
Title is present, but
does not seem related

Contains several major

errors
in grammar, spelling,
or mechanics. Format
shows no attention to
appearance. Includes
no title.

Contains several minor

errors
in grammar, spelling,
or mechanics. Format
is clean and
consistent. Title is
present, but is
general
or
Fall 2015

Demonstrates little
understanding of the
objectives or material.
There is little evidence
of creativity in the
story.

Fails to address
audience,
purpose, and/or voice
and/or uses rhetorical
strategies incompletely
or incorrectly. Does not
engage or build
interest in the reader.
Any multimodal
components are
irrelevant or distract
Ideas and scenes seem
to be
randomly arranged.