Elliott Neal

Marquette
An Inquiry in Peer Review Exercises and
University
Textual Ownership
Problem: Results:
-While Peer review exercises are consistently used across -Students were inclined to give a reasonable
disciplines for improving revision, comprehension, and distribution of critical and positive feedback.
critiquing skills, the efficacy of these exercises are
varied. -Students overwhelmingly gave sentence level
feedback over thematic or conceptual feedback.
-The somewhat unpredictable results of peer review (3X as much).
exercises has pushed me to inquire as to what feedback
students are giving and receiving. Schema -Student feedback often lacked textual examples
for support. (2.5X as often).

Positive Critical Feedback

feedback Analysis:
-Equally positive and critical: Expectations for
critique are established early in our education. One
Sentence Thematic or for One principle.
Question: level conceptual
-What types of feedback are students giving each other? -Sentence level feedback: the large amount of
feedback feedback sentence level feedback could indicate a cautious
-What does this feedback suggest about textual peer reviewer who doesnt consider it their
ownership? authority to address thematic issues.
Vague Specific textual -Vague feedback: This data may also support
feedback feedback individualistic conceptions of textual ownership.
The vague feedback commonly came in terms of,
unclear thesis or this flows very well.

Methods: Conclusions:
-Transcripts of student conversations during exercises -These conceptions may cause students to be
hesitant to give effective feedback for macro
-Survey asking students how helpful peer review was to revisions, resulting in a lack of improvements.
their writing, critiquing skills, etc.
-Teaching writing as a communal exercise could
greatly improve the peer review exercise and how
students approach critique and feedback.