Blog Post 3- How Can You Provide Meaningful Feedback to Your Peers?

  So, what exactly is peer editing? Perhaps we should begin by stating what peer editing is not meant to be. Peer editing is not meant to discourage one from the work he or she has done. Peer editing is not done in order to make someone feel inadequate or as if they are a terrible writer. It is purely to offer constructive criticism, to your peer, by creating a better more refined piece of work. Their are many ways to offend or discourage someone from what they are doing,such as being too pushy, blunt, or even rude, often this can happen without you even realizing it, so one must be conscientious of what one says when offering peer review to someone.

  There are four main steps in achieving a successful peer review. Number one, compliment, always begin a peer review by stating what you like about the writing, things you found enjoyable, and also things that stood out to you that you find interesting. This will allow you to approach your peer in a non-confrontational manner from the very beginning. Secondly, suggesting, it is important to be specific with your suggestions, this way you are able to relay your ideas to your peer, and they do not walk away confused or not understanding exactly what you meant. Lastly, corrections, like suggesting, it is important to be specific when offering corrections. If the peer is making a specific error over and over, such as a grammatical or spelling error, it will certainly help them in the long run if you point it out to them and help them to understand the error. Peer editing is done to help your peers produce the best work possible, if you see something, it is best for everyone if the issue is addressed. Don't be afraid to offer constructive criticism! A great site for more peer editing tips can be found by watching the video, "What Is Peer Editing."